9780764536571

This great guide uses the VISUAL approach to cover features of ActionScript. Take in all the information in two-page spreads, so there is no flipping back and forth between topics. This book was created for the professional, advanced level visual learner.Flash ActionScript: Your visual blueprint for creating Flash-enhanced Web sites covers how ActionScript works with Flash, actions, objects, properties and functions, operators and variables, Flash movies, and program debugging.

Denise Etheridge is the president of BayCon Group Incorporated, a consulting firm specializing in software installation, implementation, and training. Prior to founding BayCon Group, she worked in various organizations as a consultant and trainer. The BayCon Group Web site features online tutorials and attracts over 70,000 visitors per month. The BBC has honored the site as among the Best of the Web in the education category. Denise is the author of several of the site's tutorials, including Flash 5, Paint Shop Pro, Scalable SQL, Windows 98, Excel, and Word.

How to Use This Book

xiv

Getting Familiar with Flash

Introduction to Flash and ActionScript

2

(1)

Create a Scene

3

(1)

Create Layers

4

(2)

Create Graphics

6

(2)

Create a Symbol

8

(2)

Create an Instance

10

(2)

Creat a Button

12

(2)

Create Animation

14

(2)

Add Sound

16

(2)

Create a Movie Clip

18

(2)

Create Static Text Boxes

20

(2)

Create Input Text Boxes

22

(1)

Create Dynamic Text Boxes

23

(1)

Using the Actions Panel

24

(4)

Assign ActionScript to a Button

28

(1)

Assign ActionScript to a Movie Clip

29

(1)

Assign ActionScript to a Frame

30

(2)

Publish Movies

32

(4)

Programming with Actionscript

Introduction to ActionScript Syntax

36

(2)

Test a Movie

38

(2)

Enter the Test Environment

40

(2)

Add Comments

42

(2)

Stop a Movie

44

(2)

Play a Movie

46

(2)

Jump to a Frame or Scene

48

(2)

Set Movie Quality

50

(2)

Open a Web Page

52

(2)

Communicate with the Flash Player

54

(2)

Create Objects Users Can Drag

56

(4)

Print a Movie

60

(2)

Check Frame Load

62

(2)

Setting Movie Clip Properties

Introduction to Movie Clip Properties

64

(2)

Name an Instance

66

(2)

Adjust Transparency

68

(2)

Make Movie Clips Invisible

70

(2)

Rotate Movie Clips

72

(2)

Change the Width of Movie Clips

74

(2)

Change the Height of Movie Clips

76

(2)

Scale the Width of Movie Clips

78

(2)

Scale the Height of Movie Clips

80

(2)

Move Movie Clips Across the Stage

82

(2)

Move Movie Clips Up and Down

84

(2)

Set Movie Clip Quality

86

(2)

Working with Variables and Strings

Introduction to Variables and Data Types

88

(2)

Assign a Value to a Variable

90

(2)

Assign an Object or Movie Clip to a Variable

92

(2)

Load Variables

94

(2)

Extract a Character from a String

96

(2)

Extract a Substring from a String

98

(2)

Concatenate Strings

100

(2)

Obtain the Length of a String

102

(2)

Search a String

104

(2)

Change the Case of a String

106

(2)

Convert Strings, Numbers, and Booleans

108

(2)

Working with Operators

Understand Precedence

110

(2)

Add Numeric Values

112

(2)

Subtract Numeric Values

114

(2)

Multiply Numeric Values

116

(2)

Divide Numeric Values

118

(2)

Find the Modulo

120

(2)

Set Values with the Increment Operator

122

(2)

Set Values with the Decrement Operator

124

(2)

Using Less Than or Greater Than

126

(1)

Using Less Than or Equal to or Greater Than or Equal to

127

(1)

Using Equality and Inequality Operators

128

(2)

Using Compound Assignment Operators

130

(2)

Using Logical Operators

132

(2)

Changing the Script Flow

Using if to Test a Condition

134

(2)

Using if with else

136

(2)

Using else if

138

(2)

Create a Conditional Loop

140

(2)

Using for Loops

142

(2)

Using the Movie Clip and Array

Introduction to Objects

144

(2)

Using the Movie Clip Object

146

(2)

Attach a Movie Clip

148

(4)

Get Bounds

152

(2)

Swap Depths

154

(2)

Check MovieClip Load

156

(2)

Detect Collision

158

(2)

Get the x- and y-Coordinates

160

(2)

Create an Array

162

(4)

Find the Length of an Array

166

(2)

Add Elements to an Array

168

(2)

Remove Elements from an Array

170

(2)

Extract or Reverse an Array

172

(2)

Convert an Array to a String

174

(2)

Working with Objects

Change Colors

176

(2)

Work with Color Transform Values

178

(2)

Using the Mouse Objects and Properties

180

(2)

Using the Date Object

182

(2)

Get Date and Time Values

184

(2)

Set the Date

186

(2)

Set Date Values

188

(2)

Set Time Values

190

(2)

Using Mathematical Functions

192

(1)

Raise a Power or Find A Square Root

193

(1)

Round Numbers

194

(1)

Generate Random Numbers

195

(1)

Find Numeric Values

196

(2)

Using the Key Object

198

(4)

Using the Sound Object

202

(4)

Set Volume and Panning

206

(2)

Using the Selection Object

208

(2)

Demystifying Functions

Get Properties

210

(2)

Using Get Timer and Get Version

212

(1)

Using Eval

213

(1)

Convert a String to a Number

214

(2)

Evaluate for Mathematical Errors

216

(2)

Create a Scrollable Text Box

218

(2)

Create a Custom Function

220

(2)

Working with Multiple Timelines

View the Hierarchy of Multiple Movies

222

(2)

Assign Target Paths

224

(2)

Load and Unload Movies and Movie Clips

226

(4)

Using Tell Target

230

(2)

Using the with Action

232

(2)

Duplicate Movie Clips

234

(2)

Creating Smart Clips

Create Smart Clips

236

(4)

Create a Smart Clip Custom Interface

240

(4)

Using Creative Techniques

Validate a String

244

(2)

Validate a Date

246

(2)

Search a Text Box

248

(4)

Convert Symbols

252

(2)

Create Rotation Effects

254

(2)

Create a Coloring Book

256

(2)

Emulate Panels

258

(4)

Demystify Trigonometric Functions

262

(4)

Create Trigonometric Special Effects

266

(2)

Debugging Actionscript

Using the Debugger

268

(2)

Using the Output Window

270

(2)

Using List Objects

272

(1)

Using List Variables

273

(1)

Debug Your Script

274

(2)

Flash Actionscript Quick Reference

Key Code Values

276

(2)

URL Encoding Characters

278

(1)

List of Keywords

279

(1)

Actions Appended with Num

280

(1)

Hexadecimal Color Codes

280

(3)

Button Handlers

283

(1)

Movie Clip Handlers

283

(1)

Operators

284

(1)

Functions

285

(1)

Actions

286

(1)

Properties

287

(1)

Array Object

288

(1)

Boolean Object

288

(1)

Color Object

288

(1)

Date Object

289

(1)

Key Object

290

(1)

Math Object

290

(1)

Mouse Object

291

(1)

Movie Clip Object

291

(1)

Number Object

292

(1)

Object Object

292

(1)

Selection Object

292

(1)

Sound Object

293

(1)

String Object

293

(1)

APPENDIX

What's on the CD-ROM

294

(2)

Using the E-Version of the Book

296

(2)

Hungry Minds, Inc. End-User License Agreement

298

(2)

Index

300

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.