title: Window docking advice for Mac
body: <p>I'm from a Windows programming background when writing tools, but have been programming using Carbon and Cocoa for the past year.  I have introduced myself to Mac by, I admit it, hiding from UI programming.  I've been basically wapping my OpenGL code in a view, then staying in my comfort zone using my platform agnostic OpenGL C++ code as usual.</p>
  
  <p>However, now I want to start porting one of my more sophisticated applications to Mac OS.</p>
  
  <p>Typically I use the standard Visual Studio dockable MDI approach, which is excellent, but very Windows-like.  From using a Mac primarily now for a while, I don't tend to see this sort of method used for Mac UIs.  Even Xcode doesn't support the idea of drag and drop/dockable views, unfortunately.  I see docked views with splitter panels, but that's about it.</p>
  
  <p>The closest thing I've seen to the Visual Studio approach is Photoshop CS4, which is pretty nice.</p>
  
  <p>So what is the general consensus on this?  Is there are more Mac-like way of achieving the same thing that I haven't seen?  If not, I'm happy to write a window manager in Cocoa myself, so that I can finally delve in an learn what looks like an excellent API.</p>
  
  <p>Note, I don't want to use QT or any other cross-platform libraries.  The whole point is that I want to make a Mac app look like a Mac app, leave the Windows app looking like a Windows app.  I always find the cross-platform libraries tend to lose this effect, and when I see a native Mac UI, with fancy Cocoa transitions and animations, I always smile.  It's also a good excuse for me to learn Cocoa.</p>
  
  <p>That being said, if there is an Open Source Cocoa library to do this, I'd love to know about it!  I'd love to see how someone else achieves this, and would help smooth the Cocoa learning curve.</p>
  
  <p>Cheers,</p>
  
  <p>Shane</p>
  
  <p><strong>UPDATE</strong>: I forgot to mention a critical point.  I support plugins, which can have their own UI to display various plugin specific information.  I don't know which plugins will be loaded and I don't know where their UI will live, if I don't support docking.  I'd love to hear people's thoughts on this, specifically: How do I support a plugin view architecture, if the UI can't change?  Where do I put the plugin views?</p>