Graphics, Animation & Illustration Books - Page 3

XLIB Programming Manual, Rel. 5 (Definitive Guides to the X Window System)

Adrian Nye

List Price: $34.95 By: O'Reilly Media, Inc. Amazon Marketplace: 17 new & used starting at $2.74

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Unfortunately there are no alternatives.. 3 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

This book is a basic introduction to programming X11 directly with Xlib. It is not obvious that Adrian Nye is the best expert to learn from. Often it seems like he wrote the book in an attempt to try to make sense of the X11 system himself. Parts of it are extremely unclear, but at least we should give him credit for trying to explain everything, even those parts he wasn't entirely sure about.

It would probably be a good idea if O'Reilly made a revised edition, rewriting some of the bad parts (which should probably be clear in Adrians head by now), and updating some material for X11R6.

On the good side, there are plenty of code-examples, and while they aren't exactly showing good style, at least they are complete, you can type them in and run them. And they are all small enough to understand without further refactoring. And while not every explanation Adrian makes is crystal clear, it is definitely necessary to have some understanding of basic X11 concepts before you move on to the reference manuals.

If you want a programming manual, and not simply a reference for Xlib, this is the only book available. And while it is far from perfect, it will be much better to learn from than e.g. Scheifler & Gettys. But you'd better order that one as well.

Editorial Review:

Covering X11 Release 5, the Xlib Programming Manual is a complete programming guide to the X library (Xlib), the lowest level of programming interface to X. In addition to explaining how to handle the concepts involved in Xlib programming--such as events, graphics, and window management--this guide presents examples of both simple and complete client applications. Includes introductions to internationalization, device-independent color, font service, and scalable fonts. This manual is a companion to Volume 2, Xlib Reference Manual.

Macromedia Flash MX 2004 for Windows & Macintosh (Visual QuickStart Guide)

Katherine Ulrich

Amazon Price: $22.49 List Price: $24.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Peachpit Press Amazon Marketplace: 116 new & used starting at $0.01

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Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

New timeline effects and behaviors, better run-time performance (which equals faster graphics display and video playback), native support for PDF and EPS forms, a slew of workflow enhancements, an improved programming language, a redesigned interface¿these are just a few in the long list of new features that have Web designers salivating over the newest version of their favorite Web tool: Macromedia Flash MX 2004. Whether you¿re brand new to the world of Flash development or a veteran chomping at the bit to take advantage of all the latest features, this task-based guide will have you creating high-impact, interactive Web sites with Flash MX 2004 in no time. Best-selling author Katherine Ulrich is at it again here, using simple step-by-step instructions and loads of visual aids to cover every aspect of Flash designics of vector animation to sophisticated interaction and transition effects. Throughout, youdirect, friendly language and plethora of tips that have become the hallmark of the popular Visual QuickStart series.

Visualizing Information with Microsoft® Office Visio® 2007

David J. Parker

Amazon Price: $31.49 List Price: $49.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media Amazon Marketplace: 41 new & used starting at $19.74

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Create and distribute data-connected Microsoft Office Visio diagrams and reports

Get full details on the powerful features of Microsoft Office Visio 2007 inside this comprehensive volume. Written by Visio expert David Parker, Visualizing Information with Microsoft Office Visio 2007 demonstrates how to effectively visualize, explore, and communicate complex business information. Learn to use PivotDiagrams, Data Graphics, and Smart Tags, as well as link data to shapes and create meaningful Visio documents and reports. Plus, you'll get vital security information, time-saving tips, troubleshooting techniques, and downloadable macros and code samples.

