5 comments about Learning SolidWorks (2nd Edition).

1. Fortunately, I didn't read the negative reviews here before purchasing this book. I'm very excited at the way this book sets about teaching me an amazing new skill... to be able to design physical objects from scratch to the point of producing drawings for a machine shop or injection molder. I just came here to order another copy for my son... I have 4 other Solidworks books also - but I'm a complete beginner and I'm not touching them until I finish this one. It's absolutely focused on teaching Solidworks in a systematic - "bs free" method. For those who complain about the pizza cutter - please - get a life. Also, the book points you to it's website to download a detailed update (18 pages) covering mostly cosmetic differences (dialog boxes) in the latest Solidworks version ... Highly recommended 5 stars.



2. Well starting out, I was using Solidworks from 2003 and this one was really for 2002. However, the programs are very similar and the Help inside of the program itself can help you to realize when there are program differences present. I must admit that I did learn a lot from this book (most of the basic features and it boosted my confidence level) but I was only able to get past half of it in total because the program kept having errors even when I was following the directions. Also, there were some steps (like in the blade chapter p.44 where Geometry-pattern actually did need to be checked) and sometimes the author wasn't very clear (like which specific origin to choose when).

   The pictures and window illustrations were pretty straight-forward as was the text and I really liked the construction of the pizza cutter because it dealt with curves, revolutions, planes and assembly drawings. It was rewarding to see the object come together while following the manual.

   Overall, if you are interested in a quick refresher guide to the program this would probably be a good choice. If you are a complete beginner then the book will help but be prepared for frustration.




3. The namne of the book says it all, ...Learning SolidWorks. This book is for people who wish to learn SolidWorks, it is not a book on 3D solid modeling, nor is it a book for people experienced with SolidWorks who want advanced assembly training, IT"S FOR BEGINNERS!!!! that's what the title says. right?
   I have over 10 years of AutoCAD experience and I found this book to be an excellent introduction to SolidWorks. I should point out though that I had previously done the tutorial that comes with 2001 Plus. Maybe the combination of my AutoCAD (all 2D, my 3D experience with AutoCAD was 1997 and earlier, I don't even consider those versions of AutoCAD as legitimate 3D solid modeling) experience and doing the SolidWOrks supplied tutorial made this book easier to follow than the other reviewers who found it lacking.
   This book is written for 2001 which is what I used, I found there to be no errors in the instructions, the few times that things weren't working right for me I went back a few steps and tried it again, everything then worked as it was supposed to.
   Having taken 3 classes in SolidWorks from a VAR (Essentials, Sheet Metal, Drawing & Dimensioning) I'd say this book is the low cost way of learning SolidWorks, an excellent introduction to the power of SolidWorks. A wise choice for a person unfamiliar or just starting out with SolidWorks.



4. I actually studied under Professor Leuptow for a couple semesters and was able to work with him on the latest edition. The new manual is based primarily on the same concepts, the production of the pizza cutter, but has been updated so that the little frustrating incompatibilites should be eliminated. I learned a good deal from his book and several months later was able to use my SolidWorks skills to help at a summer internship in a Biomechanics laboratory that was primarily using AutoCAD. All in all, a good book for those starting out who want a working knowledge of the program. If you are looking for higher level instruction, you might want to turn to someplace else.



5. I don't know what John Thomas is on, but Michael Minbiole lives up to his legend status.
   
   This is hands down the definitive SolidWorks guide of this or any generation. Minbiole's delightful prose flows gracefully yet at the right moment it bites with a rapier wit. Never before has Solid Modeling been described so naturally; it's as if Minbiole eats and sleeps SolidWorks. He totally captured what its like to solid model: the excitement, the confusion, the horniness. He's simply brilliant. I'm not the first to mention his name among better known American authors like Hemmingway and Fitzgerald.
   
   I credit Minbiole for saving my career, and consequently my marriage. Plus he's photogenic enough to make teenage girls swoon. If you're considering a guide to SolidWorks, look no further.

5 comments about Flash 8: Projects for Learning Animation and Interactivity (O'Reilly Digital Studio).

1. As the title states, this project-based approach to learning Flash 8 covers everything from becoming familiar with the interface to using both vector graphics versus pixilated images to the power of writing action script.
   
   For the beginning Flash 8 user, this book starts from scratch on how to draw objects. It begins by having the reader draw a simple box; by then end of the third chapter, what started as one object has become a movie, complete with alpha effects, motion effects, and even a first stab at action script. The remainder of the book builds off these core aspects of Flash. As a beginner, the book made it easy to follow through the step-by-step processes required to make Flash 8 work as desired.
   
