book

Learning ActionScript 3.0, 2nd Edition

by Zevan Rosser, Rich Shupe

October 2010

Beginner

453 pages

15h 52m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

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A Note Regarding Supplemental Files
Preface
Who This Book Is ForPush YourselfActionScript EditorsHow This Book Is OrganizedWhat Is—and Isn’t—In This BookWhat’s InWhat’s NotCompanion WebsiteTypographical Conventions Used In This BookUsing Code ExamplesWe’d Like To Hear From YouAcknowledgmentsAbout the AuthorsColophon
I. Getting Started
1. What Is ActionScript?
What’s New in ActionScript 3.0?The Flash PlatformProcedural Versus Object-Oriented ProgrammingThe Document ClassLegacy Code CompatibilityHello WorldTimeline ExampleDocument Class ExampleSuccessWhat’s Next?
2. Core Language Fundamentals
Jump Right InMiscellaneous BasicsVariables and Data TypesCastingStrict ModeOperatorsArithmetic Operator PrecedenceConditionalsifLogical Operator PrecedenceswitchLoopsfor Loopwhile LoopA Loop CaveatArraysVectorsFunctionsLocal VariablesParameters and ArgumentsReturning a Value from a FunctionCustom ObjectsObjects and Associative Arraysthis and parentAbsolute Versus Relative AddressesPut It All TogetherWhat’s Next?
II. Graphics and Interaction
3. Properties, Methods, and Events
Jump Right InPropertiesEventsUsing Event ListenersUsing Mouse Events to Control PropertiesMethodsUsing Keyboard Events to Call MethodsEvent PropagationFrame and Timer EventsFrame EventsTimer EventsRemoving Event ListenersWhat’s Next?
4. The Display List
Jump Right InThe Sum of Its PartsDisplay List ClassesDisplaying the Display ListThe showChildren() function in actionAdding and Removing ChildrenUsing addChild()Adding Custom Symbol Instances to the Display ListUsing addChildAt()Removing Objects from the Display List and from MemoryRemoving objects from memoryManaging Object Names, Positions, and Data TypesFinding Children by Position and by NameClarifying or Changing the Data Type of a Display ObjectChanging the Display List HierarchyDepth ManagementReparenting ChildrenA Dynamic Navigation BarWhat’s Next?
5. Timeline Control
Jump Right InPlayhead MovementFrame LabelsNew Timeline ActionScriptFrame RateA Simple Site or Application StructureWhat’s Next?
6. OOP
ClassesCustom Class ReviewClasspathsNote to Flash Professional CS5 usersInheritanceSymbol Base ClassesCan You Figure Out Why?A More Traditional Look at InheritanceVehicle classSimple exampleCar classTruck classDocument class and revised FLAAccessing the Stage in a ClassComposition Car classTruck classNew Tires classDocument classEncapsulation Getters and settersVehicle classCar classTruck classTires classDocument classPolymorphism Polymorphism and inheritanceVehicle classCar classTruck classTires class and Document classPolymorphism and interfacesSimple exampleAdding a sound system to your vehicles through compositionNavigation Bar Revisited Document classNavigationBarMenuButtonMainWhat’s Next?