Essential Skills for Database Users and Professionals

• Create shapes and link them to data
• Summarize and analyze information using PivotDiagrams
• Use Data Graphics, Smart Tags, and SmartShapes to reinforce information
• Generate robust Excel, HTML, and XML reports
• Create custom, reusable templates, stencils, and masters
• Update and enhance diagrams with Reviewer's comments and markups
• Integrate Visio diagrams with other Windows applications
• Publish and securely distribute Visio documents and summaries
• Extend functionality using VBA macros, add-ins, and wrapper applications

Photoshop CS for Windows & Macintosh (Visual QuickStart Guide)

Elaine Weinmann, Peter Lourekas

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 2.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

If you're interested in weaving multiple images into a seamless panorama, placing text on paths and shapes, or any of the countless other things you can do with Photoshop CS' myriad new features, this is the place to get up to speed on them fast! In these pages best-selling authors and Photoshop masters Elaine Weinmann and Peter Lourekas use task-based instruction and strong visual aids to teach you all of the Photoshop essentials: from basic color manipulation and image correction to painting, masking, using filters, importing and editing digital photos, and more. Incisive text, crystal-clear screen shots, and step-by-step instructions bring the art of digital image manipulation to your desktop. Now you can take the ball and run with it, creating your own composite masterpieces that take full advantage of Photoshop's tight integration with the other products in Adobe's Creative Suite. Armed with the tips and techniques Elaine and Peter share here, you'll be ready for any Photoshop CS project.

Microsoft Windows Movie Maker for Dummies

Keith Underdahl

List Price: $21.99 By: Hungry Minds Amazon Marketplace: 14 new & used starting at $27.04

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Microsoft Movie Maker is a versatile and friendly digital video editing tool, and Microsoft Windows Movie Maker for Dummies is designed to help any would-be film tycoon use it to rise to power, by using just a PC.

Like other Dummies books, this one is designed from the ground up for easy reading. Each page features sidebars and tips, and every chapter is written with the beginner in mind. An appealing feature of this book is its deliberate avoidance of technical jargon until absolutely necessary. When technical terms are used, they're explained clearly and put into perspective.

Structured into five major parts, Movie Maker for Dummies begins with an introduction to the software and how to use it to record or import video clips, and work with still images and other basics. Sections 2 and 3 talk about production basics: recording video, recording audio, basic editing, adding separate audio and music tracks, and adding credits and titles. Section 4 wraps up production with chapters on screening your work on the Web, tips on e-mailing your movies, and recording movies to tape and CD-ROM.

One of the more valuable sections of the book isn't about Movie Maker at all. Section 5 includes 10 tips from a professional cameraman, such as how to avoid lens flares when shooting, take care of the camera, understand exposure, make the most of camera audio, and choose camera angles. This section also features a list of online resources for getting help and gathering tips on shooting, producing, editing, and screening amateur films.

Self-taught film-director wannabes who have some experience might not find much in the way of useful information, but they won't be using Movie Maker, anyway. Both Movie Maker and Movie Maker for Dummies are aimed at the low-res and home-video crowd, and both are perfectly suited to that audience. Grab your kids and camcorder, 'cause it's "lights, camera, action!" --Mike Caputo

Maya 8 for Windows and Macintosh (Visual QuickStart Guide)

Morgan Robinson, Nathaniel Stein

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

This book saved my life!! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Yes, this book saved my life in my beginning Maya class. My teacher recomended it, and I'm very disapointed that he doesn't require it. It gives simple, step by step instructions for individual tasks that can be used for modeling, rigging, parenting, animating etc. My one complaint is that it does not mention anything about using locators, but as a basic "How To" Maya book, I highly recomend it.

Editorial Review:

Adding sophisticated new tools that give modelers even more control over polygons, an already cool program just got even cooler. Here to take budding 3D artists from 0 to 60 fast in Maya 8 is the eagerly anticipated update to everybody's favorite Maya tome: Maya 8 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide! In these pages, best-selling authors Morgan Robinson and Nathaniel Stein use a combination of task-based instruction and strong visual aids to take readers step by step through all of Maya's essentials: navigating the interface, modeling elementary and complex objects, unsurpassed character rigging and posing, mastering deformers, shaders, and renderers, and more. Both beginning users, who want a thorough introduction to the topic, and more advanced users, who are looking for a convenient reference, will find what they need here in straightforward language and through readily accessible examples, peppered with tons of timesaving tips and tricks.

Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 PC for Dummies

Danny Briere, Pat Hurley

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great overview of Windows MCE 04'! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book helped me decide whether I really needed a MCE computer (versus a normal XP). The key was on the first page of chapter 9, quote "the TV functionality that Media Center provides is its most compelling feature".

I tried in vain to figure out how would the integrated TV tuner (NTSC) work with our TV system (Pal N). In short, I got no answers either from the forums nor "the green button" fan's website. Conversors were expensive and nobody would guarantee they would work down here.

Conclusion: I bought a DVD recorder locally, and an XP computer that is still the standard OS most people have (unlike MCE, that barely exists here).
The book is extremely user friendly, very clear, but doesn't shy away from hard topics. Part IV specially is crammed with knowledge on networks. No wonder the authors made a separate book on the subject!
The comparison of wireless LAN systems on chapter 16 comes in handy.

The explanation of "sampling" on page 34 is, again, almost "too clear" :).
Finally I understood what 24 bit and 96kHz mean! And WHY bigger numbers are, in this case, better. The comparison with the CD's sampling rate is another example of their ability to teach.

In short, the hardware recommendations may be a bit dated, their enthusiasm over this OS may sound a bit over the top after Vista, but I think this was a honest effort to explain what this OS was all about at the time it was the newest kid on the block. This book is the closest thing to actually using this OS. For their detailed walkthroughs alone, it deserves its 5 stars.

PS: The appendix on how to connect your MCE PC to different home entertainment systems is comprehensive thanks to its drawings. And the index is clearly organized in big topics, which renders it useful.

Editorial Review:

• The fun and easy way to get up and running quickly with Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition, the new operating system version specially outfitted for TV, DVD, video, music, and digital photo applications
  
• Media Center PCs are the first PCs to feature an easy-to-use interface and all preconfigured hardware and preloaded software needed to create a complete integrated home entertainment system
  
• Explains how to integrate a home computer network with a home theater system, control connected TVs with the Remote Control Interface, record TV programs using a TiVo-like recorder, acquire and play back music files, organize digital videos and photos, play DVD movies, and much more
  
• Written by the authors of Home Theater For Dummies (0-7645-1801-1)and Wireless Home Networking For Dummies (0-7645-3910-8), who worked closely with Media Center Edition product management at Microsoft to complete the book.

Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)

Nolan Hester

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Good, but Dangerously Incomplete 2 out of 5 stars.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.

I have never written a review before, but I felt compelled to warn others new to building websites who might buy this book. While the critical third chapter outlining how to structure a website appears an excellent presentation, there is NO mention of subwebs (these are the typical http://www.website.com/subweb/subweb2/etc that you see throughout the web.

What is presented is well written, but even though 2003 appears on the title, the author has not appeared to even open the help pages in the application to read what topics are currently present.

Thus there is no discussion of Share Point nor of the related web packages nor of security/passwords. Additionally, there is no discussion of the relationship between the remote computer and the version stored and published on the server. At this point I'm sure many other omissions may be present, but having "designed" a website and later deciding to break out part of it into a subweb, I found to my consternation that unless I was on a server running Share Point, I would have to completely rebuild my subweb from scratch. Of course I could copy the files, but the entire navigation/link structure and styling requires the use of a web package, and that is unavailable on a remote computer not running Server 2003.

Thus, Buyer Beware! This is an excellent, but fatally flawed and outdated instruction text. It may be of value for those who want to get the flavor of how to build a single web page, but beyond that, I suggest the prospective website builder would be well served to look to texts with greater depth.