   Not only does the book walk Flash users through the step-by-step processes, it also includes very useful sidebar notes and separate comment boxes (not to mention the wide sidebar space that just happen to be perfect for note-taking). These features are helpful in understanding how Flash `thinks' about the commands given in the projects. Also, the side notes will oftentimes refer the reader to the chapter in which a process is discussed in more detail to aid those more experienced users who have skipped around rather than reading the book cover-to-cover. Another handy feature of Flash 8: Projects for Learning Animation and Interactivity is the appendix titled "Tips and Resources," which lists some optional websites to extend Flash 8s possibilities; there is also a list of sites to practice with more tutorials.
   
   One potential downside of working through these projects comes with any book that uses the project-based approach: time. It takes time to work through the examples, even the ones that start out with some of the background work already done for you. However, this approach also gives a more thorough understanding of Flash 8 and should be beneficial to anyone who prefers a hands-on approach to learning the software. As such, it may be best suited for beginning users, but definitely has some information throughout that all semi-experienced Flash users should know.



2. The Flash 8 projects for learning Animation and Interactivity book is a good resource for beginner to learn animation. It takes you step by step using practice examples to teach you basic animation techniques. The title of the book show two issues the first one is learning animation and I think the writer covered this part very well for beginners. The second issue is Learning Interactivity, which is covered along with the animation. The chapter that causes confusion for me is the 13th chapter. As it talks about e-learning in Flash, which is a very big issue that can not covered in one chapter, even for beginners. I think this part needs another book to cover deeply and give the beginner a strong beginning step in the field of e-learning.
   Regardless the 13th chapter I see the book focused well and this helps the beginners to grasp the idea of the animation in Flash.



3. Are you a beginning Flash user who wants to bring their project ideas to life? If you are, then this book is for you. Authors Richard Shupe and Robert Hoekman, have done an outstanding job of writing a book that includes everything you need to get started in Flash.
   
   Shupe and Robert Hoekman, begin by showing you how to use Flash's vector drawing tools. Then, the authors describe how you can set up your work environment the way you feel most comfortable. The authors then show you how to use a few essential techniques to create your first animated Flash movie. Next, they show you how to give your audience some control through the use of buttons and ActionScript. The authors also show you how Flash can work with other applications to help you meet your project needs. They continue by showing you how movie clips allow you to create animations that play independently of one another. Then, the authors show you how to create an animated advertisement for the sale of a home; as well as, other experience with some of these techniques. Next, they show you how to work with sound. They continue by showing you how to add video to your projects, with and without Action Script. Then, the authors describe how you can composite bitmap and vector assets on the fly and learn how to inject a heightened sense of expression into your files with real-time filter effects. The authors then show you how to use text. Next, they focus on solving one problem: Keeping initial download times to a minimum without compromising too much quality or creativity. The authors also show you how to use a template and components to construct a three-question quiz about what you've learned so far. They continue by exploring two slightly less conventional distribution methods for Flash content. Finally, they show you a few projects that demonstrate some of Flash's less common uses.
   
   Several techniques are used in this most excellent book to help you better understand and retain the information you are given. More importantly, the preceding approach is what makes this book more effective learning tool than other books on the shelf.



4. Flash 8 Projects for learning Animation and Interactivity
   By Rich Shupe & Robert Hoekman, Jr.
   Publisher: O'Reilly
   Copyright 2006
   IBSN: 0-596-10223-2
   
   Review by: Linda Weller
   
   The books learning style is organic. They pair topics with goals. You learn by doing. Shortcuts are highlighted. Self teaching is encouraged by allowing you to expand on the projects using what you have learned. Sample files are available online or on the CD Rom.
   
   They try to spoon feed you a little ActionScript in the sidebars of the book. Then you get to the chapter on creating a form and wow your using somewhat complex ActionScript and a PHP form. I hope you have a server installed that allows PHP for this one.
   This book is filled with lots of special little tips. For example they tell you the difference between object level undo's and document level undo's. I bet you thought it was just ctrl +z.
   
   Some of the Flash 8 features that are covered are Object drawing and Merge draw and when to you each one, metadata fields to make your Flash files search engine friendly, copy to grid assistant and, the distributed duplicate assistant.
   
