Why bother learning Quartz Composer? It works practically every where in apps like Final Cut Studio, Motion, iTunes, Keynote, QuickTime and embedded on a web page. Both artists and programmers alike can do great things with QC.
You don’t need Leopard to get started with QC but to take advantage of new features you’ll need it installed. From a learning point of view it doesn’t matter if you start in 10.4 or 10.5. Either is fine. However, you may find it confusing at first. Be sure to examine all the examples found in the Example folder. Which can be found in /Developer/Examples/Quartz Composer.
Inputs can be practically anything! iSight camera, keyboard, RSS feeds, MIDI and Bluetooth devices like a Wiimote, and USB devices like a Guitar Hero Guitar or a Wacom tablet.
A good guide to getting started can be found on Apple.com.
http://developer.apple.com/graphicsimaging/quartz/quartzcomposer.html
The link to the very cool digital level meters is here:
http://www.coremelt.com/products/products-for-final-cut-studio/download-veeyou.html
Other visual programming languages mention are
The Audible book pick: The Puppet Masters Correction: In the show we said the ATI buy direct was store.ati.com. It’s not. Use the link shop.ati.com instead.
December 18th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
A Wiimote is actually Bluetooth and not USB. Also, it’s /Developer/Examples/Quartz Composer and not Quarts Composer.
December 18th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
damn speeling cheeker.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:28 am
So I bought a 20″ iMac YESTERDAY at my local Apple store. It had Tiger on it with a Leopard disc in the box. Horrible! Seriously, Apple it came out months ago.
I know there was some talk about it on MacBreak Weekly- some Thanksgiving iMacs or Amazon iMacs. Well I bought it, in the mad rush that is Christmas, in an Apple Store. I expected Leopard installed.
This was my first disappointing Apple experience. The store was over-crowded and understaffed. Thought I heard a manager talking about 3 people having called in sick.
I bought this to replace my (broken) Macbook for learning to develop on. I’m learning AppleScript so I was hoping for the new developer tools. So I cleaned my desk. Unpacked my iMac and proceeded to immediately wait 2 hours for Leopard to install. Ok the Installer said 2 hours but it was really about 1 hour.
Oh and hey, can we have a MacBreak / MB Weekly / MB Tech / MB Dev (that’s on it’s way right?) forum someplace?
December 19th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
Great!! I love the episode on Quartz Composer. I am just getting started with it, well I played with it for a little bit, but got side tracked with other stuff. This episode was great I just started reading the docs from Apple’s site and wanted more tutorials and examples. I am off to create!!! Well after I get off work.
Thanks again,
Robert
December 19th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
i was excited to see this show up in the feed. i haven’t played with quartz composer in leopard. i played with it a bit in tiger a long time ago, but i could quite wrap my head around it.
my personal project for quartz composer: i’ve always wanted a screen saver that was just static. like a tv with no antenna. other than the particle generator, i don’t know where to start.
December 20th, 2007 at 7:09 am
I really enjoyed this episode, guys! I had to replace my PB’s harddrive a while back and overlooked installing the Developer Tools. Viva la .QTZ! I’m off to learn and play and make cool stuff!
BTW, I miss “We now join a conversation already in progress…” and the music. It’s unique and I know exactly what’s coming up. In contrast, when I start to a TWiT network show I don’t know exactly *which* of Leo’s shows is playing for quite a while…they all start the same way.
And besides: Any show with a didgeridoo in the intro just ROCKS.
December 20th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
I think I’ve changed my mind about the non-opening and will go back to the way it was. As didgeridoo does rock.
January 2nd, 2008 at 12:46 am
@xenolon There’s actually an example composition called “Static” in Examples > Quartz Composer > Compositions > Graphic Animations. Maybe that will help?
January 11th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Quartz Composer:
…”It works practically every where in apps like Final Cut Studio, Motion, iTunes, Keynote, QuickTime and embedded on a web page”…
But interestingly does not work with DVGarage’s Conduit Live.
August 25th, 2008 at 1:56 am
hey guys,
into quartz for vjing nice podcast, where is the link to the colour organ qtz? i couldn’t find it in /stuff…
recently created this ad with quartz, motion, final cut and a little bit of special sauce…
http://www.vimeo.com/1464203
August 25th, 2008 at 6:03 am
color organ (you said organ) is in the Examples folder.