CAD and CAM Books

I consider this book to be a good VMM Reference.

Please don't mistake this to be a complete SystemVerilog Bible. This is Verification Methodology Manual (VMM), and after reading this book, it's not a bad idea to think if this methodology is the right one for your project.

This book outlines several "rules", "recommendations", "suggestions" and "alternatives" in using VMM for your project. I found these to be useful to a certain extent. Although the examples weren't quite informative. For starters I would also suggest reading general book on object oriented programming along with this book.


************* BUYING THIS BOOK? READ THIS: ***************

Before you buy this book, check if you/your office has Synopsys VCS installed (Along with Documentation). If you happen to have complete VCS installed, you would get this book (pdf version) for FREE along with the VCS documentation. I came to know about this after buying this book. Any ways, it is good to have a hard copy.

Also, I found it useful to have other SystemVerilog books along with this one. It makes life easy to understand a (new) language and (new) methodology.

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This is a very good book. However, as a newcomer to VMM, I initially got more out of "A Pragmatic Approach to VMM Adoption" by Cohen, Venkataramanan and Kumari. I use both books extensively. Since reading "A Pragmatic Approach", Bergeron's book is much more understandable and useful.

I got this book at work to learn about VMM and the use of it.
It covers high level concepts and recommendations on developing a successful verification environment. It does not teach you the syntax or the basics of System Verilog. Beside teaching you these high level concepts, it covers in detail the use of the VMM base classes offered with Synopsys' VCS tools.
The book has code example in each topic covered which will make it easier to understand.
The topics covered include, but not limited to, Verification planning, assertions, testbench infrastructure, stimulus/response and coverage.
If you are using VMM in your development, then this book is definitely the manual that goes with it.
A must have for a successful verification engineer working with VMM. (6 out of 5 stars)

The book starts off fairly well through the first three chapters. Then all of a sudden it makes a huge leap and it becomes very difficult to follow. There are a lot of very advanced topics that require a lot of object oriented programming experience to understand. On my second reading I saw that even Janick says that he does not expect you to understand VMM on the first reading.

A class based methodology is a complex topic and the VMM book does not do much to make it any easier. If you are a C++ (or something similar) guru, then you might enjoy this book. Otherwise, save your money and download the white papers from the web.

I tried several other books on the subject before trying this one. It is by far the best I've encountered so far. The tutorial approach is an excllent way to grasp all the fundamentals of VIZ as opposed to other books that only go through a boring explanation of the commands and their functions. This book will teach you how to light a scene effectively, what makes a rendering interesting, making believable materials as well as great modeling techniques. Even though some areas of the interface have changed comparing Autodesk VIZ 4 to 3d Studio VIZ, the differences are minor and this book remains an excellent way of mastering the program.

Excellent, easy to follow, lots of additional tips and information. Very good sample projects allowing to gain knowledge on software use fairly fast. One needs to pay attention to EVERYTHING that's printed, otherwise will miss something very useful.

I bought this book with a background in 3D Max which made it very easy to understand. Although, I think with no experience, this book is an excellant teaching tool for 3D VIZ beginners. It takes you step by step through the process and explains the reasons behind the actions. It's best feature is that all commands are in large bold type while all explanations are in regular font type. You can cruise through picking out the steps of the process if you want to create your model with out reading all of the explanations first. Then you can go back and see the reasons why.
There are a wide range of models that span many disciplines as well. I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn the basics of 3D VIZ.

This book provides lots of good information, but it is truly written for dummies. By that I mean that the book is really dummed down with very specific instructions on doing things like opening the program, saving a file, etc.

There are lots of great tips scattered throughout the book. However, they will be difficult to find again without highlighting the book the first time you read it.

The author seems to assume that the reader has experience in AutoCad. This assumption lends the book towards not providing exercises on how to use the program. Such exercises would have made the book much more useful.

The bottom line: The AutoCad software is a big let down in the context sensitive help. A good instruction book is needed - but this is not it. If you can't find a better book, get this one. But, do the best you can to find a book that walks the reader through using the program with exercises.

This is the book I use for quick reference when the latest version of AutoCAD comes out. They always seem to change things around and the help in the program is poor at best. This book makes it easy to find the commands for the common stuff and I use the AutoCAD Bible for the more complicated commands.

When you are first starting to use AutoCAD, you get to the point where you are looking at a basically bare screen with a whole bunch of control icons around the edges. What do you do then? Just simply getting the first line drawn is a confusing task.

In this book the authors have applied the full range of the 'For Dummies' books style guidelines to produce a book that gets you working in AutoCAD just as fast as possible. It still takes them over fifty pages to get started drawing a picture, but that first fifty pages gives you a lot, an awful lot, of basic information. So often I find that computer books leave out this first fifty pages that explain just what it is that we are trying to do. Plow through it. It's material that you will need to know sooner or later, probably sooner, and it's really not that bad.