   Productivity tips are covered using the align panel, timeline effect assistants and the history panel. Have you ever needed to change a symbol's registration point after it is made? Go to the Info window.
   
   Usability is covered. The author's show you how to add an active content bar to your menu buttons so the user knows where they are in the menu. Also, using the anchor from the label type drop down menu which is like an HTML anchor enables the back and forward buttons to work when navigating browsers.
   
   There is information on all the basics: making an invisible button, tweening, shape tweening and, masks. How to work with assets is discussed. They show why we use PNG format in Flash with a rather graphic example. You can access round trip editing with a program of your choice.
   
   Chapter 7 is loaded with lots of animation techniques such as using shape tweening to have a house draw itself, gradient masks, enabling bitmap caching with ActionScript on the mask and masked movie clips. There is a whole exercise to help you learn to decide when you would use scripted and when you would use timeline animation.
   
   The chapter on sound give you some great tips on trimming unused portions of your sound and using short loops to optimize your files. They even tell you of a free sound editor. You create an MP3 player and a video player with ActionScript as well as creating players using the components.
   
   All the new Bitmap caching and filter effects are discussed. You make bevel filters using ActionScript 2.0 classes.
   
   They close off the last chapter with lots of web resources and tips. For example for file optimization purposes you can go to "file--save-- compact new" this totally removes deleted files from the system and reduces file size.



5. I like this book. It's easy. It's clear. It reminds me of the wise words: "Keep it Simple Stupid!"
   
   I used this book to teach a class of teenagers about Flash and it was great. I gave it to a marketing guy who professed an interest in making some stuff in Flash and it was great. And I've used it myself. Again, great. The authors have filled the book with practical mini-projects that explain various concepts in Flash.
   
   This is a book about the basics for beginners. It covers the basics of a whole range of methods and techniques. And it touches upon more advanced concepts briefly and helpfully. All the way from the drawing tools in Flash to using some action script and bit map effects. It has a very clear explanation of what a conditional statement is, for example. And also exaplins variables and scope succintly and accurately. It also tells you how to make a roll-over button in Flash. Awesome! (Hey... remember the first one you made? I still get excited about swapping images on the fly with code, so I can dig it.)
   
   If you know somebody who has NO CLUE - and I include myself in that category at times, obviously - how to: center something on the stage (Align), undo to ten steps ago (History), make a photo move around (Importing, Tweening), have a cartoon character walk believably (Walk Cycles), display only part of a photo (Masking), make a volume knob for your own web radio station (Sound Control), let people email them from their Flash website (Form Data)... Well, then! This is the book for them.

2 comments about M Is For Mayflower: A Massachusetts Alphabet Edition 1. (Discover America State By State. Alphabet Series).

1. I purchased 'M is for Mayflower' and 'C is for Centennial' for my niece. After reviewing the books, I found that they have several different levels of learning within the illustrations and text that will make these books readable for years to come for her. She seems to like them, and is attracted by the colorful illustrations. Because I live in MA and she lives in CO, she is eager to learn about the place where her auntie is. These books are good, fun learning tools that will help prepare a child for elementary social studies classes.



2. I purchased 'M is for Mayflower' and 'C is for Centennial' for my niece. After reviewing the books, I found that they have several different levels of learning within the illustrations and text that will make these books readable for years to come for her. She seems to like them, and is attracted by the colorful illustrations. Because I live in MA and she lives in CO, she is eager to learn about the place where her auntie is. These books are good, fun learning tools that will help prepare a child for elementary social studies classes.

5 comments about Teach Yourself VISUALLY Macromedia Flash MX 2004.

1. This book taught me Flash MX 2004 very efficiently and quickly. Unlike other books it does not give tedious explanations that tend to tire and confuse the reader. It shows you precisely where and what to do. The illustrations are beautiful and direct, which is absolutely helpful for Flash graphics. This is also a well structured book so you can easily find the topics you want when you need a quick reference. If you want to learn Flash quickly and enjoy it while learning, buy this book.



2. I am a beginning Flash student and bought this book to compliment my classes at school.
   
   I was initially attracted to this book due the abundant screenshots and arrowed-pointed annotations. However, very often, the technical writing is extremely sparse, basically giving one no more information than what a contextual menu would pop-up in an application's glossary section. The technical writings are no more than blurbs, and often times one really needed to study the screenshots to understand what the blurb was addressing.
   
