Using Flash MX

Michael Hurwicz, Laura McCabe

742 pages, parution le 12/09/2002

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Résumé

Special Edition Using Macromedia Flash MX provides readers with a comprehensive reference. It covers everyday basic skills quickly and concisely to allow more time to be spent detailing more advanced topics. It is organized by topic, rather than linearly, so that readers can jump in and learn only what they need to complete the task at hand. The authors have loaded the book up with real-world tasks, tips, and techniques as well as answers to questions that they've been hearing for years as trainers.
Topics covered include using the Library more effectively, ActionScript Debugging, and creating dynamic Flash applications. Coverage also includes:Using 3D graphicsImporting and using bitmaps and videoCreating complex frame-by-frame animationsAdding and synchronizing sound to your Flash animationsAdvanced Scripting and integration.

Contents

Introduction.

I. FLASH ENVIRONMENT AND TOOLS.

1. What's New in Flash MX.
Interface Improvements. Components. Video Support. Scripting Improvements. Flash 5 Compatibility. Accessible Content. Troubleshooting.
2. The Flash Interface.
Panel Sets. Setting Document Attributes. The Timeline. The Toolbox. Keyboard Shortcuts. The Library. The Movie Explorer. Setting Flash Preferences. Troubleshooting. Flash At Work: Creating Your Ideal MX Interface.
3. Drawing and Painting in Flash.
Understanding Vector Graphics. Using the Drawing Tools. Editing and Adjusting Shapes. Working with Fills. Erasing. Using Layout Aids. Creating a Mask. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: How Big Is My Shape?
4. Using Bitmaps in Flash.
Importing Bitmaps. Tracing Bitmaps. Breaking Apart Bitmaps. Compressing Bitmaps. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: Animating Bitmaps.
5. Working with Text.
Working with Text. The Text Tool. The Property Inspector. Character Attributes. Paragraph Attributes. Text Options. Editing and Transforming Text. Best Practices for Using Text. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: Copying Text Boxes.

II. ANIMATION AND SOUND.

6. Symbols, Instances, and Library Assets.
Understanding Symbols. Creating Symbols. Editing Symbols. Instances. The Library. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: Nesting Symbols.
7. Animating in Flash.
Understanding Animation. Frames and Keyframes. Tweening. Scrubbing Through the Timeline. Cartoon Animation in Flash. Animation Guidelines. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: “Un-perfecting” Animation.
8. Using Sound.
Understanding Sound. Preparing Sounds for Flash. Importing Sounds. Synchronizing Sounds. Editing Sounds. Controlling Sound. Optimizing Sounds. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: Turning Off Sound.
9. Buttons, Menus, and User Input.
Flash Interactivity. Buttons. Menus. Using Components. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: Open as Library.
10. Integrating Video.
Video in Flash. Importing Video. Working with Imported Video. Controlling Video Playback. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: Video Interactivity.

III. ADDING ADVANCED INTERACTIVITY WITH ACTIONSCRIPT.

11. Getting Started with ActionScript.
Adding Interactivity with ActionScript. Using the Actions Panel. Understanding Object-Oriented Languages. The Three R's: Readability, Reusability, and Reachability. Troubleshooting.Flash At Work: Readable, Reusable, Reachable Code: A “Before and After” Ad.
12. Managing Variables, Data, and Datatypes.
Working with Variables. Categorizing Data Using Datatypes. Troubleshooting. At Work: Version Detection.
13. Using Operators.
Working with Operands, Expressions, and Statements. Understanding Arithmetic Operators. Understanding Bitwise Operators. Assignment and Compound Assignment. Comparison Operators. Using Logical (Boolean) Operators. The Conditional Operator. The Comma Operator. Named Operators. Other Operators. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: Applying Bitwise Operators to Tic-Tac-Toe.
14. Working with Data: Using Statements.
Forming Standalone Statements and Control Blocks. Understanding Program Flow Control. Making Decisions Using Conditionals and switch. Repeating Actions Using Loops. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: Using a for Loop to Generate a List.
15. Combining Statements into Functions.
Writing Better Code with Functions. Function Basics: Creating Functions. Calling Functions. Using var to Create Local Function Variables. Passing Information to Functions in Arguments. Retrieving Results Using Return Values. Functions as Classes: Constructor Functions. Using Function.apply() and Function.call().Explicit Scoping. Automatic Scoping. Troubleshooting.Flash at Work: Calculating Factorials-An Example of Recursion.
16. Interaction, Events, and Sequencing.
Triggering Action: The Timeline and Event Handlers. Timeline-Based Scripting. Event-Based Scripting. Sequencing Actions Using Execution Order. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: General-Purpose Flash Event Engines.
17. Unlocking the Power of Movie Clips.
Introducing the Movie Clip. Flash MX's New Properties for Movie Clips. Creating and Removing Movie Clips. Loading and Unloading External Content. Controlling the Visual Stacking Order of Movie Clips. Using Init Objects to Give Properties to New Movie Clips. Using Object.registerClass() to Subclass a New Movie Clip. Detecting Movie Clip Collisions. Calling a Function Repetitively Using setInterval(). Dragging and Dropping Movie Clips. Working with Dynamic Masks. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: A Scratch-and-Win Game.
18. Drawing with ActionScript.
Introducing the Flash MX Drawing Methods. Using Objects to Keep Track of What You're Drawing. Drawing Lines and Curves. Optimizing Curve-Drawing Functions. Using Solid Fills. Working with Gradient Fills. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: Drawing an Eight-Segment Circle.

