AppleScript in Xcode

I just got my mac about two weeks ago. I am a programmer, and i am trying to write some programs in applescript. I have encoutered two issues. First, I can not find any information or doumentation for the applescript language, such as a list of commands and ways to call variables, or even a tutorial that doesn't just say "applescript is very intuitive" like your just suposed to figure it out. Also, I have made a simple program that calls the shell script "defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles ON" to show hidden files like .DS_store files. I used an Xcode project to make a window with two buttons, ON and OFF, that use seperate script files ON.applescript and OFF.applescript in the project to turn the ability to see hidden files on or off when clicked. my problem is that, to make the change to see or hide hidden files come into effect, the finder must be restarted. But when I run my application, when a btton is clicked, it just does part of the programmed command, and turns the finder off, and then when clicked again, it continues and launches the finder again with the hidden files hidden or not, depending on which button is pressed. It is really frustrating, and is pushing me toward just giving up applescript and going back to C++.
MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Here is the script of my Hidden Files app for the result on the on button being clicked:
on clicked theObject
tell application "Finder"
quit
end tell
do shell script "defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles ON"
tell application "Finder"
launch
end tell
end clicked
(This is pretty much all that is in this app in the way of scripts, the rest is done with the interface builder and .nib file)
After building this app, when I press the "HIDDEN FILES ON" button on my program, the finder shuts off... and thats all. There is no indication that it is loading, or doing anything else that migt prevent the finder from starting. Then, if I click the button again, then it turns the finder on, with all hidden files shown.I not sure how this is even possible, because my understanding of an executable is that it either runs, or returns an error message. And the "HIDDEN FILES OFF" button, with the same script exacly except for the ON in the 5th line replaced with OFF, works the same way, requiring 2 clicks on either button to fully complete the script's function.
MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.9)

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