Description:
The selling slogan for Java is "write once, run anywhere," meaning programmers only have to write a program once and then compile it for whatever their target platform happens to be without worrying about modification. The problem with systems like this is harnessing the power of complicated components like QuickTime from within such a high level and abstract layer as Java. QuickTime for Java opens the doors to integrating the Java programming language with Apple's premiere multimedia streaming software by introducing the QuickTime for Java API. The book's first half explores the relationship between QuickTime and Java, and how to make QuickTime function calls from within Java code. Both the book and the CD-ROM are filled with coding examples, ranging from the most basic--opening and playing a QuickTime movie--to the more complex, like embedding different media types and streaming movies. The second half of the book, "QuickTime for Java Reference," probably contains the most valuable part if you already have some experience coding QuickTime procedures in Java. In over 300 pages, it catalogues library calls and functions for each of the QuickTime for Java packages: quicktime.app.actions, quicktime.app.audio, quicktime.app.players, and so on. Both authors work at Apple--one is a senior writer and the other is the chief architect of QuickTime for Java--so it's not surprising to see their experience and knowledge brought to bear in clear and concise examples throughout the book. This is an excellent and detailed reference volume for anyone coding in Java, or anyone programming multimedia applications and looking to migrate to Java. --Mike Caputo
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