CorelDRAW X7: The Official Guide 11th Edition

I am writing this review without having completed reading it and without completely learning the program. Thus far this book has very thorough explanations with visuals, and a nice index to look things up in. There is a lot to learn with this program and having a book explain things is needed. I have not yet completed the book. I am starting to skip around and finding I can look things up in the index to find explanations in prior chapters.I have been reading this book color coding as I read to help me pay attention and comprehend - my coding system is: pink = tutorial; green = verbs in steps; light blue= places in the software to go to/buttons to make something happen, or outside links; yellow - objective or action sought; orange = description or definitions; purple = contingents or conditional phrases such as while, if, when...I found it helpful to learn the vocabulary associated the software by watching you tube videos to support reading this book (or any other how to). Once the basic vocabulary and orientation is down then reading is easier. I have prior versions of this software and so reading the book was/is not as painful as learning in the prior versions which were simpler.I also find it helpful to just play and explore a little without trying to read everything first. Doing so helps me know what I want to know or don't understand. The program has tricky clicks, double clicks and drags, and + keys to press so that without a book to explain things it is hard to guess what is happening or what may happen.The author has tutorials with a link to download. I have skipped most of the tutorials, but found some very useful. I may go back and to the others later. For the sake of retention, I expect myself to read/review about three to four times. Sorry, this sounds like a learning strategy review more than a book review. The book is excellent and a MUST have.I would give this book a 5 star rating.

I preordered this book back in June (might have been July), and the release date kept getting moved back. Was starting to think it was never coming out. But here it is. I really needed this book, I started with Corel Draw way back with version 2 - and worked with it through to version 8 (and the my place of employment switched to using Adobe products). I picked up a license of Corel Draw X5 home and school edition, but never really got into it. It was just a bit too different that what I remembered. Now I am planning on becoming proficient with Corel Draw once again and have a license of the new X7 that I want to learn. Which is why I wanted this book. Nowadays you usually don't get a manual with software - least not like you use to. Sure there is a PDF user guide that comes with the software, but I like having a real book that I can hold in my hands. This new edition of the Official Guide is great - IMO. It's filled with tutorials. There are files that you need to do most of them, and you have to download those from a website. The book has information on where to do that.One thing I really look for in a book / manual like this is a comprehensive index. I want to be able to quickly look up information when I need it, and having to blindly flip through chapters to find something drives me crazy. This guide has a good index.I'm looking forward to learning a lot from this book. There have been a lot of changes and improvements to Corel Draw since I last used it. Starting off, I'm working on learning some new 3D techniques right now - Chapter Three.

This is a hard review to write. First I should say I have some sort of reading and understanding at the same time disability when it comes to stuff like this. With that said I still like the book but I use it strictly for reference.After a lot of research for my new business I decided the program Corel Draw X7 seemed to be the best investment and universal program to use. I had used other "design" programs before but nothing with so much going on in just one program.I knew the program could do almost all I needed, but knowing it can and knowing how it can are 2 different things.I could not locate a Corel Draw X7 Book for Dummies so I went with this one. I ended up pretty much learning from YouTube most of the items I needed to get a really good understanding of Corel Draw X7. I now find the book more useful now that I have a 50 to 70 percent base understanding of how the program works. (That percent is a guestimate, the more you know the less you know) My personal challenge is always remember how something is done, even if I have done it before and this book is nice to just look at quick and go "oh Yea".It may work well with others as a book to use to learn the program if you have a good ability to read, understand and maintain something. Otherwise it is wonderful for easy look ups. It seems to be organized well and I can easily look up items that I am looking for at that moment.I would recommend this book for just about anyone trying to learn or just for reference. It may not be as useful for some but any book that can help in any way can't be a bad thing.