As a simple summary about this book. I like the 'For Dummies' style, and if I were trying to get started in AutoCAD, it's where I would start.

It's a big book, almost 800 pages, but a lot of details about Autocad are included. You'll be productive before you get down to the customizing and programming chapters.

I bought this book with little 3D experience, hoping it would help guide me. I work in a small company and I am the only CAD user, so there isn't any help in the next office. This book taught me how to use 3D drawings to produce prints in probably a third of the time it used to by drawing all three views. Plus, in our shop, isometric views are almost a must to understand many prints, which has reduced our production time greatly. I am fairly well versed now in 3D, but I still reference the book almost weekly.

I recommend this book to anyone who doesn't have time for courses and understands 2D construction.

MY AUTOCAD INSTRUCTOR, JOHN LARSON RATED TOP REFERENCE TEXT FOR 3D. HE ALSO STATED THAT THIS IS THE ONLY REFERENCE BOOK HE EVER BOUGHT IN HIS CAREER OF TEACHING.

I am an engineer and a part-time instructor of AutoCAD at a community college. This is an excellent book on the subject of AutoCAD 3D. I have many books that I use for reference when making lesson plans. While it could be argued which book is best overall, this one would rank near the top no matter its competition. Besides, this book offers things others do not. For instance, it gives an example on how to draw the complex curves of a boat hull using surface modeling techniques (this concept can be translated into automobile fenders or the like). It also shows one how to draw a solid model spring. These are things many other books just don't cover and don't offer enough knowledge on so that one could figure it out on one's own.
The book also comes with a CD with examples on it, which is very helpful.
If you are looking to buy just one AutoCAD 3D book, it would not be a mistake to buy this one. The list price is pretty steep, but this book can be found at discount book stores (I got it for under $20.00).

This book contains a detailed explanation of AutoCAD 2007 commands and how to use them in solving drafting and design problems. Every AutoCAD command is thoroughly explained with examples and illustrations that make it easy to understand their function and application. At the end of each topic, there are examples that illustrate the function of the command and how it can be used in the drawing. When you are done reading this book, you will be able to use AutoCAD commands to make a drawing, create text, make and insert symbols, dimension a drawing, create 3D objects and solid models, write script files, and define line types and hatch patterns.
Some of the features of this text book are:
· Step-by-step instructions for creating text, making and inserting symbols, and dimensioning drawings promote efficient use of the software while strengthening your problem-solving skills.
· Customizing and advanced techniques (such as creating templates, script files, and slide shows) use to enhance productivity are thoroughly explained with examples and illustrations.
· Dual emphasis on conceptual learning and hands-on practice fosters a thorough understanding of the power of AutoCAD 2007 for engineers, architects, and drafters.

I order this book every term in our small college to teach AutoCad and it is an excellent book. I use this book mostly for teaching AutoCad 2D and it is may be the best book for this purpose in the market. If you are a student wanting to learn AutoCad you should know that the exercises in this book are the best you can find anywhere.

This was the recommended text for an Autocad class I'm taking. It seems to have all the essential information. Good for both reference and instruction. The only detraction I've found is the index is poor, doesn't always direct you to the places in the book with the most information about what you're looking for, and the index is where I go first when I'm trying to find a particular thing.

Can't beat the price for a new book.

Normally I don't read books but I devoured this puppy! This is unfortunately not a figure of speech.
I lost a bet with my super scientific friend who claimed the earth orbitted the sun! Thus, I had to choose something from the crisper drawer in his fridge and eat it with only a jar of grey poupon mustard as garnish. When I opened the crisper low and behold there lay "Autocad 2007 Tutor for Engineering Graphics", a head of lettuce and a letter to the editor of the new york times that read " dear sir you are not worthy of receiving this note!" Anyway I despised lettuce and the ultra biased liberal media so I chomped away on this AutoCad book. In the end, after the third surgery and the failed relationship with Margo kidder I decided I had loved that book like a child, it is part of me and sometimes I believe it is the best part. 5 stars!!!!!! Bravo! Alan J.Kalameja, you brilliant madman, Bravo!

I spent an hour reviewing this book in a bookstore so I cannot give a complete review. I am presently re-learning AutoCAD; when I knew it, it was known as AutoCAD 11: Windows and AutoCAD did not play together yet.

What I saw of the author's book was very impressive. I followed several expertly laid-out examples demonstrating the capabilities of AutoCAD 07. Then, it dawned on me that the steps I would have to perform were a few months away in my training. The instruction follows a "you already know that" logic that will, did, catch a tenderfoot off-guard.