   The book wastes a alot of pages on some very rudimentry sections on basic Windows 101 practices such as: Opening and saving files, changes colors of the text, and text manipulation. The first 100 pages were basically review and intuitive for anyone with a fundamental computer background; thus making the first one-third of book pretty much a waste.
   
   Speaking of waste, there was a cutesy-picture at the start or each section that might have been more efficently used for technical information or a section objective rather than a cute graphic.
   
   In addition, there are no practices files on a cd or a website to acquire the media assests. I would have to create my own graphics to do the exercises. Thus, my outcomes never looked like the finished exercises in the book. Two-thirds of the way into this book, I was shopping for another Flash MX 2004 book to replace this sad, boring book.
   
   This book is okay for a quick bookshelf reference but do yourself a favor and save your $30.00 for a more substantial technical manual.



3. I'm a visual person. This is the perfect book for someone like me. Short on unnecessaary copy, long on simple to understand pictures and guides. I would highly recommend this book or any of the "Teach yourself Visually" books.



4. Teach Yourself VISUALLY books overall are my favorite books to get when I am just starting out on a new program. Everything is so basic, clear, and easy to understand, the way they show it. Highly reccomended to all beginners.



5. I have been using this book for almost 2 months to teach myself Flash programming. I do think the book is very good at making things simple and easy to understand but sometimes it's "too easy." I think those that are learning flash programming are already going to have some experience with using computers, so some of the stuff that this book explains is unnecessary. Also, there are no source files so sometimes I would like to follow the directions in the book to do something but I don't have any basic source files to do any of the things the book describes...so I think this book is only good for introducing the program. I need to get another book that actually has a more "recipe" like structure so that I can follow along and do as the book instructs but with source files.

4 comments about OpenGL ES Game Development (Game Development Series).

1. I was pleasantly surprised to see a book on OpenGL ES already in commerce after such a short time from the birth of the specification and first implementation. Indeed this book, as said in its preface, came out in "cell-phone time", (that is, very quick) but unfortunately also in "cell-phone-quality" (that is, very poor). It is an incoherent puzzle containing disparate info about EGL, some basic considerations about OpenGL ES functionality, audio for mobile devices, fixed point math and advertising for a few commercial game engines. If you think that looking hard enough you will find at least some info on how to choose and configure your development environment, to see working code for some basic functionality and maybe a little game.. well you are sadly mistaken. Another "book" hastily put together to make a few extra bucks at the expense of the unsuspecting reader. Buy only if love rough toilet paper.



2. I have finally finished reading this book. I found most of the information in this book very helpful. I've been developing 2D Java games on cell phones for a while. I found a lot of great infomation on OpenGL ES and EGL. There is enough here to really get started and some great insight on how to do fixed-point math. I found the sample code lacking at little and there isn't an actual 3D game from cover to cover, but the chapter on writing an OpenGL ES game was pretty good insight from a real 3D professional game developer. The audio chapter could be left out and the book still would have been good. If your looking at learning OpenGL ES gaming for cell phones you should at least consider this book as a good starter.



3. I've been reading up on OpenGL ES and just finished my first commerical game project that will be using OpenGL ES for a phone that will be out soon. I really enjoyed this book and it was a great help for our team to get the right info and tools. Lacking a full game, but not needed to get all the info you need - and every game developer already knows how to write a game mate :-)



4. The book does not talk much about OpenGL ES, but lots of the difference between OpenGL and OpenGL ES. It is good for the people that are experienced in PC 3D graphics.

4 comments about Don Bluth's Art Of Animation Drawing.

1. This book was not what I thought it would be. The title is very misleading.
   
   It's NOT a 'how-to-draw' of any of Don Bluth's characters. It has a more 'historical' feel to it.
   
   It shows a few topical hand-drawn examples as it speaks on a topic, but it's not a how-to-draw book.
   
   If you're interested in a broad overview of the animation process, then this will help you.
   
   If, however, you're a fan of Don Bluth's characters and would like several step-by-step examples of how to draw them, then you will be diappointed.
   
   Have a look at this book before you buy it. I was disappointed.



2. I looked through this book at a bookstore. Its focus is on the animation process; it talks about backgrounds and models and voice actors, and it gives examples of how to match a character's mouth movements with a vocal track. It also shows how to punctuate a character's animation with frames that show extremes of emotion. There's a reason, though, why this is in the "Filmmaking" section of a bookstore, and not the "Drawing" section - the emphasis of the book is on the techniques used to bring an animated character to life, NOT on how to draw them. There are lots of pictures of lots of characters from lots of Bluth projects, everything from Banjo the Woodpile Cat to Dirk the Daring to Space Ace to Anastasia to Rasputin to Mrs. Brisby to Jenner and more, and the pictures would be really interesting to someone with some drawing skills; there are some character sheets in there, and lots of rough animation drawings showing the characters in various poses. This is not a "how-to", nor is it a comprehensive history of Bluth's work, but it's still a really interesting book.