Editorial Review:

Looking to get up-to-speed on the latest version of Microsoft FrontPage, the award-winning Web authoring and site-management tool? Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 for Windows: Visual QuickStart Guide is the fastest way to bone up on all of the latest version's new features, as well as its existing ones. Unlike other books on the subject, this one doesn't talk down to you, overwhelm you with pages of long-winded explanation, or bog you down with complex computer jargon--veteran author Nolan Hester gets right to the point using plenty of screenshots and clear step-by-step how-tos to explain just what you need to know. Novices can start at the beginning and follow the clearly illustrated step-by-step instructions to learn how to design a basic site, build content, and add interactive components. Experienced FrontPage users can take advantage of the book's tabbed format to go straight to concise explanations of the features that most interest them.

Teach Yourself VISUALLY Windows XP, Special Media Edition

Sherry Willard Kinkoph

List Price: $24.99 By: Visual Amazon Marketplace: 19 new & used starting at $3.61

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Visually Stunning 4 out of 5 stars.
13 of 13 people found this review helpful.

If you're looking for a book that combines excellent step by step tutorials with very crisp, clear four-color visuals, then this is the book for you. You may wonder why the world needs another XP book, but the contents and design make this one worth grabbing.

I found it invaluable 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

If you have any interest in using the multimedia features of Windows XP, then this book is for you. Even if you are an expert user of computers, the increased speed with which you will learn how to exploit the myriad of features is worth the price. Every feature is demonstrated using high quality color images that shows precisely what you will see and directs you to the next action.
There are sixteen chapters and the titles are:

*) Getting started with Windows XP multimedia
*) Working with digital cameras and scanners in Windows XP
*) Working with images in the My Pictures folder.
*) Putting images to work in Windows XP.
*) Viewing photos with the Windows picture and FAX viewer.
*) Setting up Windows Media Player.
*) Playing audio files with Windows Media Player.
*) Playing music from the My Music folder.
*) Downloading and recording audio files.
*) Listening to Internet radio.
*) Playing DVDs with Windows Media Player.
*) Setting up Windows Movie Maker.
*) Working with video clips in Windows Movie Maker.
*) Adding extra effects to video clips in Windows Movie Maker.
*) Downloading and recording video files.
*) Playing Windows XP games.

I found this invaluable on several occasions when I wanted to use a multimedia feature of Windows XP.

Editorial Review:

• An invaluable resource for visually oriented PC users who want to make the most of Windows XP's multimedia features
• Jam-packed with information that provides the basics and beyond, this full-color tutorial offers clear, concise, jargon-free instructions using more than 500 color screen shots
• The book presents full, focused coverage of the multimedia features of Windows XP, including the My Pictures digital image organizer; the My Music digital music organizer; Movie Maker; and Media Player 8, which plays video, DVD, and music

Dan Appleman's Win32 API Puzzle Book and Tutorial for Visual Basic Programmers

Dan Appleman

List Price: $39.95 By: Apress Amazon Marketplace: 14 new & used starting at $1.00

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Dan Appleman's Win32 API Puzzle Book and Tutorial for Visual Basic Programmers provides 32 challenging programming "puzzles" that will test the skills of any intermediate or advanced Visual Basic programmer.

The problems start simply enough, with puzzles that look at the basics of Win32 API C API calls, such as retrieving error messages and graphics. However, the book quickly approaches tougher terrain, offering a series of problems on the Windows Registry. Other problem topics include programming with Remote Access Services (RAS), networked drives, and the DEVMODE structure (for polling printers and other devices). Finally, the toughest problems involve ActiveX programming and cover how to work with Global Universal Identifiers (GUIDs) and drag-and-drop file operations.

The back of the book contains hints for each puzzle, as well as complete solutions and comments. The author provides a tutorial on various aspects of VB Win32 C API programming, including C to VB data types, parameter passing (by value and by pointer) and some excellent material on how the call stack works for Windows DLLs. Two final sections discuss the Win32 Service API (for starting and stopping Win32 services) and how to access the Windows NT Event Log.

In all, this book provides expert knowledge on getting the most out of VB Win32 C API calls in a format that is always challenging and often entertaining. --Richard Dragan