gistfile1.mm

@implementation StatusItemController
@synthesize theMenu;
@synthesize statusItem;

- (id)init {
    if ((self = [super init])) {
        secondsPassed = 0;

        NSStatusBar *bar = [NSStatusBar systemStatusBar];	 
        statusItem = [bar statusItemWithLength:NSVariableStatusItemLength];
        // Not sure if this retain is necessary...hmmm
        [statusItem retain];
        [statusItem setTitle:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%i",secondsPassed]];
        [statusItem setHighlightMode:YES];

        // Create your menu and add buttons/dividers to it. Adding submenus also works.
        theMenu = [[NSMenu alloc] init];
        // Had to disable this to get it to work properly; 
        // there's probably a good reason why I couldn't get it working with it enabled.
        [theMenu setAutoenablesItems:NO];

        // It's always good form to include a "Quit" button
        NSMenuItem *quitItem = [[NSMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"Quit" action:@selector(quit:) keyEquivalent:@""];
        [quitItem setTarget:self];
        [quitItem setEnabled:YES];
        [theMenu addItem:quitItem];
        [quitItem release];

        [statusItem setMenu:theMenu];

        // And here is where you would start your background process...  
        // EXAMPLE:
        NSTimer *timer = [NSTimer scheduledTimerWithTimeInterval: 1.0
                   target: self
                   selector: @selector(updateLabel:)
                   userInfo: nil
                   repeats: YES];
        [timer fire];
    }
    return self;
}

- (void)updateLabel:(id)sender {
    // Change the status bar thing.
    secondsPassed += 1;
    [statusItem setTitle:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%i",secondsPassed]];
}

- (void)dealloc {
    [theMenu release];
    [statusItem release];
    [super dealloc];
}

- (void)quit:(id)sender {
    [[NSApplication sharedApplication] terminate:self];
}