Re: FLASH: Get rich Quick!! or Re: Teacher asks...

[Cheri Harder]

Hi, james.


It is almost entirely actionscript.  There is no "general instruction of how

to use Flash"  It is comprised entirely of 21 tutorials for making 15

"utilities" and 6 "games", demonstrating the following:


Algorithm-controlled movement

Audio Files and Flash

Calculations in ActionScript

Data matching

Decision making

Draggable interface elements

Duplicating objects

Dynamic data

JavaScript

Keyboard Input

Loading movies

Minimized windows with double-click event

Motion tweening

Mouse position tracking

Object collision detection

PHP scripting

Playback quality

Progress bar

Random events

Random object placement

Randomized sequential events

Real-time digital display

Score-keeping

Scrolling and interactive images

Scrolling text

Shape tweening

Search engine with Flash

Server-side scripting

Size Reports

Sliders that snap into place

Text fields

Time-tracking

Trig with Flash

Updating a text field

Zooming with a scroll bar


Whew...that was their "index of Techniques"  Some of their Utilities (oh

heck, all of them) are:


Preloader

Password Keypad

Lava Lamp

Randomizer

Stopwatch

Drag-n-drop interface

JukeBox

Calculator

Map Explorer

Online Book Search

Product Catalog

E-Commerce

24-hour internet quote clock

Poll

Guestbook


I've done the first 4.  Every step is detailed, with some explanation of

each step.  The only downside I have seen so far is the lack of explaining

when to use "string" and when to use "expression" - although you can tell

which to use by the results you get (ie, whether or not your code has the

quotes around it) it doesn't "tell" which to use and/or why.


A sample from the book:


<quote>


Double-click keyframe 305 to open Frame Properties, and, on the Actions tab,

assign the ActionScript:


Begin Tell Target ("/Blob" & (Random(3)+1))

    Go to and Play ("Play")

End Tell Target


Each blob animation has an instance name:  Blob1, Blob2, or Blob3.  Each

also has a keyframe labeled "Play," so this script dynamically selects the

next animation and forces it to play by using a Tell Target action.


</quote>


Now, my take on all this....the tutorials do start from the beginning of

"open Flash" (well, nearly that) with the how-to step by step.  It still

doesn't start from the very beginning of Programming...ie, what IS a

variable.  Flash 4 f/x & Design (John's) has more insight on that type of

information, as well as detailed explanation of HOW to use each of the Flash

tools, which Flash4 Magic does NOT.


My personal suggestion is BOTH books together should get almost everybody

where they want to be.  There are tutorials along the way in the f/x book

that get the tools & basics, then the 21 more in the Magic book will get you

the details.


HTH

~~~~Cheri Harder~~~~~

charderawsolution [dot] com

Advantage Web Solution

"Developing your internet storefront"

www.awsolution.com



> Is it mainly actionscript or just *some* actionscript?

>

> I bought flash 4 f/x but it's more design focused with

> some actionscript info, but I'm looking for more

> actionscript/database programming integration

> tutorials/information and overall what actionscript

> has to offer.




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