Skip Intro : Flash Interface Design and Usability

by MCALESTER DUNCAN

• ISBN13: 9780735711785
• ISBN10: 073571178X
• Format: Paperback w/CD
• Copyright: 2002-01-01
• Publisher: New Riders Press

Summary

Taking an in-depth look at the reasoning, creation and application of effective interface design, Skip Intro guides you, step-by-step, through three real-world design studies. The book concludes by delving into the creation of experimental interface design, harnessing the power and capabilities of Flash to redefine user interaction on the Web. The CD will contain all source code, complete with instructional comments inside the code and with parts being "drag and drop."

Table of Contents

Foreword	xv
Introduction	1	(1)
Who This Book Is For	2	(1)
Who This Book Is Not For	3	(1)
What's the Goal of This Book?	3	(1)
How This Book Works	4	(1)
Terminology	4	(3)
Typographical Conventions	7	(2)
Bad Flashers Anonymous	9	(10)
The Problem	10	(4)
Admit You Have a Problem	10	(1)
Now What?	11	(1)
A Little Bit of History	11	(1)
Identifying Bad Design	12	(2)
Brains Versus Beauty	14	(4)
Keep Things Simple	14	(1)
Know Your Client	14	(1)
Know Your Users	14	(1)
Know Your Market	15	(1)
Know Your Goals	15	(1)
Know Your Tools	16	(1)
Know the Rules	16	(1)
Know Thyself	17	(1)
It's Not About Faster or Easier, It's About Better	18	(1)
Basic Training	19	(12)
The Flash Environment	20	(1)
The Coding Environment	21	(2)
Common Mistakes, Debugging, or What to Do When Code Doesn't Work	23	(3)
How We Build Our Projects	26	(1)
Other People's Code	27	(1)
Mac or PC?	27	(1)
Conclusion	27	(4)
Section I: Hopart Bothur Exhibit Site
Overview---A Comfortable Situation	31	(6)
Case Study: The Digital Museum	33	(2)
Character Profile	35	(1)
Defining Your Own Goals	35	(2)
A Good Experience from the Start	37	(24)
Solutions---Giving Nancy Time	38	(3)
Seeing It in Action	39	(2)
Implementation	41	(1)
Information Object	41	(1)
Construction	42	(16)
Setting the Stage	43	(2)
Test It!	45	(1)
Taking Control	46	(1)
Crunching the Numbers	47	(5)
Finishing Touches	52	(4)
Progress!	56	(2)
Conclusion	58	(3)
Key Points/Don't Forget	58	(3)
Scrolling Without Boundaries	61	(26)
Solutions---Making the User More Efficient	62	(1)
Seeing It in Action	63	(1)
Implementation	64	(2)
Construction	66	(20)
Setting Up the Movie	66	(1)
Hiding the Clip	67	(1)
Public Functions	67	(1)
Handling the Offset	68	(1)
Creating a Clip Array	69	(1)
Organizing Your List Clips	70	(2)
Initializing Your Variables	72	(2)
The Over State	74	(2)
The Heart of the System	76	(4)
Test Hour Work	80	(5)
Making the Component	85	(1)
Conclusion	86	(1)
Less Cluttered and More Usable	87	(18)
Solutions	89	(2)
Seeing It in Action	90	(1)
Implementation	91	(1)
Construction	91	(2)
Setting Up the Movie	91	(1)
Creating the Component	92	(1)
Code	93	(11)
Initialization	93	(1)
Building the Menu	94	(1)
Mouse Handling	95	(3)
Open to the Public	98	(2)
Fading	100	(2)
From Movie Clip to Component	102	(2)
Conclusion	104	(1)
Key Points/Don't Forget	104	(1)
A Point of Flexibility	105	(22)
Seeing It in Action	106	(1)
Implementation	107	(1)
Construction	107	(17)
Building the Cursor Libraries	109	(1)
