ActionScript 3.0 : Visual QuickStart Guide

ActionScript is the programming language integral to the Adobe Technology Platform. It began as a simple scripting language for creating interactivity and animation in Flash, but is now used to create full-featured Web applications, not only in Flash but in Flex. ActionScript 3, introduced with Flex 2, is now a full-fledged object-oriented programming language, and the need for teaching materials, for both newcomers and veterans, is great. This task-based tutorial is for students with no programming experience as well as those programmers who have learned earlier versions of the programming language and now need to learn the new version. The book walks a reader through all the fundamentals, then moves on to creating interactivity, working with data, looping and decision making, programming visualizations, and working with multimedia. It's a complete end-to-end tutorial. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 Foreword......Page 10 Introduction......Page 14 Chapter 1: Introduction to ActionScript 3......Page 20 The Language of ActionScript......Page 21 ActionScript Syntax......Page 23 Punctuation......Page 24 About Classes and Objects......Page 27 Writing ActionScript......Page 31 Chapter 2: Working with Variables and Properties......Page 36 What Is a Variable?......Page 37 Declaring and Assigning Values to Variables......Page 40 Data Typing Variables......Page 41 Working with Strings......Page 43 Working with Numbers......Page 46 Data Type Conversions......Page 49 Instances and Properties......Page 50 About Booleans......Page 53 Chapter 3: Working with Functions and Methods......Page 54 Methods and Functions......Page 55 Returning Values from a Function......Page 64 Function Scope......Page 67 Chapter 4: Working with Classes and Objects......Page 70 Defining Classes and Objects......Page 71 Importing a Class......Page 73 Instantiating Objects......Page 75 Working with External Code......Page 78 Chapter 5: Display Lists and Display Objects......Page 82 The Display List......Page 84 Display Classes and Objects......Page 86 Chapter 6: Working with Display Objects......Page 102 Display Object Properties......Page 103 Managing Object Depths......Page 110 Removing Display Objects from the Display List......Page 113 Chapter 7: Communication and Events......Page 114 The ActionScript 3 Event Model......Page 115 Working with Event Listeners......Page 119 Event Flow......Page 126 Subclasses of the Event Class......Page 129 Chapter 8: Controlling the Timeline......Page 130 Controlling Timelines......Page 131 Navigating Timelines with Target Paths......Page 138 Declaring the Frame Rate at Runtime......Page 142 Chapter 9: Working with Strings......Page 144 The String Class......Page 145 Combining Strings......Page 147 Manipulating Strings......Page 150 Chapter 10: Working with Text Fields......Page 154 Working with Text Fields......Page 155 Formatting Text Fields......Page 161 Embedding Fonts......Page 167 Chapter 11: Working with the Math and Date Classes......Page 170 The Math Class......Page 171 The Date Class......Page 177 Time Zones and UTC Time......Page 183 Chapter 12: Working with Data Using Arrays and Objects......Page 184 Working with the Array Class......Page 185 Manipulating Arrays......Page 189 The Object Class and Associative Arrays......Page 194 Chapter 13: Creating Conditional Statements......Page 198 Conditional Statements......Page 199 Checking for Conditions Using the Switch Statement......Page 207 Chapter 14: Iteration and Repetition......Page 208 The for Loop Statement......Page 209 Building a Dynamic Menu Using an Associative Array......Page 211 Iterating Object Properties......Page 216 The while and do...while Loop Statements......Page 219 Chapter 15: HTTP Requests and External Communications......Page 222 URL Navigation with HTTP Requests......Page 223 Loading External Text Content......Page 227 Error Handling......Page 235 Chapter 16: Loading External Assets......Page 240 Using the Loader Class to Load External Data......Page 241 Monitoring Load Progress......Page 246 Controlling Externally Loaded SWFs......Page 249 Chapter 17: Using Shapes, Masks, Blends, and Filters......Page 252 The Shape Class......Page 253 Applying Dynamic Masking to Objects......Page 257 Creating Visual Effects with ActionScript......Page 261 Chapter 18: Dynamic Animation......Page 266 The Timer Class......Page 267 The ENTER_FRAME Event......Page 272 The Tween and Easing Classes......Page 274 Transitions......Page 281 Caching Display Objects......Page 283 Chapter 19: Working with Sound......Page 284 Working with Embedded Sound......Page 285 Controlling Playback with SoundChannel......Page 288 Loading External Sounds......Page 289 Monitoring Loading with Sound Events......Page 291 Using ID3 Data in MP3 Files......Page 294 Controlling a Sound's Volume......Page 295 Monitoring Playback Progress......Page 297 Chapter 20: Working with Video......Page 302 Using the FLVPlayback Component......Page 303 FLVPlayback Events......Page 309 Advanced Video Applications......Page 320 A......Page 322 B......Page 323 C......Page 324 D......Page 325 E......Page 326 F......Page 327 I......Page 328 M......Page 329 N......Page 330 P......Page 331 S......Page 332 T......Page 334 U......Page 335 Z......Page 336 A guide to ActionScript 3.0 covers such topics as working with variables and properties, classes and objects, strings, text fields, arrays, conditional statements, external assets, animation, sound, and video.