Using This Book

This Visual QuickPro Guide, like others in the series, is a task-based reference book that uses each chapter to focus on a specific area of the application. For this guide, I use plain English to explain each function and I accompany each with a series of illustrations that explicitly show how each of the steps should work. Where necessary I use sidebars to illustrate particular topics in more depth.

This Book's Companion Web Page

To support this book Peachpit Press has a special area just for Liquid Edition users. Go to www.peachpit.com/liquid6vqp and you'll not only find details on where to download a fully working demo of Liquid Edition 6, but you can also download some of the sample clips used as examples throughout this book. I'll also use this area to update youthe readerof any software updates and any changes these updates might make to the software.

This task-based approachas opposed to a project-based oneallows you to use your own media or download the sample files from the publisher's Web site (see accompanying sidebar) while learning the techniques in this book. You can then choose to follow each chapter in order, or simply dip in and out of the areas you find most difficult to understand.

Going Pro

The "Pro" in the title of this book refers to the capability of the software rather than the aspirations of the reader. Liquid Edition is designed with a high creative ceiling. Users can produce simple, short videos for the Web or they can make a surround sound DVD movie. The only real limitation of Liquid Edition is the user's imagination.

Demo Version

If you want to try Liquid Edition 6 out before you buy it, you can download a demo version or call a special CD order line. For details, visit the Peachpit Web site at www.peachpit.com/liquid6vqp. The demo version has a time limitation and certain usage restrictions, but you can complete most of the task-based exercises in this book using the demo version.

The Pro in the title is also not a reference to the Liquid Edition Pro package. Remember, all versions of Liquid Edition share a common base program; those versions sold with extra hardware simply have advanced output facilities that any Liquid Edition owner with the relevant hardware can access.

Resetting the Interface

Liquid Edition 6 displays a demo sequence on the Timeline after the initial installation. This demo sequence can be used in the Appendix to test your computer; however, a new sequence must be started in order for your interface to match the screenshots in this book.