3. It's always beneficial to have a simple book to guide you when animation gets complicated, and this is one of those books.



4. It has decent information. It goes over all the techniques that animators have used, including the authors own. This would be a book for a person who's beginning in animation.

5 comments about Introduction to 3D Game Programming with DirectX 9 (Wordware Game and Graphics Library).

1. This book is written very well, and it is written in a way that allows the reader to follow without getting lost in the terminology. Everything is explained very well. I use the book constantly as a reference when programming. Pick this book up if your serious about learning DirectX.



2. I started DirectX programming recently. This book brings you upto speed very fast. It is well organized, written well, and is kept very simple. It's objective is to teach concepts and how to program specific concepts is C++. The examples and straightforward and illustrate whats in the text very well.
   
   Like all other reviewers, I should agree that the title of this book is misleading. There is very little, if any "Game development". The book is all about the basics of 3D drawing using drect X
   
   If you want to start programming DirectX over the weekend with some nice 3D graphics including textures, lights and terrains and even fireworks, this is the book for you. I highly recommend it.



3. I guess this book delivers what it promises, more or less. It effectively introduces you to directx. It devotes 20 or so pages to each of 20 or so topics (the dimensions of the book are real small though, so the page counts are somewhat misleading). By the end of the book you'll understand what directx is and what directx can do, but what I found is that there just isn't enough "meat" there to learn any part of directx well enough to do anything useful with this knowledge.



4. This review covers the first 13 chapters. It is a book that you will definitely learn from; however, beware that it is not written for users of C#. C# samples can be downloaded from the book's web site and I talk extensively about that in this review. This review is more a How-To than anything else - it documents my experience with the book and using the sample code from the book's web site. I am new to 3D game programming so I started out with giving myself a crash course in Linear Algebra (for this I studied the book, "3D Math Primer for Graphics and Game Development").
   
   In Part 1 the author could do a better job of explaining how a vector cross product is calculated. He refers to "formula (4)" which is a formula in final form (i.e. it does not show the steps). Furthermore, "formula (4)" comes seven pages after the first three formulas, so when you come to "(4)" (on page 13) you may have already forgotten about (1), (2) and (3) (which are on page 6) -- it is awkward. It should be highlighted and labeled as "FORMULA 4:" or something like that.
   
   In Part II, Chapter 1 (Direct3D Initialization), section 1.4.1 describes initializing a pointer to an IDirect3D9 interface as...
   IDirect3D9* _d3d9;
   however, in section 1.4.2 the code for checking the capabilities of the primary display adapter shows this code...
   d3d9->GetDeviceCaps...
   The underscore character is missing from the IDirect3D9 object. It should read...
   _d3d9->GetDeviceCaps
   
   The source code can be downloaded from http://www.moon-labs.com/ml_book_samples.htm. C# versions of the sample programs are available. The download instructions include a username/password but I was able to download the files without having to provide them. Should you be prompted for a username/password the author's instructions state, "The user name is exactly the second word on page 212 in the first paragraph of Chapter 13. The password is exactly the fourth word on page 213 in the first paragraph of section 13.1." Let's cut to the chase, its "terrain/heightmap" (without the quotation marks or forward slash).
   
   The code in the book is meant to be used in a C++ development environment. I use C# 2005 Express Edition therefore there wasn't anything I could do with the code in the book. When you open a sample code project (one from the C# versions available at the web site) in the C# 2005 Express Edition, a "Visual Studio Conversion Wizard" will prompt you to convert the project to the current edition's format. Just go ahead and click on "Finish." As I mentioned in a previous paragraph, there is a C# version of the sample programs provided on the web site.
   
