Amazon.co.uk
Covering Director and Shockwave from versions 6 to 7.0.1 this is a must- have for users of this world-class multimedia package.
Far more comprehensive than Macromedia's supplied documentation this desktop volume probes the deepest, darkest recesses of the cast, score, stage, sprites and animations and then goes on to investigate Shockwave's content delivery methods and the range of suitable content types.
Throw in a information and background on the Lingo scripting system and what you have is an all-in-one resource guide that deserves to become the standard text for anyone looking to produce multimedia presentations or standalone or Web-based delivery.
Author Bruce Epstein does a sterling job of introducing a massive amount of information in a clear and concise fashion which makes its point without getting bogged down in unnecessary detail.
Presented in O'Reilly's tried and trusted "in a Nutshell" format it's easy to flip through, interesting to read when there's five minutes to spare and invaluable for those moments when Director decides it's not going to do something and it's not obvious why.
On its own this is an invaluable resource, when buddied-up with the companion volume Lingo in a Nutshell what you have is one of the most complete references to any computing package on the market today. Strong praise indeed, but well-earned all the same.
Amazon.com
Director in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference helps Director users uncover little-known but vitally important details about using Macromedia's multimedia program effectively. It supplies ample guidance on troubleshooting common difficulties and insight on avoiding the most common problems.
This is a well-organized book--progressing from developing your understanding of how Director works, which should enrich your productivity, to showing you how to best handle audio and video. In particular, you learn how to use the Score and create animations tools as well as work with Cast members, libraries, and the Stage. You get to set up coordinates, alignment, and registration points; tackle cross-platform delivery issues; and create projectors and runtime files. Those out to optimize their system performance will find sections on managing memory.
You get plenty of help using Lingo and Director's scripting tool, as well as in working with limitations in the various versions of Director. (The book covers versions 6, 6.5, and 7 for both Windows and Macintosh.) Users of every level should be able to glean a lot of useful tips from this book, though most parts are of a technical level best suited to proficient users rather than newcomers to the program. --Kathleen Caster
