May 2010
Intermediate to advanced
778 pages
23h 58m
English
Content preview from Flash CS5: The Missing Manual
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Introduction
Flash's evolution is unique, even for the fast-changing computer software world. First released in 1996 under the name FutureSplash, it was a tool for creating web-based animations. It's still the "go to" application for that job; however, along the way it's acquired new capabilities. Today, Flash powers video websites like YouTube and Hulu (Figure 1). It's used to develop desktop applications like eBay Desktop. As you read this, Flash/ActionScript pros are developing the next generation of apps for handheld devices like the Droid and perhaps the iPhone. Flash has grown up with the World Wide Web and managed to carve out an important niche. In fact, there are a whole slew of programs that make use of Flash technology. They include Flex, Flash Builder, and Flash Catalyst. Still, if you want to learn Flash's design and animation features as well as its programming and development features, then Flash Professional CS5 is the place to start.
Figure 1. Sites like Hulu and YouTube have made great use of Flash's video abilities. You can check any site to see whether it's using Flash behind the scenes. Just right-click (or Control-click) an image that you think might be Flash. If it says "About Flash Player" at the bottom of the pop-up menu, you guessed right.
Here are just some of the things you can do with Flash:
Animate. You can create original artwork using Flash's tools, or ...
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O’Reilly covers everything we've got, with content to help us build a world-class technology community, upgrade the capabilities and competencies of our teams, and improve overall team performance as well as their engagement.Julian F.
I wanted to learn C and C++, but it didn't click for me until I picked up an O'Reilly book. When I went on the O’Reilly platform, I was astonished to find all the books there, plus live events and sandboxes so you could play around with the technology.Addison B.
I’ve been on the O’Reilly platform for more than eight years. I use a couple of learning platforms, but I'm on O'Reilly more than anybody else. When you're there, you start learning. I'm never disappointed.Amir M.
I'm always learning. So when I got on to O'Reilly, I was like a kid in a candy store. There are playlists. There are answers. There's on-demand training. It's worth its weight in gold, in terms of what it allows me to do.