   Beginning with Chapter 3's sample and in all of the samples I could not understand why the 'Window' parameter would not work the way I understood it to work. In Form1.cs, when a d3d object is instantiated with a 'true' instead of 'false' for the Window parameter (the 3rd parameter), nothing worked. This works...
   d3d = new D3DInit.D3DInit(800, 600, false, DeviceType.Hardware, ref device);
   but this does not...
   d3d = new D3DInit.D3DInit(800, 600, true, DeviceType.Hardware, ref device);
   
   I had trouble with the sample for Chapter 6 (Texturing). The problem was due to the sample program's inability to find the texture image. To fix it, all I had to do was change the source code to reflect the FULL path to the image file. I'll clarify... this is the original line 136 in D3DInit.cs...
   
   tex = Microsoft.DirectX.Direct3D.TextureLoader.FromFile(device, "dx5_logo.bmp");
   
   I modified it to...
   
   tex = Microsoft.DirectX.Direct3D.TextureLoader.FromFile(device, "D:\\david.emmith\\Books\\Intro to 3D Game Programming\\Part II CS\\Chapter6\\dx5_logo.bmp");
   (Note: Remember to escape backslashes in path names by making double-backslashes, otherwise you'll get an error.)
   
   The same problem occurred again in Chapter 7's sample.
   
   In Chapter 11's sample you may find a similar problem to the ones I described above for Chapter's 6 and 7. In Chapter 11 there is a line in D3DInit.cs (line #55) that reads...
   
   private string shipFilename = "bigship1.x";
   
   You may need to modify it to reflect the full path name.
   
   If you are writing your own app and using the .NET samples as a guide you may run into a few problems when you build the solution. You may see a "... has more than one entry point defined" error. This will happen if you have the following code in your Form1.cs file...
   
   [STAThread]
   static void Main()
   {
   Application.Run(new Form1());
   }
   
   There is no need to have those lines in your Form1.cs (or whatever filename you are using in place of Form1.cs). A Program.cs file should have automatically been created in your project (click on the 'Show All Files' icon in Solution Explorer). You can do one of two things to rectify this problem:
   (1) Comment out or delete the code shown above in your Form1.cs (or its equivalent) file.
   *** OR ***
   (2) Exclude Program.cs from your project (right click the Program.cs icon and select 'Exclude From Project').
   
   There is a similar situation in the D3DInit.cs file. There is no need to include the Dispose() method - it will already be in the D3DInit.Designer.cs file (this file, like Program.cs, is automatically created by the Visual C# IDE).
   
   Another problem you may encounter if you are trying to use the Esc key to terminate your DirectX app is the Esc key not working. To solve this problem open your Form1.Designer.cs file and add the following line at the end of the InitializeComponent() method...
   this.KeyUp += new System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventHandler(this.Form1_KeyUp);
   Then make sure you have this method in your Form1.cs file...
   
   private void Form1_KeyUp(object sender, System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs e)
   {
   d3d.CloseD3DInit();
   Close();
   }
   
   And of course your D3DInit.cs file should have the CloseD3DInit() method defined. If not it should look like this...
   
   public void CloseD3DInit()
   {
   displayThread.Abort();
   Close();
   }
   
   In Chapter 11, as I mentioned earlier, there is a reference to a file named bigship1.x which is provided in the sample project. This is a mesh file which is nothing more than a geometric description of an object - in this case, a spaceship. If you're like me and you want to workout your own example you would like to create your own mesh file and test it in your own application. To create a mesh of your own design you will need the aid of a program. DirectX uses the .x file format for its mesh files. Some of the more popular 3D design programs do not readily provide a method for turning their meshes into the .x format. I will describe as briefly as possible the steps I took to create a simple mesh, convert it to a .x file and use it in my own program. There is probably a better way but this is the way I did it.
   
   (1) Find a FREE 3D design program. I downloaded and installed two programs:
   
   (a) Maya 7.0 Personal Learning Edition
   
   (a.1) Can be found at the Autodesk web site.
   
   (b) Autodesk 3DS Max 9 (30-day trial)
   
   (b.1) Can be found at the Autodesk web site.
   I was more interested in 3DS Max because I have my eyes on some aircraft models I want to use and they were created in the .max file format. So this is the program I used to create a very simple model.
   
   (2) Create a model. I created a sphere with a green texture in 3DS Max. I won't go into the details of how I did that because it is not that difficult to figure out on your own. You may want to create something a little more 'elaborate' than a green sphere. Have at it.
   
   (3) Convert the model into an x-file. This sounds simple enough but try doing it on the cheap, i.e. $0.00.
   
   (a) If you want to pay for a conversion utility up front then check out two products from Okino Computer Graphics:
   
   (a.1) NuGraf
   
   (a.2) Polytrans (a simpler version of NuGraf)
   It should be noted that Robert Lansdale (lansd[at]okino.com) offered to do a one-time conversion for me. I emailed him my .max file and he sent me back a .x file. I had already done the conversion by the time he sent the file back but I certainly appreciated his kind gesture.
   