Setting Up the Events	110	(1)
Installing the Cursor and Preparing It to Move	110	(1)
Making the Cursor Move	111	(1)
Handling Mouse Overs	112	(1)
Handling Mouse Outs	113	(1)
Cursor Cleanup	114	(2)
Hogging the Cursor	116	(2)
Modifying the Cursor	118	(5)
Components and Detection	123	(1)
Conclusion	124	(3)
Key Points/Don't Forget	124	(3)
Section II: GroceryClick.com Site Design
Overview---Convenience in a Flash	127	(6)
Case Study: GroceryClick.com	129	(2)
Character Profile	130	(1)
Defining Your Own Goals	131	(2)
Tabbed Windows---Convenient Access to Supplementary Information	133	(28)
Solutions---Giving Sanjeev Access	134	(1)
Seeing It in Action	135	(1)
Implementation	135	(2)
Construction	137	(3)
Setting Up Your Movie	137	(1)
Creating the Content Window	137	(1)
Creating the Content Areas	137	(1)
Setting Up the tabbedWindow Movie Clip	138	(2)
Code	140	(20)
Buttons	140	(1)
Movie Clip Code	141	(1)
Making It Move	142	(2)
Setting the Initial Position	144	(1)
Open the Tab Function, Getting It Ready to Move	144	(1)
Accessing the Move Function	145	(1)
Closing the Tab	146	(5)
Adding the Auto-Hide Feature	151	(1)
Making Your Code Portable	152	(1)
Adding the Clip Parameter Variables	152	(1)
Adding the Last of Top Variables	152	(1)
The Initialize Function	153	(6)
Last Step of Code	159	(1)
Setting Up a Component Clip	159	(1)
Conclusion	160	(1)
Key Points/Don't Forget	160	(1)
Needles and Haystacks---Site Searches	161	(12)
Seeing It in Action	162	(1)
Implementation	163	(1)
Construction	163	(2)
Creating the Search Field	163	(1)
Creating the Clip	164	(1)
Code	165	(5)
Conclusion	170	(3)
Key Points/Don't Forget	170	(3)
Section III: Wind-Automata Developer Site
Overview---A Familiar Setting	173	(6)
Case Study: Wind-Automata Knowledge Base	174	(3)
Character Profile	176	(1)
Defining Your Own Goals	177	(2)
A Simple Hierarchy	179	(20)
Seeing It in Action	181	(1)
Implementation	182	(1)
Construction	183	(15)
Setting Up the Movie	184	(1)
Skinning the Menu	184	(3)
Building the Component	187	(11)
Conclusion	198	(1)
Key Points/Don't Forget	198	(1)
Tool Tips---Know Before You Go	199	(24)
Overview	200	(1)
Solutions	200	(1)
Seeing It in Action	200	(1)
Implementation	201	(1)
Construction	202	(2)
Setting Up the Movie	202	(1)
Drawing the Tool Tip Graphic	202	(1)
Converting to a Movie Clip	202	(1)
Create the Text Field	203	(1)
Convert It to Another Movie Clip	203	(1)
Code	204	(18)
Buttons	204	(1)
Passing the Function	205	(1)
Hide and Seek	206	(1)
Setting the Height and Width	207	(3)
Setting the Placement of Your Tool Tip	210	(4)
Timed Tips	214	(4)
Finishing Up!	218	(1)
Components	219	(3)
Conclusion	222	(1)
Key Points/Don't Forget	222	(1)
The End	223	(22)
Key Points	224	(1)
Appendixes
A What Every Interface Designer Should Know	225	(6)
Ten Usability Heuristics	226	(1)
Interface Design Principles	227	(1)
Anticipation	227	(1)
Consistency	227	(1)
Explorable Interfaces	228	(1)
Proper Task Analysis	229	(1)
Cognitive Walkthrough	229	(1)
Testing, Testing	229	(2)
B Usability Resources	231	(8)
Books	232	(4)
Web Sites	236	(2)
Newsgroups, Email Lists, Organizations	238	(1)
C Flash and Design Resources	239	(6)
Web Sites	240	(2)
Books	242	(3)
Index	245