This HOWTO is distributed with example files that include a
working nibfile (a file of user-interface objects,
named "CurrencyConverter.nib") and a Lisp source file (named
"CurrencyConverter.lisp"). You can build a working copy of the
example application by using these files, but you probably
shouldn't. If you want to understand how to build your own Lisp
application projects, you should follow the instructions here to
create your own source file and nibfile, and use the example
files only for reference in case something goes wrong.
First, create a project folder to hold the files you are
going to create. When your project is complete, the folder will
contain a nibfile that defines the user interface, and
a Lisp source file that defines the behavior of the
application. Those two files are really all there is to a Lisp
application, though not all applications are as simple as this
currency converter. For more complex applications it makes sense
to split your UI into several nibfiles, and to split your
implementation into several source files. The basic principle
remains the same, however: nibfiles define your user interface,
and Lisp files define your application's behavior.
Create a folder somewhere convenient, and name it
"currency-converter". Next we will use Apple's InterfaceBuilder
application to create the user interface The next page tells you
how to do that; when you create your nibfile, save it into your
"currency-converter" folder.