Special Edition Using Macromedia Director 8.5 provides in-depth explanation of the complex features of Director and Lingo, as well as power tips and techniques to maximize the features and tools. While the first section is great for learning Director 8.5 from square one, you'll also find complete coverage of Director 8.5, from advanced issues such as Lingo scripting and multi-user applications to the hot new features of the latest release. It is a great book to use to learn Director from the ground up, as well as a great book to use as a reference. In addition, this book goes further into advanced territory than any other book on the market. The book includes lots of code and sample movies, as well as six chapters of complete applications (including seven games!). New feature coverage includes more than 100 new pages about Shockwave 3D. This book comes with tons of practical examples and complete, open source movies.

You can buy the book at your local bookstore, or you can order it online from Amazon.com. You can also check out other Director and Lingo books at the CleverMedia Bookstore.

Here is the table of contents. This will give you a good idea of what the book covers (pretty much everything!).

• Introduction.
  Do You Need to Update Your Book? Who Should Read This Book? What This Book Doesn't Have. This Book Is About Director 8 and 8.5. How to Use This Book. Conventions Used in This Book. Before You Begin.

• I. DIRECTOR BASICS.
  • 1. Animation with Director.
    An Introduction to Director. The Cast. The Stage. The Score. Other Controls. Animating with the Cast, Stage, and Score. Exporting Animations.
  • 2. Presentations with Director.
    Designing Screens. Linear Presentations. Nonlinear Presentations. Advanced Presentations. Showing Your Presentation.

• II. MEMBERS IN DETAIL.
  • 3. Bitmap Members.
    Types of Bitmaps. Importing Bitmaps. Using the Paint Window. Bitmap Member Properties. Onion Skinning. PhotoShop Filters.
  • 4. Text and Field Members.
    Using Text Members. Using Field Members. Knowing When to Use Text and Fields. Using Font Members. Using 3D Text.
  • 5. Sound Members.
    Sound File Formats. Frequency and Bit Depth. Internal Sound Members. External Sounds. Shockwave Audio. Using Sound in Director. Waiting for Sounds and Cue Points.
  • 6. Digital Video.
    Using Digital Video Formats. Importing Digital Video. Understanding Digital Video Settings. Working with Digital Video. Making Custom Video Controls.
  • 7. Vector Members.
    Using Shape Members. Using Vector Members. Using Flash Members.
  • 8. Other Member Types.
    Creating Pushbuttons. Creating Check Boxes. Creating Radio Buttons. Using Palette Members. Adding Cursors. Using Animated GIFs. Using QuickTime VR. Adding New Cast Member Types with Xtras.

• III. AUTHORING IN DIRECTOR.
  • 9. The Director Environment.
    Ways to Work in Director. Setting Preferences. Publish Settings. Using the Director Library Palette. Using Xtras. Getting Help.
  • 10. Properties of Sprites and Frames.
    Controlling Frame Tempo. Using Frame Palettes. Adding Frame Transitions. Setting Sprite Inks. Using the Sprite Blend. Setting Sprite Colors. Adjusting the Sprite Shape. Other Sprite Properties.
  • 11. Advanced Techniques.
    Using the Behaviors Library. Building Your Own Behaviors. Using Film Loops and Linked Movies. Color Cycling. Shockwave Streaming.

• IV. USING BASIC LINGO.
  • 12. Learning Lingo.
    What Is Lingo? First Steps with the Message Window. Understanding Script Types. Using Messages and Handlers. Using Variables. Writing Lingo Code.
  • 13. Essential Lingo Syntax.
    Using Number Variables. Using String Variables. Comparing Variables. Using Handlers. Using If...Then Statements. Using Repeat Loops. Using Lingo Navigation Commands. Controlling Sprite Properties. Controlling Member Properties. Using List Variables. Using Frame Scripts.

• V. USING BEHAVIORS.
  • 14. Creating Behaviors.
    Controlling a Single Sprite. Creating Simple Behaviors. Creating a Simple Button Behavior. Using Complete Behaviors. Building a Complete Button Behavior. Creating Animation Behaviors. Communicating Between Behaviors.
  • 15. Graphic Interface Elements.
    Creating Display Rollovers. Using Check Boxes. Using Radio Buttons. Dragging Sprites. Creating Sliders. Creating Progress Bars. Creating Graphical Pop-Up Menus.

