Blender 3D 2.49 Incredible Machines

Allan Brito, Ton Roosendaal

Blender 3D provides all the features you need to create super-realistic 3D models of machines for use in artwork, movies, and computer games. Blender 3D 2.49 Incredible Machines gives you step-by-step instructions for building weapons, vehicles, robots, and more.This book will show you how to use Blender 3D for mechanical modeling and product visualization. Through the pages of the book, you will find a step-by-step guide to create three different projects: a fantasy weapon, a spacecraft, and a giant robot. Even though these machines are not realistic, you will be able to build your own sensible and incredible machines with the techniques that you will learn in this book along with the exercises and examples.All the three sections of this book, which cover three projects, are planned to have an increasing learning curve. The first project is about a hand weapon, and with that we can image a small-sized object with tiny details. This first part of the book will show you how to deal with these details and model them in Blender 3D.In the second project, we will create a spacecraft, adding a bit of scale to the project, and new materials and textures as well. With this project, we will be working with metal, glass, and other elements that make the spacecraft. Along with the object, a new space environment will be created in the book too.At the end we have a big and complex object, which is the transforming robot. This last part of the book will cover the modeling of two objects and show how you can make one transform into the other. The scale and number of objects in this project are quite big, but the same principles as in the other projects are applied here with a step-by-step guide on how to go through the workflow of the project.

PostgreSQL Server Programming. Extend PostgreSQL using PostgreSQL server programming to create, test, debug, and optimize a range of user-defined functions in your favorite programming language

Usama Dar, Kirk Roybal, Jim Mlodgenski, Hannu Krosing

Joomla! 1.5 Content Administration. Keep your web site up-to-date and maintain content and users with ease

Tracey Porst, Chris Davenport, Tracey Porst

Often a company hires consultants or web developers to build a Joomla! web site, and then takes over running the site in house. If you are a content administrator concerned with creating and maintaining the 'product' of a content management site, and not modifying its code, this book is all you need.This practical, hands-on guide will give you all the knowledge needed to maintain and edit your web site as a content-rich place that visitors return to again and again. There are many books available to help you administer a Joomla! site, but this is the only one specifically for Content Administrators. It is a quick-start guide that best serves content administrators and editors and doesn't cover designing or creating a site. However, anybody who has built their own site but needs help with article management, multimedia management, search engine optimization, and more will also benefit from it.To explain all the features, we will work on developing and maintaining the content and structure of a fledgling web site for a fictitious company The Party People. Beginning with the basics, which includes an exploration of how to access and navigate around the administration interface, you will move into managing and creating content, including adding images, video, and audio material. There is advice on how to make the most of your multimedia material and how to choose the right file type for your needs.As your skills develop, you will work through techniques for making the site search-engine friendly and securing it against potential malicious attacks. All of these techniques and processes are explained step by step, and by the end of the book you will be able to take advantage your new-found knowledge and skills and maintain your Joomla! site with ease. Keeping your content fresh and engaging becomes easy, once you know how and that's what this book aims to do. It will help you become a more effective and efficient manager of Joomla!-based web sites.

Django 3 By Example. Build powerful and reliable Python web applications from scratch - Third Edition

Antonio Melé

If you want to learn the entire process of developing professional web applications with Python and Django, then this book is for you. In the process of building four professional Django projects, you will learn about Django 3 features, how to solve common web development problems, how to implement best practices, and how to successfully deploy your applications. In this book, you will build a blog application, a social image bookmarking website, an online shop, and an e-learning platform. Step-by-step guidance will teach you how to integrate popular technologies, enhance your applications with AJAX, create RESTful APIs, and set up a production environment for your Django projects. By the end of this book, you will have mastered Django 3 by building advanced web applications.

Ouya Unity Game Development. Understanding Unity means you can quickly get the know-how to develop games for the Android-based Ouya console. This is the guide that will take you all the way from setting up the software to monetizing your games

Gary Riches

Ouya is a microconsole running its own version of the Android operating system. The console features an exclusive Ouya store for applications and games designed specifically for the Ouya platform. It runs a modified version of Android 4.1 Jellybean, and is open to rooting without voiding the warranty. All systems can be used as development kits which allow any Ouya owner to be a developer without any licensing fee. Ouya Unity Game Development offers detailed, easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions which will help you learn the ins and outs of Ouya development in Unity.From connecting your device with Android Debug Bridge to publishing it on the Ouya Developer Portal, this book will explain the processes involved in creating a game from scratch. As you progress through the book, you will learn about scenes, prefabs, sounds, models, and animations. By the end of the seventh chapter, you will have a 3D game with multiple levels, the possibility of in-app purchases, and controller support that runs on both the Ouya and an Android phone. Starting with an introduction to Ouya, you will learn how to set up an environment and render game levels on Ouya. You will learn how to change levels and how to save the current level. You will then dive into Ouya controller integration and character animation. This book will also teach you the workings of audio source components, and will show you how to add textures to prefabs. Finally, you will learn how you can monetize the game. By the end of this book, you will have the game running on Ouya and geared up to create games on your own.

