Lingo in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly)) [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

Programmers and developers using Macromedia's Director multimedia software need to speak the Lingo to get the most from its highly defined control mechanisms.

A programming language designed with multimedia in mind, learning Lingo can be an interesting experience, especially for those who rely on the online documentation and barely-useful manuals provided by Macromedia as standard.

Covering versions from 5 to 6.5 it may seem that this tome is already out of date (given that the software is already at version seven) but nothing could be further from the truth. According to the author, many of the new features touted in v7 were made available in 6.5 and his personal Web site is kept up to date with any amendments and additions necessary to keep the book fresh.

In six segments, Lingo in a Nutshell guides users of all abilities through the world of Lingo, covering event-driven programming data types, debugging hints ands tips information on behaviours ands Xtras, surpassing the vast majority of printed resources then kicking sand in their respective faces.

There's so much information in here that it's difficult to take it all in, and this forms only 50 per cent of author Bruce Epstein's Director experience. A companion volume, Director in a Nutshell is also available which takes a longer look at the whole Director design interface as well as providing more background to the Lingo language.

Irrespective of your programming ability there's something here for all users, the chapter of undocumented Lingo commands being particularly useful(not to say interesting). If you're a Lingo user there's only book you should buy this year, and it's this one.

Once again, O'Reilly scores big with a comprehensive treatment of a programming language that doesn't spend much time teaching the fundamentals. Lingo in a Nutshell sets a benchmark for Lingo documentation that no other book or online resource meets.

Lingo in a Nutshell has to do with behind-the-scenes aspects of Lingo, including file management, data structures, loops, conditionals, and event handlers. Simply put, this book treats Lingo as a programming language, rather than merely as a piece of Macromedia Director. The coverage you'll find in Lingo in a Nutshell backs up the more obviously practical material found in this book's companion volume, Director in a Nutshell. This book also features an excellent chapter called "How Lingo Thinks," which explains how the various pieces of a Lingo-controlled presentation fit together.

Like most Nutshell books, Lingo in a Nutshell includes a very good language reference in addition to its tutorial and explanatory materials. Listing Lingo's enumerated values, keywords, and commands in full--including some otherwise undocumented ones--this reference makes it easy to locate the information you need as you write programs. The only minor drawback of this book is that it doesn't cover the changes made to Lingo in the newly released Director 7. --David Wall

Macromedia Director 6 is the premiere authoring tool for delivering interactive content on both the Internet and the desktop. It is the dominant multimedia package for Windows 95/NT, Windows 3.1, and the Macintosh. A quarter million developers use Director(R) to incorporate animation and audio into dynamic Web pages, and to create engaging interactive corporate presentations, multimedia advertising, entertainment CD-ROMs, Enhanced music CDs, and even DVDs. Lingo is Director's powerful scripting language. This companion book to Director in a Nutshell is an essential tool for both new and experienced Lingo programmers seeking a deeper knowledge of the language. Bruce Epstein is the author of both these books and brings years of hands-on experience with Director and Lingo. The book includes numerous useful Lingo examples. Exhaustively tested, this book corrects many errors found in Macromedia's Lingo documentation and repeated verbatim in most third-party books. Extremely comprehensive, this book details dozens of misdocumented and undocumented Lingo keywords that are omitted from Macromedia's manuals and third-party books. Lingo in a Nutshell caters to the huge pool of Director users attempting to bridge the Lingo gap, yet provides the details for the experienced Linguist that are lacking in other Lingo books. In typical nutshell style (clear, concise, deep and narrow) this book explores the syntax, structure and commands of the Lingo language. The detailed chapters describe messages, events, scripts, handlers, variables, lists, file I/O, Behaviors, child objects, Xtras, and more. This book teaches you to troubleshoot and debug common Lingo errors. Lingo in a Nutshell is the book for which both Director users and power Lingo programmers have been yearning. The book extensively covers topics not found in other Lingo books: Cross-platform Lingo differences Lingo internals for experienced programmers Events, messages, and scripts Timers, tempos, cue points, and synchronization Data types and expressions Math, numerical expressions, geometry, and trigonometry Coordinates, alignment, and registration point External files and applications Lingo in a Nutshell is the most concise and compete guide available. It is a high-end handbook at a low-end price. An essential desktop reference for every Director user.

Macromedia Director 6 is the premiere authoring tool for delivering interactive content on both the Internet and the desktop. It is the dominant multimedia package for Windows 95/NT, Windows 3.1, and the Macintosh. A quarter million developers use Director(R) to incorporate animation and audio into dynamic Web pages, and to create engaging interactive corporate presentations, multimedia advertising, entertainment CD-ROMs, Enhanced music CDs, and even DVDs. Lingo is Director's powerful scripting language. This companion book to Director in a Nutshell is an essential tool for both new and experienced Lingo programmers seeking a deeper knowledge of the language. Bruce Epstein is the author of both these books and brings years of hands-on experience with Director and Lingo. The book includes numerous useful Lingo examples. Exhaustively tested, this book corrects many errors found in Macromedia's Lingo documentation and repeated verbatim in most third-party books. Extremely comprehensive, this book details dozens of misdocumented and undocumented Lingo keywords that are omitted from Macromedia's manuals and third-party books.

Lingo in a Nutshell caters to the huge pool of Director users attempting to bridge the Lingo gap, yet provides the details for the experienced Linguist that are lacking in other Lingo books. In typical nutshell style (clear, concise, deep and narrow) this book explores the syntax, structure and commands of the Lingo language. The detailed chapters describe messages, events, scripts, handlers, variables, lists, file I/O, Behaviors, child objects, Xtras, and more. This book teaches you to troubleshoot and debug common Lingo errors. Lingo in a Nutshell is the book for which both Director users and power Lingo programmers have been yearning. The book extensively covers topics not found in other Lingo books: Cross-platform Lingo differences Lingo internals for experienced programmers Events, messages, and scripts Timers, tempos, cue points, and synchronization Data types and expressions Math, numerical expressions, geometry, and trigonometry Coordinates, alignment, and registration point External files and applications Lingo in a Nutshell is the most concise and compete guide available. It is a high-end handbook at a low-end price. An essential desktop reference for every Director user.

Bruce Epstein first learned Director when it became apparent that no one would fund his desire to wander aimlessly unless he was doing so in front of a keyboard. Since that time, he has become a recognized Director and Lingo expert, spouting unsolicited advice in various books, magazines, and multimedia fora. Bruce has programmed and optimized dozens of cross-platform multimedia products, such as children's edutainment titles, enhanced audio CDs, and interactive advertisements, including the Chrysler/Plymouth Virtual Auto Plaza. He writes voraciously about multimedia development, software design, and project management, and refers to himself in the third person. In his copious spare time, Bruce runs Zeus Productions, which offers Lingo consulting and Xtras for Director.