IV. ADVANCED ACTIONSCRIPTING.

19. Using the Built-in Core Objects.
Introducing Built-in Objects. The Core Objects. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: Amazing Arrays.
20. Using the Built-in Movie Objects.
Movie-Related Objects and Classes. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: Tic-Tac-Totally Automatic with LocalConnection.
21. Packaging Data and Functions Using Custom Objects.
Introducing Custom Objects. Positioning Local Properties in the Inheritance Hierarchy. new “Orphans” the Existing Subclass prototype. Overriding Inherited Properties. Accessing the Superclass Using super. Working with the constructor Property. Creating Class Hierarchies Using the __proto__ Property. Designing Good Superclasses and Subclasses: “Is” Versus “Has” . Troubleshooting.
22. Components.
Using Built-In Components. Creating a New Component. Troubleshooting.
23. Using Learning Interactions.
Interactions and Templates. Using Drag and Drop. Fill in the Blank. Hot Objects. Hot Spots. Multiple Choice. True or False. Feedback, Knowledge Track, and Navigation. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: Using an LMS.
24. Sharing ActionScript.
Shared Libraries. Flash Remoting. Including External ActionScript. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: The LocalConnection Feature.
25. Testing, Debugging, and Troubleshooting.
Avoiding Common Problems. Using the Debugger.

V. EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION WITH FLASH.

26. Communicating Locally.
Controlling the Browser. Calling JavaScript Functions. Controlling the Projector. Communicating with Director. Storing Information Locally. Communicating Between Flash Movies. Troubleshooting.
27. Communicating with the Server.
Loading Text Data. Embedding Data on the HTML Page. Loading Dynamic Data. Sending Data. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: Sending E-mail from Flash.
28. XML Data.
Introduction to XML. Parsing XML Data. Building XML Data. Importing XML Documents. Sending XML Documents to the Server. XML Sockets. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: A Simple XML Application.

VI. OUTPUT OPTIONS FOR FLASH.

29. Printing a Flash Movie.
Printing Flash Content. Preparing Files for Printing. Creating a Print Button. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: Invisible Ink.
30. Optimizing, Publishing, and Exporting Movies.
Testing Movies. Optimizing Movies. Specifying Publish Settings. Exporting Different File Formats. Troubleshooting. Flash at Work: Using Named Anchors.

VII. APPENDIX.

Appendix A. Making Flash Accessible.
Accessibility Guidelines.

L'auteur - Michael Hurwicz

Michael Hurwicz is the Flash Guy at Late Night Design, located at the intersection of art, design, and technology. He has been writing about technical topics for the computer trade press since 1985. Michael is president of Irthlingz, a nonprofit organization dedicated to environmental education and entertainment.

L'auteur - Laura McCabe

Laura McCabe is a freelance designer and developer currently living in Baltimore, Maryland. Her eclectic interests have led her through an undergraduate degree in psychology, graduate studies in art and design, and, ultimately, to Flash. In six years of Internet experience, she's honed her skills in design, development, information architecture, and Web production while working with clients such as AARP. Her Flash designs have been featured at the collaborative site Poems That Go. In her spare time, she is a photographer, writer, trainer, editor, sporadic sea kayaker, and recovering book junkie.

Caractéristiques techniques

	PAPIER
Éditeur(s)	Que
Auteur(s)	Michael Hurwicz, Laura McCabe
Parution	12/09/2002
Nb. de pages	742
Format	18,7 x 23
Couverture	Broché
Poids	1240g
Intérieur	2 couleurs
EAN13	9780789727626
ISBN13	978-0-7897-2762-6