Windows Application Development Cookbook. Click here to enter text

Marcin Jamro

Need to ensure you can always create the best Windows apps regardless of platform? What you need are solutions to the biggest issues you can face, so you can always ensure you’re making the right choices and creating the best apps you can.The book starts with recipes that will help you set up the integrated development environment before you go ahead and design the user interface. You will learn how to use the MVVM design pattern together with data binding, as well as how to work with data in different file formats.Moving on, you will explore techniques to add animations and graphics to your application, and enable your solution to work with multimedia content.You will also see how to use sensors, such as an accelerometer and a compass, as well as obtain the current GPS location. You will make your application ready to work with Internet-based scenarios, such as composing e-mails or downloading files, before finally testing the project and submitting it to the Windows Store.By the end of the book, you will have a market-ready application compatible across different Windows devices, including smartphones, tablets, and desktops.

iOS 9 Game Development Essentials. Design, build, and publish an iOS game from scratch using the stunning features of iOS 9

Chuck Gaffney

Azure Strategy and Implementation Guide. The essential handbook to cloud transformation with Azure - Fourth Edition

Jack Lee, Greg Leonardo, Jason Milgram, Dave Rendón

Microsoft Azure is a powerful cloud computing platform that offers a multitude of services and capabilities for organizations of any size moving to a cloud strategy.This fourth edition comes with the latest updates on cloud security fundamentals, hybrid cloud, cloud migration, Microsoft Azure Active Directory, and Windows Virtual Desktop. It encapsulates the entire spectrum of measures involved in Azure deployment that includes understanding Azure fundamentals, choosing a suitable cloud architecture, building on design principles, becoming familiar with Azure DevOps, and learning best practices for optimization and management.The book begins by introducing you to the Azure cloud platform and demonstrating the substantial scope of digital transformation and innovation that can be achieved with Azure's capabilities. The guide also acquaints you with practical insights into application modernization, Azure Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) deployment, infrastructure management, key application architectures, best practices of Azure DevOps, and Azure automation.By the end of this book, you will have acquired the skills required to drive Azure operations from the planning and cloud migration stage to cost management and troubleshooting.

Mastering Apex Programming. A developer’s guide to learning advanced techniques and best practices for building robust Salesforce applications

Paul Battisson, Mike Wheeler

As applications built on the Salesforce platform are now a key part of many organizations, developers are shifting focus to Apex, Salesforce’s proprietary programming language. As a Salesforce developer, it is important to understand the range of tools at your disposal, how and when to use them, and best practices for working with Apex. Mastering Apex Programming will help you explore the advanced features of Apex programming and guide you in delivering robust solutions that scale.This book starts by taking you through common Apex mistakes, debugging, exception handling, and testing. You'll then discover different asynchronous Apex programming options and develop custom Apex REST web services. The book shows you how to define and utilize Batch Apex, Queueable Apex, and Scheduled Apex using common scenarios before teaching you how to define, publish, and consume platform events and RESTful endpoints with Apex. Finally, you'll learn how to profile and improve the performance of your Apex application, including architecture trade-offs.With code examples used to facilitate discussion throughout, by the end of the book, you'll have developed the skills needed to build robust and scalable applications in Apex.

Microsoft Exchange 2010 PowerShell Cookbook. This brilliant Cookbook is packed with step-by-step instructions on writing scripts for Exchange 2010. You’ll be able to use the recipes straightaway and take your Microsoft Exchange management capabilities to another level

Mike Pfeiffer, MIKE PFEIFFER

Learning C++ by Creating Games with UE4. Learn C++ programming with a fun, real-world application that allows you to create your own games!

