macOS Backwards Compatibility between new OSs (10.7) and Older Ones (10.6)

Littleodie914 · Jul 14, 2011

This is the first time I've had to "migrate" an app from one version of Mac OS X to another. In the past, I had been compiling an app on 10.5. Everybody on 10.5 used it. When I started compiling for 10.6 (I waited until 10.6.3), I dropped support for 10.5, easy squeezy.

Is there a common method for developers to implement new features for OS N, while still maintaining compatibility in the same binary for OS N-1?

I want to avoid adding Lion features (full-screen mode, etc.) if there's no way for those apps to also run under Snow Leopard. How do developers handle this?

Thanks!

Blakeasd · Jul 14, 2011

Code:

#if MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET == MAC_OS_X_VERSION_10_7

//Lion stuff

#else

 //Snow Leopard stuff

#endif

or

Code:

#if MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET < MAC_OS_X_VERSION_10_7
if (![someObject respondsToSelector:@selector
(LionFeatureMethod:)])
{
    // Pre 10.7 stuff here
}
else
#endif
{
    // 10.7 stuff here
}

ShortCutMan · Jul 15, 2011

The above won't work in the same binary since the preprocessor operations are done at compile time. However using respondsToSelector: is what I have seen in reference to supporting multiple versions of iOS.

robbieduncan · Jul 15, 2011

Apple have some handy documentation...

Littleodie914 · Jul 15, 2011

robbieduncan said:
Apple have some handy documentation...

That's exactly what I was looking for. Thanks

Search

Search

macOS Backwards Compatibility between new OSs (10.7) and Older Ones (10.6)

Littleodie914

macrumors 68000

Blakeasd

macrumors 6502a

ShortCutMan

macrumors member

robbieduncan

Moderator emeritus

Littleodie914

macrumors 68000

Our Staff