Formatting Conventions

Hotkeys

Camtasia Studio employs a number of hotkeys, keyboard commands that the user can utilize to execute specific tasks. These are marked by first listing any needed modifier keys, such as Ctrl, Alt, or Shift (these can be combined), and then the appropriate alphanumeric or function key to execute the command. A plus sign (+) indicates that two or more modifier keys must be held down at once, while a hyphen (-) shows the key that must be pressed after said modifier(s) is held down.

Example:

Ctrl+Shift-M means that the user must first hold down the Ctrl and Shift keys together, then press M.

Special Sections

In an attempt to address the broad range of technical skill levels exhibited by those likely to read this book, this text contains both basic “how to” procedures as well as special tips honed through my years of experience as a content developer. The former typically appeals to beginners, while the latter is more beneficial to those who are experienced with Camtasia Studio or similar products. As a result, certain passages are marked with visual clues so that you can tell at a glance what kind of topic you’re dealing with. First, there will be a light gray box around all the procedural steps involved in accomplishing a certain task (for example, the steps you would need to execute in order to import media into Camtasia Studio’s Clip Bin). Additionally, there are three other special sections I occasionally use throughout the course of this book:

Tip 

These are the “secret documents” of the text, where I point out special tricks to help you accomplish certain goals or simply get more out of the program. It’s just easier to relegate them to these sections as opposed to slipping them to you on microfilm…

Note 

These sections contain handy notes about the topic currently being discussed. They offer helpful reminders as well as background information.

Caution 

Here I talk about the complications you may potentially experience when working with a certain aspect of the software. If you’re really lucky, then this section will also yield a workaround to the problem in question.

Emphasis

I place items in bold when introducing a concept for the first time in a chapter. When explaining a procedure, I will also set menus, hotkeys, and other commands in bold text. When you see something in bold text during a procedure, it’s likely part of a command that you’ll need to execute in order to successfully complete the procedure.

I use italics for words that are being introduced and defined. Additionally, italics indicate when a given word or phrase needs emphasis, as in, “You must complete the following items before moving on.”