William Sherif

Layered Design for Ruby on Rails Applications. Discover practical design patterns for maintainable web applications

Vladimir Dementyev

The Ruby on Rails framework boosts productivity by leveraging the convention-over-configuration principle and model-view-controller (MVC) pattern, enabling developers to build features efficiently. This initial simplicity often leads to complexity, making a well-structured codebase difficult to maintain. Written by a seasoned software engineer and award-winning contributor to many other open-source projects, including Ruby on Rails and Ruby, this book will help you keep your code maintainable while working on a Rails app.You’ll get to grips with the framework’s capabilities and principles to harness the full potential of Rails, and tackle many common design problems by discovering useful patterns and abstraction layers. By implementing abstraction and dividing the application into manageable modules, you’ll be able to concentrate on specific parts of the app development without getting overwhelmed by the entire codebase. This also encourages code reuse, simplifying the process of adding new features and enhancing the application's capabilities. Additionally, you’ll explore further steps in scaling Rails codebase, such as service extractions.By the end of this book, you’ll become a code design specialist with a deep understanding of the Rails framework principles.

Learn Ethereum. A practical guide to help developers set up and run decentralized applications with Ethereum 2.0 - Second Edition

Xun (Brian) Wu, Zhihong Zou, Dongying Song

Ethereum is a blockchain-based, decentralized computing platform that allows you to run smart contracts. With this book, you’ll discover the latest Ethereum tools, frameworks, wallets, and layer 2, along with setting up and running decentralized applications for the complete, end-to-end development experience.Learn Ethereum, 2nd Edition is a comprehensive overview of the Ethereum ecosystem, exploring its concepts, mechanisms, and decentralized application development process. You’ll delve into Ethereum's internals, technologies, and tools, including Ethereum 2.0 and the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), gas, and its account systems. You’ll also explore Ethereum's transition to proof of stake, L1/L2 scaling solutions, DeFi protocols, and the current marketplace. Additionally, you’ll learn about EVM-compatible blockchains, connectivity techniques, and advanced topics such as sharding, off-chain scaling, DAOs, Metaverse, and NFTs.By the end of this book, you’ll be well-equipped to write smart contracts and develop, test, and deploy DApps using various tools, wallets, and frameworks.

AWS Certified Machine Learning Specialty: MLS-C01 Certification Guide. The definitive guide to passing the MLS-C01 exam on the very first attempt

Somanath Nanda, Weslley Moura

The AWS Certified Machine Learning Specialty exam tests your competency to perform machine learning (ML) on AWS infrastructure. This book covers the entire exam syllabus using practical examples to help you with your real-world machine learning projects on AWS.Starting with an introduction to machine learning on AWS, you'll learn the fundamentals of machine learning and explore important AWS services for artificial intelligence (AI). You'll then see how to prepare data for machine learning and discover a wide variety of techniques for data manipulation and transformation for different types of variables. The book also shows you how to handle missing data and outliers and takes you through various machine learning tasks such as classification, regression, clustering, forecasting, anomaly detection, text mining, and image processing, along with the specific ML algorithms you need to know to pass the exam. Finally, you'll explore model evaluation, optimization, and deployment and get to grips with deploying models in a production environment and monitoring them.By the end of this book, you'll have gained knowledge of the key challenges in machine learning and the solutions that AWS has released for each of them, along with the tools, methods, and techniques commonly used in each domain of AWS ML.

Learn T-SQL Querying. A guide to developing efficient and elegant T-SQL code

Pedro Lopes, Pam Lahoud

Transact-SQL (T-SQL) is Microsoft's proprietary extension to the SQL language used with Microsoft SQL Server and Azure SQL Database. This book will be a usefu to learning the art of writing efficient T-SQL code in modern SQL Server versions as well as the Azure SQL Database.The book will get you started with query processing fundamentals to help you write powerful, performant T-SQL queries. You will then focus on query execution plans and leverage them for troubleshooting. In later chapters, you will explain how to identify various T-SQL patterns and anti-patterns. This will help you analyze execution plans to gain insights into current performance, and determine whether or not a query is scalable. You will also build diagnostic queries using dynamic management views (DMVs) and dynamic management functions (DMFs) to address various challenges in T-SQL execution. Next, you will work with the built-in tools of SQL Server to shorten the time taken to address query performance and scalability issues. In the concluding chapters, this will guide you through implementing various features, such as Extended Events, Query Store, and Query Tuning Assistant, using hands-on examples.By the end of the book, you will have developed the skills to determine query performance bottlenecks, avoid pitfalls, and discover the anti-patterns in use.