   (b) If your cheap like me you want to do this for free because afterall, you're just trying to learn how all this works. I contacted a 3D guru by the name of Chad Vernon. Chad was very helpful in pointing out a couple of free conversion tools:
   
   (b.1) kiloWatt X file Exporter
   
   (b.2) Pandasoft's Panda Xporter Tool
   
   (c) I used Panda Xporter. After you unzip the .zip file you have a file named PandaDirectXMaxExporter.dle. This is a 'plugin'. So what you need to do next is to make this file known to 3DS Max and the way you do that is place the file in 3DS Max's plugin folder. On my machine this folder is located at D:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 9\plugins. Now you are ready to convert your model to the .x file format.
   
   (d) Launch 3DS Max (close the Welcome Screen if it appears) and open your model file (File | Open Recent). The first time I did this with the Panda Xporter in place 3DS Max crashed. I removed the Xporter from the plugin folder and re-launched 3DS Max. It crashed again. I eventually got it to work and put the Xporter back in the plugin folder. 3DS Max did not crash after that. This remains a mystery. The problem appeared to have fixed itself.
   
   (e) Select File | Export. Click on the down arrow for 'Save as type' and choose Panda DirectX (*.X). Click in the 'File name' textbox and enter a file name without a file extension. Note where the file is being saved to. You will need to know the full path to your .x file when you create your own 3D app. Click on 'Save'.
   
   (f) In the 'PandaSoft DirectX Exporter' dialog, '3DS Max Objects' tab, uncheck 'Include Animation' if your object is not animated. In the 'XFile Settings' tab, the 'DX File Type' of either 'Text' or 'Binary' worked for me. I believe the default is text. Click 'OK'.
   
   (4) Create your own 3D app. Again, I am using Visual C# 2005 Express Edition. Use the C# samples provided at the book's web site to guide you. Remember, as I have pointed above, that there are some differences that come into play between the samples and what you create in a Visual Studio 2005 environment. Read through my earlier comments.
   
   I hope this helps. Now on to the review.
   
   In Chapter 12's sample, line #138 of D3DInit.cs needs the full path to dx5_logo.bmp. I described this same problem in earlier chapter reviews.
   
   In Chapter 13's sample, line #601 of D3DInit.cs refers to a temp.raw file. This file, as far as I can tell, is not included in the managed (.NET) sample files. So I came up with my own work around which I describe below...
   
   (1) Download Terragen which is a free terrain generation tool. Look for the link labeled, "Install Terragen v0.9.43 (1.6Mb)" in the download page. Now install Terragen.
   
   The following steps are for once you have launched Terragen.
   
   (2) Click on the 'Landscape' icon in Terragen and then click on the 'Generate Terrain' button.
   
   (3) Click on the 'Export' button.
   
   (4) In the 'Terrain Export' dialog click on the 'Export Method' dropdown listbox and choose 'Raw 8 bits'.
   
   (5) Click on the 'Select File and Save' button and choose the name for your .raw file and its location.
   
   Now that you have your own raw file you can insert the file's full pathname into the Chapter 13 sample.
   
   If you have found or already have Terragen .ter files you can convert them to .raw files with a little free utility named 'Terrify'.
   
   The book's web site has some additional information pertaining to Chapter 13. You can go to the Resources page and scroll down to 'Basic Terrain Rendering Part II'. The 'Download Code' link will give you a file named 'TexBlendTerrain.zip' which, according to my WinZip utility, is not a recognized Zip file. The links in 'Remark 2' do not work (they take you to some useless page).
   
   This is the extent of my review. This is a very good book but I wish it were geared towards .NET developers.



5. This is the best intro to Direct3d book I have. For the game programming aspect, it sucks, but there are so many books that tell you how to make a certain type of game (Premier Press come to mind).
   
   The first section is purely math! This surprised me since it's the only Direct3d book I have found that covered that much math.
   
   The reasons why I gave it 4 out of 5: could be better. It needs more complete sample code. I mean, there's sample code on his web page, but the sample code starts at chapter 9! However, the (incomplete) code before chapter 9 is pretty easy to follow. Whenever he omits a piece of information, it's minor details like
   
   int stuff[10] = { ... }; // fill stuff in with stuff
   
   The book provides a very detailed explanation on how Direct3d works. Sure, there are times where he puts "see the MSDN for this struct", but that's usually when there's not much explaining he could do that's not in the MSDN already. I like that it feels like the author took a good deal of time to figure out how to explain every topic. The information is incredibly clear.
   
