Most books produced by the TD-line include some companion media; either a companion CD, DVD or website. Most often it’s a companion website.
At the conclusion of writing your manuscript, you are responsible for submitting any code downloads or other book-related content for the companion media. Follow these guidelines:
Content Format: Content should be saved as it is described in the book. It can be zipped into one single file, zipped by chapter or section, or however it is promised in the text. The preference is on the fewest files as possible that are still under 9MB. ZIP, RAR, PDF, DOC and XLS are all accepted formats but note that PDF, DOC & XLS file formats will try to launch the application they are in when a customer is downloading them, so require the customer to have an appropriate application such as Acrobat Reader, Word Reader or Excel Reader.
File naming conventions: Files should be named such that the reader can easily recognize which title & file they are for according to the descriptions provided. Use of the last six digits of the ISBN and a combination of the file itself are most helpful. (ie 123456Chpt01.zip, 123456allfiles.zip, 123456appendixa.pfd, 123456bonusch01.pdf).
If Your Book Has A Companion CD or DVDIf your book has a companion CD or DVD, you need to determine what you intend to be on it. If it’s just author-created (such as code or Word/Excel documents) material, the process is as follows:
- Make sure you turn in companion code with each chapter and you have a chance to update it at AR.
- Save the files with the same structural guidelines listed previously in the “Content Format” and “Filenaming Conventions section.”
Occasionally, an author desires to include third-party software, trial versions, and what-not on the CD/DVD or website. If that is the case, then you must fill out an “Authors Media Request List” and turn it over to the editor, who will work with the necessary parties to obtain the software and permissions.
Other ConsiderationsPlease make sure that the front matter, introduction, and book cover all correctly refer to the companion media. Also note that if there is extensive content in either place, it’s a good idea to include an appendix in the book that describes the content located on the companion media.
