ActionScript for Flash MX

Subtitle:: The Definitive Guide
Author:: Colin Moock
Format:: Softcover
Average customer rating:: (Reviews)

Now:	R510.95
eBucks:	eB5110

United States of America

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Seller:: kalahari.com

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Short description

This is a reference for the latest version of ActionScript. Author Colin Moock has added hundreds of new code examples to show new Flash MX techniques in the real world. This second edition builds on the strengths of the original book while incorporating changes from this revision of the software.

Long description

ActionScript is Macromedia's programming language for Flash MX, the popular authoring tool for creating rich Internet applications and animations for the Web. With Macromedia's new focus on application development, ActionScript now includes a direct drawing API, loading of external MP3 and JPG files, improved sound control, an extensive set of text formatting tools, complete support for component development using movie clip subclasses, local data storage, accessibility features, and more. Thoroughly updated to cover the new version of Macromedia Flash - Flash MX - this second edition builds on the strengths of the original book while incorporating changes from this major revision of the software. Author Colin Moock, has added hundreds of new code examples to show new Flash MX techniques in the real world: how to draw circles, save data to disk, convert arrays to onscreen tables, create reusable components, and preload variables, XML, and sounds. The book's language reference alone has nearly doubled from the first edition, with more than 250 new classes, objects, methods, and properties. You'll find exhaustive coverage of dozens of undocumented, under-documented, and mis-documented features. Along with the new material, Colin Moock has revised the entire text to conform to Flash MX best-coding practices. In particular, objected-oriented programming and the new event model get special attention in light of changes to Flash MX ActionScript. From sending data between two movies to creating getter/setter properties, the new edition of this book demystifies the often-confusing new features of Flash MX, giving developers easy access to its powerful new capabilities. The book is structured so non-programmers can learn how to use ActionScript and programmers can enhance their skills.

Product details

Publisher:: O'Reilly Media
ISBN:: 9780596003968
Publication date:: December 2002
Length:: 236mm
Width:: 180mm
Thickness:: 44mm
Weight:: 1334g
Edition:: 2nd Edition
Pages:: 1088
Illustrations:: Illustrated
Readership:: Tertiary education; Professional & scholarly

Foreword Preface Part I
ActionScript Fundamentals
A Gentle Introduction for Nonprogrammers Some Basic Phrases Further ActionScript Concepts Building a Multiple
Choice Quiz
Variables Creating Variables (Declaration) Assigning Values to Variables Changing and Retrieving Variable Values Types of Values Variable Scope Loading External Variables Some Applied Examples
Data and Datatypes Data Versus Information Retaining Meaning with Datatypes Creating and Categorizing Data Datatype Conversion Primitive Data Versus Composite Data Copying, Comparing, and Passing Data
Primitive Datatypes The Number Type Integers and Floating
Point Numbers Numeric Literals Working with Numbers The String Type Working with Strings The Boolean Type Undefined Null
Operators General Features of Operators The Assignment Operator Arithmetic Operators The Equality and Inequality Operators The Strict Equality and Inequality Operators The Comparison Operators The Flash String Operators The Logical Operators The Grouping Operator The Comma Operator The void Operator Other Operators
Statements Types of Statements Statement Syntax The ActionScript Statements Statements Versus Actions
Conditionals The if Statement The else Statement The else if Statement The switch Statement Compact Conditional Syntax
Loop Statements The while Loop Loop Terminology The do
while Loop The for Loop The for
in Loop Stopping a Loop Prematurely Timeline and Clip Event Loops An Alternative to Timeline Loops
setInterval( )
Functions Creating Functions Running Functions Passing Information to Functions Exiting and Returning Values from unctions Function Literals Function Availability and Life Span Function Scope Function Parameters Revisited Recursive Functions Nested Functions Built
in Functions Functions as Objects Centralizing Code The Multiple
Choice Quiz Revisited
Events and Event Handling Synchronous Code Execution Event
Based Asynchronous Code Execution Types of Events Event Handling Event Handler Properties Listener Events Flash 's on( ) and onClipEvent( ) Handlers Event Handler Lifespan Event Handler Scope Values of the this Keyword Flash
style onClipEvent( ) Order of Execution Copying Movie Clip Event Handlers Refreshing the Screen with updateAfterEvent( ) Code Reusability Dynamic Movie Clip Event Handlers Event Handlers Applied
Arrays What Is an Array? The Anatomy of an Array Creating Arrays Referencing Array Elements Determining the Size of an Array Named Array Elements Adding Elements to an Array Removing Elements from an Array General Array
Manipulation Tools Arrays as Objects Multidimensional Arrays The Multiple
Choice Quiz, Take
Objects and Classes The Anatomy of an Object Instantiating Objects Object Properties Object Methods Classes and Object
Oriented Programming Using Standalone Object Instances as ssociative Arrays The Almighty Prototype Chain Built
in ActionScript Classes and Objects OOP Quick Reference Further Topics Simulating Namespaces The Multiple
Choice Quiz, OOP Style
Movie Clips The "Objectness" of Movie Clips Types of Movie Clips Creating Movie Clips Movie and Instance Stacking Order Referring to Instances and Main Movies Method Versus Global unction Overlap Issues Drawing in a Movie Clip at Runtime Using Movie Clips as Buttons Input Focus and Movie Clips Building a Clock with Clips
Movie Clip Subclasses and Components Creating the Library Symbol Creating and Invoking the Subclass Constructor Assigning the MovieClip Superclass Packaging Subclass Code and Library Symbols Together Making Movie Clip Components MovieClip Sub
Subclasses Summary
Lexical Structure Whitespace Statement Terminators (Semicolons) Comments Reserved Words Identifiers Case Sensitivity
ActionScript Authoring environment The Actions Panel Adding Scripts to Frames Adding Scripts to Buttons Adding Scripts to Movie Clips Where's All the Code? Productivity Externalizing ActionScript Code Defining Components
Building a Flash Form The Flash Form Data Cycle Creating a Flash Fill
in Form Part II
Language Reference ActionScript Language Reference Global Functions Global Properties Built
in Classes and Objects Entry Headings Alphabetical Language Reference Part III
Appendixes A
Resources B
Latin Character Repertoire and Keycodes C
Backward ompatibility and Player Build Updates D
Differences from ECMA
and JavaScript E
HTML Support in Text Fields F
Support for GET and POST G
Flash UI Component Summary H
Embedding a Flash Movie in a Web Page Index

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It was time to take ACTION.....script....
Reviewed by Jeremy Nell from Cape Town, South Africa on 25 March 2003
49 of 110 people found the following review helpful:

So there I was...pondering how I was going to learn Actionscript efficiently. I had been playing around in Flash, surfing the net for tutorials, speaking with new best friends (since they knew Actionscript), but nothing seemed to work. I searched Kalahari.net, and ALAS; there it stood - in all it's green and white splendor: "Actionscript: The Definitive Guide". And it came to pass that I now work for a fantastic company, based on my awesome portfolio, created with the unbelievable help of this guide. And I lived happily ever after. The End.

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