7. Motion
Basic MovementVelocityAccelerationEasingSimple PhysicsGravityFrictionElasticityA Basic Particle System The particleThe systemThe FLA fileSimple Collision DetectionCollision with ObjectsCollision with PointsCollision with Stage BoundariesGeometry and TrigonometryMovement Along an AngleDistanceMore Particles: Collision and DistanceCircular MovementA Circular Navigation SystemRotation Toward an ObjectCreating a grid using modulusProgrammatic TweeningAdobe’s Tween ClassGreenSock’s TweenLiteCreating a simple banner using TweenLiteReproducing Timeline Tweens with ActionScriptWhat’s Next?
8. Drawing with Vectors
The Graphics ClassDrawing LinesDrawing CurvesAdding Solid FillsDrawing ShapesUsing Gradient Fills and LinesGradient fillsGradient line stylesUsing Bitmap Fills and LinesBitmap fillsBitmap line stylesSimulating the Pencil ToolDrawing Complex Shapes with drawPath()The Geometry PackageCreating PointsCreating RectanglesUsing MatricesSkewing with matricesCalculating changes in points after transformationsManipulating gradient fills and line stylesAdjusting gradient line stylesAdjusting bitmap line stylesGradient Spread Method9-Slice ScalingApplied ExamplesStarting a Color PickerA Custom Button ClassWhat’s Next?
9. Drawing with Pixels
Bitmap CachingSoft-Edged MasksThe BitmapData ClassCreating Opaque BitmapsCreating Bitmaps with TransparencyUsing a Bitmap from the LibraryCopying PixelsDrawing into a BitmapBlend ModesActionScript Compositing Blend ModesLayerAlpha and EraseUsing Blend Modes with BitmapData InstancesBitmap FiltersBasic FiltersCreating dynamic button art with the DropShadowFilterUsing the BlurFilter to create an airbrushAdvanced FiltersConvolution filterPerlin noise and displacement mapPerlin noiseDisplacement mapAnimating the effectColor EffectsThe ColorTransform ClassThe ColorMatrixFilter ClassThe Color ClassImage Encoding and SavingSaving JPG ImagesAdding Functionality to Your Color PickerGetting and Setting PixelsgetPixel()Using the picker with setPixel()Expanding Your Paint ProgramWhat’s Next?
III. Text
10. Text
Creating Text FieldsSetting Text Field AttributesDynamic Text FieldsInput Text FieldsSelecting TextFormatting Text Establishing a format for new textApplying a format to existing textAdding text after using setTextFormat()Tab StopsUsing Embedded FontsFlash Professional CS3 and CS4Flash Professional CS5ActionScriptUsing Custom Anti-AliasingFormatting with HTML and CSSHypertext Markup Language (HTML)CSSEscaping quotation marksTriggering ActionScript from HTML LinksLoading HTML and CSSText Layout Framework Rotating device fontsImproved typographic controlsColumnar layoutFlowing text across multiple containersDistributing SWFs that use TLFWhat’s Next?
IV. Sound and Video
11. Sound
ActionScript Sound ArchitectureInternal and External SoundsWorking with Sounds in Your LibraryLoading External SoundsPlaying, Stopping, and Pausing SoundsPlaying a SoundStopping a SoundPausing Sounds and Resuming PlaybackApplying the SyntaxBuffering SoundsChanging Sound Volume and PanReading ID3 Metadata from MP3 SoundsVisualizing Sound DataAmplitudeAdding peak meters to the sound playerSound Spectrum DataStoring and retrieving sound spectrum dataDrawing a waveform or frequency spectrumThe Waveform classAdding the Waveform Visualization to Our Sound PlayerVisualizing Microphone InputActivity LevelSampleDataEventRecording, Playing, and Saving Microphone InputRecordMicrophone ClassRecording microphone input at runtimeWriting sound data dynamically at runtimeStopping playbackRecordMicrophone_Example ClassWhat’s Next?
12. Video
EncodingFormatsPresetsCustomizing SettingsStarting the QueueComponentsWorking with the FLVPlayback ComponentScripting the componentSkinning the componentFull-Screen VideoCaptionsUsing the FLVPlaybackCaptioning ComponentCreating Captions with Timed TextProviding Captions in Multiple LanguagesWriting Your Own PlayerScripting Buttons to Control the FLVPlayback ComponentA Code-Only SolutionThe main video classThe document classWhat’s Next?
V. Input/Output
13. Loading Assets
Loading SWFs and ImagesLoading SWFsLoading ImagesWriting a Multiuse SWF and Image Loading ClassWriting the CustomLoader ClassUsing the CustomLoader ClassLoading SWFsLoading imagesLoading DataLoading TextLoading VariablesLoading Binary DataWriting a Multiuse Data Loading ClassWriting the CustomURLLoader ClassUsing the CustomURLLoader ClassLoading textLoading variablesLoading binary dataCommunicating with Loaded SWFs The child SWFThe parent SWFAdditional Online ResourcesLoading SWFs with TLF AssetsGreenSock’s LoaderMaxWhat’s Next?
14. XML
Understanding XML StructureWhite SpaceDeclarationsComments and Processing InstructionsEntities and the CDATA TagCreating an XML ObjectUsing Variables in XMLReading XMLElement and Text Nodes, and the XMLList ClassText nodes and stringsElement nodes and the power of XMLListUsing the descendant accessor operator and wildcardsUsing AttributesCoping with element node names that are incompatible with ActionScriptFinding Elements by ContentA limitation when filtering by attributeWriting XMLDeleting XMLLoading External XML DocumentsSending to and Loading from a ServerSend and LoadThe client sourceThe server sourceAn XML-Based Navigation SystemThe Directory Structure and Source FilesThe Library of the FLAThe XML and ClassesXMLLAS3Main (document class)NavigationBarXMLMenuButtonMainMenuButtonSubTying it all togetherWhat’s Next?
Index
About the Authors
Copyright

Overview

If you're new to ActionScript 3.0, or want to enhance your skill set, this bestselling book is the ideal guide. Designers, developers, and programmers alike will find Learning ActionScript 3.0 invaluable for navigating ActionScript 3.0's learning curve. You'll learn the language by getting a clear look at essential topics such as logic, event handling, displaying content, classes, and much more.

Updated for Flash Professional CS5, this revised and expanded edition delivers hands-on exercises and full-color code samples to help you increase your abilities as you progress through the book. Topics are introduced with basic syntax and class-based examples, so you can set your own pace for learning object-oriented programming.

Harness the power and performance of ActionScript 3.0
Control sound and video, including new access to microphone data
Create art with code by drawing vectors and pixels at runtime
Manipulate text with unprecedented typographic control
Animate graphics, create particle systems, and apply simple physics
Avoid common coding mistakes and reuse code for improved productivity
Load SWF, image, text, HTML, CSS, and XML file formats, and more

Authors Rich Shupe and Zevan Rosser draw on their experience as Flash developers and instructors to give you a solid ActionScript foundation, revealing ways you can use code for practical, everyday projects.

Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
and much more.

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