Asynchronous Programming in Rust. Learn asynchronous programming by building working examples of futures, green threads, and runtimes

Carl Fredrik Samson

Step into the world of asynchronous programming with confidence by conquering the challenges of unclear concepts with this hands-on guide. Using functional examples, this book simplifies the trickiest concepts, exploring goroutines, fibers, futures, and callbacks to help you navigate the vast Rust async ecosystem with ease.You’ll start by building a solid foundation in asynchronous programming and explore diverse strategies for modeling program flow. The book then guides you through concepts like epoll, coroutines, green threads, and callbacks using practical examples. The final section focuses on Rust, examining futures, generators, and the reactor-executor pattern. You’ll apply your knowledge to create your own runtime, solidifying expertise in this dynamic domain. Throughout the book, you’ll not only gain proficiency in Rust's async features but also see how Rust models asynchronous program flow.By the end of the book, you'll possess the knowledge and practical skills needed to actively contribute to the Rust async ecosystem.

Mastering QuickBooks(R) 2022. The bestselling guide to bookkeeping and the QuickBooks Online accounting software - Third Edition

Crystalynn Shelton

Whether you have bookkeeping experience or not, handling the financial side of your growing business requires expertise. With Mastering QuickBooks® 2022, Third Edition, you’ll learn how to use QuickBooks® to build the perfect budget, simplify tax return preparation, manage inventory, track job costs, generate income statements and financial reports, and perform all accounting-related tasks with ease.Throughout the book, you’ll be guided by an experienced Certified Public Accountant and Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor – from setup to core features and beyond.This new edition has every chapter revised to cover a range of new features and updates available, including smart invoicing and cash flow projections. You'll learn how to create multilingual invoices, track mileage, work with a cash flow dashboard that helps you with cash forecasting and planning reports, and upload batches of bills and checks.This book will also teach you how to manage sales tax, including how to set up, collect, track, pay, and report sales tax payments. In addition to this, you’ll explore how to export reports to Google Sheets, use the custom chart builder, import budgets, and perform smart reporting.By the end of this book, you'll be well-versed with QuickBooks and have the confidence to manage all your bookkeeping tasks with ease.

Decoding Large Language Models. An exhaustive guide to understanding, implementing, and optimizing LLMs for NLP applications

Irena Cronin

Ever wondered how large language models (LLMs) work and how they're shaping the future of artificial intelligence? Written by a renowned author and AI, AR, and data expert, Decoding Large Language Models is a combination of deep technical insights and practical use cases that not only demystifies complex AI concepts, but also guides you through the implementation and optimization of LLMs for real-world applications.You’ll learn about the structure of LLMs, how they're developed, and how to utilize them in various ways. The chapters will help you explore strategies for improving these models and testing them to ensure effective deployment. Packed with real-life examples, this book covers ethical considerations, offering a balanced perspective on their societal impact. You’ll be able to leverage and fine-tune LLMs for optimal performance with the help of detailed explanations. You’ll also master techniques for training, deploying, and scaling models to be able to overcome complex data challenges with confidence and precision. This book will prepare you for future challenges in the ever-evolving fields of AI and NLP.By the end of this book, you’ll have gained a solid understanding of the architecture, development, applications, and ethical use of LLMs and be up to date with emerging trends, such as GPT-5.

Accelerating IoT Development with ChatGPT. A practical guide to building your first IoT project using AI-assisted coding and cloud integration

Jun Wen

Unlike other IoT books that focus on theory and generic applications, this guide takes a practical approach, empowering you to leverage ChatGPT to build your very first IoT prototype. With over 20 years of experience in wireless and IoT technologies and a background as an instructor, Jun Wen expertly guides you from project kick-off to a fully functional prototype.The book emphasizes the transformative impact of ChatGPT for IoT, teaching you how to use ChatGPT to generate code for your applications, even with limited coding experience. You’ll be introduced to using PlatformIO IDE within Visual Studio Code and discover the cutting-edge RISC-V architecture, the ESP32 MCU, Arduino-compatible sensors, and integration methods for AWS and the ThingsBoard dashboard. Working through 10 different project examples, including flame detection, smoke detection, and air quality measurement, you’ll become proficient in the functions and specifications of each sensor and the use cases they solve.By the end of this book, you’ll be ready to undertake IoT development projects, bridging the gap between your ideas and functional creations.

