NSOutlineView with badge of unread messages like Mail.app

Question

I'm trying to create a user interface similar to the iTunes source list or the Mail.app mailbox list where a badge with a number (e.g. unread emails, new podcasts) is shown at the right hand side of an element.

Based on Apple's SourceList example, I have an NSOutlineView set up to display a couple of groups and a few items in each group.

Is there a standard UI element to represent the "badge" with a number for each entry? I could not find anything in the docs. I suspect I will have to extend NSTextFieldCell and do the drawing myself.

Are there any examples out there of how to do this?

Answer 1

I've used PXSourceList by @Perspx and have found it to be excellent for doing exactly what you want.

Answer 2

Apple has example code where they implement the unread badge using a rounded rect button.

See Sidebar Demo.

Answer 3

Since a while there is a special inline button in the object library: