Advanced Flash 5 ActionScript in Action

Description

• Copyright 2001
• Edition: 1st

• Book
• ISBN-10: 0-13-093127-6
• ISBN-13: 978-0-13-093127-6

• Master Flash interactivity using ActionScript!
• Build complete Web apps, e-commerce front-ends, and games
• Use XML structured data in your Flash-based Web applications
• Learn hands-on, through expert examples
• CD-ROM: Includes all Flash movies from the book

Discover just how spectacular your Flash movies can be! In this hands-on tutorial, Dan Livingston shows how to make the most of Flash interactivity using ActionScript, Flash's powerhouse scripting language. Master ActionScript through dozens of professional-quality examples—all available on the CD-ROM and on the book's companion Web site. From scripting fundamentals to debugging, controlling the Flash Player to using XML, ActionScript is easier than you think—and more powerful than you ever imagined!

Take Flash to the limit—and beyond!

• Create Smart Clips that can take action on their own
• Build XML objects, authors, and characters
• Create elasticity, inertia, and other amazing effects
• Build complete Web and e-commerce applications
• Construct a Flash game, start to finish
• Maximize the usability of your Flash movies and more

Take the Next Step—Now!

The New Advanced Series for Experienced Web Professionals

Ready to make the most of your tools—and your time? We've got the books for you! Written by top Web pros, these hands-on, example-driven guides help you master only the most powerful, most important techniques—fast!

About the CD-ROM

The accompanying CD-ROM contains every Flash movie constructed in the book—all Mac- and Windows-compatible, and editable on any computer running Flash 5.

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Sample Content

Downloadable Sample Chapter

Click here for a sample chapter for this book: 0130931276.pdf

Table of Contents

Foreword.


Acknowledgments.


1. INTRODUCTION TO ACTIONSCRIPT.

What Is ActionScript? What Is ActionScript Good For? What ActionScript Can't Do. Variables. Objects and Object-Oriented Scripting. Creating a Class. Object and Frame Actions. Object Actions-Movie Clips. Object Actions-Buttons. Frame Actions. Dot Syntax. Properties. Methods. Functions. Conclusion.

2. Your First ActionScripts.

Using the Actions Panels. The Panels. Normal Mode Versus Expert Mode. Moving from Scene to Scene. Comments. on(event). Messing with Movie Clips. if and hitTest. Changing Movie Clip Properties. onClipEvent(keyDown). if (Key.getCode() = = Key.LEFT). _x. alphaBounds = alphaBar.getBounds(_root); Global Variables. Positioning the Slider. Making the Slider Slide. A Note About _xscale and _yscale. A Challenge. Another Property-Changing Example. Text Fields, Arrays, and Loops. Text Fields. Arrays. Looping. Creating the Movie. Associative Arrays. What You've Learned.

3. Adding Power to ActionScripts.

Honing Your Skills. Troubleshooting. Space Game. Power Handling Movie Clips. Background: Levels. Duplicating Movie Clips. Removing Movie Clips. Duplicating with Purpose. Loading Movies. Attaching Movie Clips. Movie Explorer. Conclusion.

4. Serious Interactivity.

Linking to the Outside World. Transparent Buttons. Calling JavaScript Using getURL. Receiving Data. Sending Variables with loadVariables. Formatting the Variables so Flash Can Read Them. FSCommand. Smart Clips. What Good Are Smart Clips? An Example: Dexter Dean Clothes. Creating a Custom Interface for Clip Parameters. Conclusion.

5. Flash and XML.

What Is XML? The XML Object. The Screenplay Example. Creating XML. Creating the Object. Creating the Authors. Creating the Characters. The Whole Thing. The XMLSocket Object. Conclusion.

6. Troubleshooting ActionScript.

General Troubleshooting. Debugger. The Pudgy Bird Movie. Opening the Debugging Window. Watching Variables. Changing Properties. Changing Variables. Trace. Comments. Listing Object and Variables. Conclusion.

7. Complex Scripting.

Pudgy. Controls and Events. The Jump. All the Code. Elasticity. Action-only Movie Clips. Inertia. The Box Clip. The Inertia Movie Clip. Conclusion.

Appendix A: Flash and Usability.

What Most Users Want. What to Do.

Appendix B: ActionScript Reference.

Bitwise Operators. Deprecated Functions. ActionScript Reference.

Index.

Preface

Foreword

I've written a few books on some pretty fun topics (PhotoShop, DHTML, and JavaScript), but I had a great time writing this book-Flash 5 is a hoot. Flash 5 can do some pretty amazing things, and I hope I've been able to show you some of these things well enough to get you excited too.

The Goal of This Book

When you're through with this book, you should have a thorough grasp of what Flash 5 and ActionScript can do, and know how to create a wide diversity of really engaging, fun, and useful interactive Flash movie. I'm talking fantastic navigation, awesome games, and efficient, robust applications.

Hopefully, given the foundation you'll get in this book, you'll be able to create new kinds of Flash movies that no one else has thought of.

The focus of this book is more technical than artistic, but I believe it provides a good springboard for programmers, animators, and artists alike.

Who This Book Is For

This book is for anyone who wants to include any level of complexity and interaction in their Flash movies. This can include navigation, games, and interaction with middleware and databases.

You can be a right-brained Flash designer who's making the reluctant leap into ActionScript or a seasoned, left-brained programmer who wants to create a custom interface to a backend e-commerce system.

To get the most out of this book, you should already know some Flash basics:

• drawing
• tweening
• creating symbols
• creating buttons

That's it. If you know how to do these things at all, then you're ready for this book.

How This Book Teaches

Both my parents were teachers, and they shared the same philosophy. "There are three ways to teach," they said, "example, example, example." I think they're right on this one, and this book uses complete, fully functional examples for every aspect of interactivity and ActionScript in this book. All examples can be found on the accompanying CD and on Web sites at www.phptr.com/advancedweb and www.wire-man.com/flash5/.

I've tried to avoid using overly simple squares and circles to explain concepts (I mostly succeeded). Instead, I'll ask you to load small movies and manipulate them. You will see a number of examples using Jake the Fish, and I hope you'll forgive my small indulgence—it's the only way I can put my marine zoology degree to use.

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