My advice, and I am in the advice business, is don't buy this book if you are just starting out. Buy one of the other AutoCAD books I recommended such as David Fry's "AutoCAD 2007 and AutoCADLT 2007 -- no experience necessary," or Cheryl Schrock's "Beginning AutoCAD." These are both excellent books for the beginner. If you are college-educated, you may want to go with Fry's book. Schrock's book is ideal for high school. I plan to buy Kalameja's book in two months when I am finished with Fry's book.

Don't miss this book! You will want to take full advantage of AutoCAD's capabilities and learn to draft like a pro.

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The bookis what I excpected, but the delivery time could have been shorter? Almost a month, quite a long time, and not cheap anyway. /M

About a month ago, I bought the One Step at a Time series (3 books with the workbook) for AutoCAD 2007 in ebook format. The whole series cost me 30.24 - and I didn't have to wait (or pay) for shipping. Then I printed them all (in color) at work so I could reference them anytime I needed to.
These books are simply the best - simple explanations, step by step exercises, and an author who answered my questions when I got stumped on one of the exercises.
What a find - books that do what they claim to do for a reasonable price. Eat your heart out MegaBookPublishers; I'm going with the little guys and the electronic publishers from now on!

I bought the AutoCAD 2007: One Step at a Time series (including 3D and Workbook) and am very please with the product. I only had about a week to get up to speed with AutoCAD (I studied it in the mid-90s but haven't seen it since), and these books were very easy to follow and left me with a better-than-functional understanding of the software. I amazed myself with my final 3d drawing!
I recommend the series for anyone in a hurry to jump start their design career at a reasonable price. (I bought the eBooks and printed them.)

The best autocad Book you can purchase, command by command instructions with examples and exercise.

This book contains a detailed explanation of AutoCAD 2008 commands and how to use them in solving drafting and design problems. Every AutoCAD command is thoroughly explained with examples and illustrations that make it easy to understand their function and application. At the end of each topic, there are examples that illustrate the function of the command and how it can be used in the drawing. When you are done reading this book, you will be able to use AutoCAD commands to make a drawing, create annotative objects, make and insert symbols, dimension a drawing, create 3D objects and solid models, render and animate the designs, and write script files.
Some of the features of this text book are:
· Step-by-step instructions for creating annotative objects, making and inserting symbols, and dimensioning drawings promote efficient use of the software while strengthening your problem-solving skills.
· Customizing and advanced techniques (such as creating templates, script files, slide shows, and animation) use to enhance productivity are thoroughly explained with examples and illustrations.
· Dual emphasis on conceptual learning and hands-on practice fosters a thorough understanding of the power of AutoCAD 2008 for engineers, architects, drafters, and designers.

I got this book in a very timely manner. It was in excellent condition and the price was unbeatable.

May be because I em beginner, this book was confusing for me. K.

The product was delivered promptly and in good condition. The
book has been useful and was just as advertised.

This book is different and better than a lot of other How-To-Do-AutoCAD books. Here is why I think so.

AutoCAD LT is perhaps second only to AutoCAD as the most complex and powerful programs I have ever seen. Middlebrook is clearly very knowledgeable, but remembers what it's like to be a beginner and is able to write from the point of view of someone who is poking the buttons in this program for the first time. There are often several ways to do things with AutoCAD and it was great to see tips about the easiest way for a novice to do them. For instance, this is the only place I have seen a concise list of steps for producing a plot.

Another thing I enjoyed about the book is the perspective. There is a great overview of CAD in general, a list of the differences between LT and AutoCAD, and some ideas on how LT users and AutoCAD users can work together which something every LT user will bump into. In the parts of the book that describe the nuts and bolts, you not only see how to do particular things with the program, you come away with a sense of why the program works the way it does.

He also writes from a non-AutoDesk point of view. I got the feeling that I was getting good information rather than the company line as well as some tips that I wouldn't expect to find in the program manuals or the online help.

It's very readable, which is a rare thing considering the technical subject. There is a sense of humor and it is a pleasure to read. I wouldn't want to try and learn or use this program without the manuals, but I wouldn't want to try it without this book either.

This is not for Dummies or Beginners. It's a pretty comprehensive list of commands and their use. AutoCAD is too powerful a program to condense down to something this small and have it explain everything on a Beginner's level. I guess I didn't expect it to be for Beginners, and since I'm a power user, that really made me happy with the book. Some of the commands in here aren't very well documented any where else that I have found. I've moved on to the next version of ACAD now, so I'm willing to part with it (see used listings) but I'll be looking for the Dummies book for the next version now.

If you do not have sufficient AutoCAD R14 training beforehand, this book is very difficult to access and/or find information. The book needs more graphic representations which show the results-especially the dimension commands. Finally, the pundits in parenthesis were annoying.

Our architecture instructor advised us of this book to get started in CAD design. Recommend this to new students who wish to dig into the program. Covers fundamental basics to R14 as well as provide a solid foundation to build from. Book does great job of addressing difficult areas such as plotting, layering, and scaling functions.