   If you are like me and look at a bunch of DirectX books and just have no idea what the author(s) is talking about, you should try this book, especially if you have a good math background. And if this dude releases a book on DirectX 10, I'll definitely get it. If you know DirectX and are looking for a book on game programming, look for another book.

2 comments about Creative Suite 3 Integration: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Flash Pro, Acrobat, Bridge and Version Cue.

1. I love this book. It's very helpful and I would tell everyone to look in to buying this book if you want quality.



2. I had problems with this book from the first. I thought it was because I had insufficient background in most chapters - but thats why I bought the book. When it came to the Dreamweaver chapter, which I know somewhat, the deficincies became apparent.
   
   You have to have a good understanding of what the book covers. It goes over important matters very quickly.
   
   Bottom line - I gained very little by reading this book.

2 comments about C Is for Centennial : A Colorado Alphabet (Alphabet Series).

1. This book is just wonderful. I loved reading it and enjoyed the illustrations. The illustrator got the feel of Colorado just right. Younger children will love the rhyming couplets, and will try to memorize them on the spot. Middle school children will find the sidebar texts interesting and full of fun facts about Colorado. As a Colorado resident, I especially enjoyed discovering the places and people the author featured. As an educator I feel this book would be a great addition to children's non-fiction collections at home and school and will appeal to kids ages 5-14.



2. "C is for Centennial" by Colorado native Louise Whitney is a wonderful and informative book about the beautiful state of Colorado-written in the alphabetical letter format. This delightful book celebrates Colorado's 100 plus years of statehood with rhymes and facts about selected Coloradoans, historical landmarks, natural resources, and even the state song. The text is creatively and well written, the corresponding illustrations are well chosen, complementary, and beautifully done, and the entire book is a treasure to read. Each new alphabetical letter that is introduced is so interesting that you want to immediately turn to the next page to see what the following letter represents!

   Many of the well-known sites (especially to visitors of the state) are represented, such as Mesa Verde, Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, Four Corners, and the Royal Gorge. But you will be surprised by the numerous additional facts about Colorado that you didn't know about such as herbal teas, the poetess who wrote "America the Beautiful", rodeos, the Pony Express, and even bicycles! Bravo to Louise Whitney for her authorship and extensive knowledge and to Helle Urban for her lovely and life-like illustrations throughout the book and the cover. You can really see in reading Whitney's creative work that she holds Colorado close to her heart.

   This book is not only for children of all ages; adults will also enjoy the illustrations and facts about Colorado. It is a real treat to sit back and read about a state well traveled and loved by many. "C is for Centennial" is a splendid book that needs to be in homes and on the shelves of school and community libraries. It will prove to be a valuable resource book for students who may be assigned the task of writing a state report in their classrooms.

2 comments about Visual Quantum Mechanics: Selected Topics with Computer-Generated Animations of Quantum-Mechanical Phenomena (with CD-ROM).

1. This is a great combination: Many diagrams, animations and so on on the CD-ROM, which are not just to look at, but you can modify parameters and interact with some of them, which is great for understanding and the book with the theoretical background to everything you can see an the CD-ROM and more. You should be fimilar with higher mathematics (complex numbers and stuff) if you really want to understand the complicated-looking mathematical background, but the CD-ROM shows that the core of the whole Quantum-Mechanic-Thing seems to be very natural (what a surprise). This book is an excellent approach to this topic - take a glance. ... and for those, who are not interested in QM-theory: the animations are very colorful and fine to look at ;)



2. This is the best quantum mechanics book I know! It explains quantum mechanics in a very understandable way (well, at least for a physics student). The explanations are just better than elsewhere, and its easier to follow the mathematical derivations. There are no unfair remarks like 'it is easy to see that..', etc. Now I can understand quantum mechanics much better. The movies are just great. The CD-ROM alone is worth the price (unfortunately it works only for Windows and Macintosh, not for Linux). In particular, I liked the section about one-dimensional scattering theory. Here the movies and the text fit together in an optimal way. If you can only afford one book about quantum mechanics, buy this one. Unfortunately, this book is only the first part of the story. The web site tells me that the next book will describe the hydrogen atom, the Dirac equation, and quantum information. I am growing impatient. What am I going to do until the second book appears?