Node Cookbook. Transferring your JavaScript skills to server-side programming is simplified with this comprehensive cookbook. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of Node, featuring recipes supported with lots of illustrations, tips, and hints

David Mark Clements

Responsive Web Design with HTML5 and CSS3. Web pages that respond immediately to different screen sizes and devices is one of today’s essentials. Packed with screenshots and examples, this book will teach you the professional approach using just HTML5 and CSS3

Ben Frain

Tablets, smart phones and even televisions are being used increasingly to view the web. There's never been a greater range of screen sizes and associated user experiences to consider. Web pages built to be responsive provide the best possible version of their content to match the viewing devices of not just today's devices but tomorrow's too.Learn how to design websites according to the new responsive designù methodology, allowing a website to display beautifully on every screen size. Follow along, building and enhancing a responsive web design with HTML5 and CSS3. The book provides a practical understanding of these new technologies and techniques that are set to be the future of front-end web development. Starting with a static Photoshop composite, create a website with HTML5 and CSS3 which is flexible depending on the viewer's screen size.With HTML5, pages are leaner and more semantic. A fluid grid design and CSS3 media queries means designs can flex and adapt for any screen size. Beautiful backgrounds, box-shadows and animations will be added ñ all using the power, simplicity and flexibility of CSS3.Responsive web design with HTML5 and CSS3 provides the necessary knowledge to ensure your projects won't just be built right for today but also the future.

Practical Game Design. Learn the art of game design through applicable skills and cutting-edge insights

Adam Kramarzewski, Ennio De Nucci

If you are looking for an up-to-date and highly applicable guide to game design, then you have come to the right place! Immerse yourself in the fundamentals of game design with this book, written by two highly experienced industry professionals to share their profound insights as well as give valuable advice on creating games across genres and development platforms.This book covers the basics of game design one piece at a time. Starting with learning how to conceptualize a game idea and present it to the development team, you will gradually move on to devising a design plan for the whole project and adapting solutions from other games. You will also discover how to produce original game mechanics without relying on existing reference material, and test and eliminate anticipated design risks. You will then design elements that compose the playtime of a game, followed by making game mechanics, content, and interface accessible to all players. You will also find out how to simultaneously ensure that the gameplay mechanics and content are working as intended.As the book reaches its final chapters, you will learn to wrap up a game ahead of its release date, work through the different challenges of designing free-to-play games, and understand how to significantly improve their quality through iteration, polishing and playtesting.

Web Development with Blazor. A practical guide to building interactive UIs with C# 12 and .NET 8 - Third Edition

Jimmy Engström, Steve Sanderson

Web Development with Blazor is your essential guide to building and deploying interactive web applications in C# – without relying on JavaScript.Written by an early Blazor adopter and updated for .NET 8, this book takes you through the end-to-end development of an example app, helping you to overcome common challenges along the way. You’ll pick up both Blazor Server and Blazor WebAssembly and discover cutting-edge tools to enrich your development experience.Responding to evolving needs, this edition introduces flexible hosting models, allowing you to mix and match hosting approaches to create flexible and scalable Blazor applications. It also presents the new Blazor templates, which provide ready-made solutions to simplify and expedite development. You'll learn about the game-changing server-side rendering (SSR), a hybrid hosting model blending the strengths of Blazor Server and Blazor WebAssembly, as well as streaming rendering, a new technique that boosts the performance and user experience of Blazor apps.By the end of this book, you'll have the confidence you need to create and deploy production-ready Blazor applications using best practices, along with a big-picture view of the Blazor landscape.

Driving DevOps with Value Stream Management. Improve IT value stream delivery with a proven VSM methodology to compete in the digital economy

Cecil 'Gary' Rupp, Helen Beal

Value Stream Management (VSM) opens the door to maximizing your DevOps pipeline investments by improving flows and eliminating waste. VSM and DevOps together deliver value stream improvements across enterprises for a competitive advantage in the digital world. Driving DevOps with Value Stream Management provides a comprehensive review and analysis of industry-proven VSM methods and tools to integrate, streamline, and orchestrate activities within a DevOps-oriented value stream.You'll start with an introduction to the concepts of delivering value and understand how VSM methods and tools support improved value delivery from a Lean production perspective. The book covers the complexities of implementing modern CI/CD and DevOps pipelines and then guides you through an eight-step VSM methodology with the help of a use case showing an Agile team's efforts to install a CI/CD pipeline. Free from marketing hype or vendor bias, this book presents the current VSM tool vendors and customer use cases that showcase their products' strengths. As you advance through the book, you'll learn four approaches to implementing a DevOps pipeline and get guidance on choosing the best fit.By the end of this VSM book, you'll be ready to develop and execute a plan to streamline your software delivery pipelines and improve your organization's value stream delivery.