• VI. USING LINGO TO CONTROL MEDIA.
  • 16. Controlling Text.
    Using Strings and Chunks. Using Text Members and Fields. Creating Text Lists. Creating Text Pop-Up Menus. Using Keyboard Input. Using Rich Text Format. Using HTML and Tables. Using HTML and Hypertext. Using Text Files and the FileIO Xtra. Using 3D Text.
  • 17. Controlling Sound.
    Using Lingo's Sound Commands. Using Cue Points. Playing External Sounds. Using Shockwave Audio.
  • 18. Controlling Bitmaps.
    Distorting Sprites. Adding 3D Effects. Manipulating Bitmap Members.
  • 19. Controlling Video.
    Using Video Commands. Building Video Controls. Using Other Video Techniques.
  • 20. Controlling Vector Graphics.
    Using Flash Member Lingo. Using Vector Shape Lingo. Building Vectors with Lingo. Using Vectors for Collision Detection.

• VII. USING ADVANCED LINGO.
  • 21. Controlling the Director Environment.
    Using Menus. Using Cursors. Using Timeouts. Learning About the Computer. Telling Time. Memory Management. Launching Other Applications. Quitting and Shutting Down.
  • 22. Shockwave and Internet Access.
    Controlling the Web Browser with Lingo. Getting Text over the Internet. Sending Text. Working with Browsers. Using Shockwave Preference Files (Cookies). Controlling Streaming Media.
  • 23. Object-Oriented Programming.
    What Is an Object? Reasons to Use Objects. Creating an Object in Lingo. Creating Object Properties. Using OOP. Using Ancestors.
  • 24. Movies in a Window and Alternatives.
    Using MIAWs. Creating Dialog Boxes. Creating Oddly Shaped MIAWs. Creating Self-Contained MIAWs. Other Uses for MIAWs. Using Linked Movies. Using MUI Xtra Dialog Boxes.
  • 25. Xtras.
    What Are Xtras? Xtras That Come with Director. Third-Party Xtras. Using Xtra Lingo. Using Xtras in Shockwave. Other Xtras.
  • 26. Developing for Developers.
    Score Recording. Creating MIAW Xtras. Using Behavior Libraries.

• VIII. USING DIRECTOR TO CREATE PROFESSIONAL APPLICATIONS.
  • 27. Educational Applications.
    Creating a Matching Game. Making a Drawing Activity. Creating Overlays. Creating a Geography Quiz. Creating Standardized Tests.
  • 28. Business Applications.
    Creating Database Applications. Creating Graphs and Pie Charts. Creating Questionnaires. Creating Computer-Based Training Programs.
  • 29. Graphics Applications.
    Creating Slideshows. Panning Large Images. Making Scrollbars for Large Images. Zooming In on Large Images. Utilizing Ink and Color Manipulation.
  • 30. Sound Applications
    Creating a Piano Keyboard. Creating a Player Piano. Simulating 3D Sound. Creating Volume Controls.
  • 31. Shockwave Applets.
    Creating Navigation Pages. Creating Navigation Bars. Creating Shockwave Ads. Processing and Displaying Information.
  • 32. Games.
    Creating a Matching Game. Creating a Sliding Puzzle Game. Creating a Falling Objects Game. Emulating a Shooting Gallery. Creating Sprite Invaders. Creating Trivia Games. Creating a Blackjack Game.

• IX. FINISHING A PROJECT.
  • 33. Debugging.
    Writing Good Code. Using Lingo Debugging Tools. Using the Watcher. Testing Your Code.
  • 34. Performance Issues.
    Designing for a Target Machine. Recognizing Issues Affecting Performance. Improving Performance. Optimizing Projector Performance. Optimizing Lingo Performance.
  • 35. Cross-Platform Issues.
    Developing for the Mac and Windows. Developing for Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer. The Cross-Platform Checklist.
  • 36. Delivering the Goods.
    Making Projectors. Making Shockwave Movies. Building CD-ROMs. Making Installers. Building Screen Savers.

• X. ADVANCED TOPICS.
  • 37. Creating Multiuser Applications.
    Setting Up the Multiuser Server. Using the Multiuser Behaviors. Learning Basic Multiuser Lingo. Creating Your Own Multiuser Application. Using Peer-To-Peer Connections. Using the Multiuser Database. Using UDP. Using Server-Side Lingo.
  • 38. Using 3D Media
    3D Basics. Importing Models. The Shockwave 3D Window. Displaying a 3D Model on the Stage. Using 3D Behaviors.
  • 39. Using 3D Lingo
    Moving 3D Models. Moving the Camera. Playing with Lights. Shaders and Textures. Creating Primitives. Partilce Systems. Modifiers. Mesh Deform. Collision Detection. World to Movie Communication. Grouping. Controlling Animation. Havok Physics Engine. Special Effects. Creating Complex Scenes.

• Reference
  
  • A -- What's on the CD-ROM
    
  • B -- Director Glossary
    
  • C -- Online Resources
    
  • D -- Tables and Charts
    
  • E -- Lingo by Subject
    
  • F -- Behavior Library Quick Reference
    
  • G -- Keyboard Shortcuts
    
  • H -- Guide to Xtras
    
  • I -- Lingo Reference

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