Macromedia Flash MX ActionScript

Macromedia Flash MX ActionScript

OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

• Reference objects using ActionScript.
• Use instance properties.
• Use debugging features in ActionScript.
• Create movie clips using ActionScript.
• Draw using ActionScript.
• Load Macromedia Flash movies and JPEGs into a movie clip.
• Create animations using ActionScript.
• Work with variables.
• Create a form and use conditional logic to validate it.
• Pass variables out of a Macromedia Flash movie.
• Work with built-in functions.
• Use built-in objects.
• Use methods to manipulate objects.
• Reference variables across movies.
• Create reusable ActionScript with custom functions.
• Create an external data source for Macromedia Flash movies
• Display dynamic content in Macromedia Flash.
• Use Macromedia Flash MX components.

COURSE OUTLINE

Introducing ActionScript

• ActionScript Overview
• Walkthrough 1-1: Using Simple ActionScript to Control a Movie Clip
• Walkthrough 1-2: Adding Comments and Performing Simple Debugging
• ActionScript Concepts
• ActionScript Reference
• Walkthrough 1-3: Exploring ActionScript Concepts through the ActionScript Reference
• Lab 1: Exploring the Course Application

Learning Macromedia Flash MX ActionScript Fundamentals

• Working with Symbols and Instances
• Walkthrough 2-1: Understanding Symbols and Instances
• Adding Actions to Timeline Frames
• Walkthrough 2-2: Moving Code to the Main Timeline
• Inheriting Movie Clip Properties
• Walkthrough 2-3: Inheriting Movie Clip Properties
• Referencing Movie Clip Timelines
• Walkthrough 2-4: Using Paths with Nested Movie Clips
• Implementing Button Movie Clips
• Walkthrough 2-5: Applying an Event to a Movie Clip
• ActionScript Best Practices
• Lab 2: Adding a Decrease Size Button

Creating Forms in Macromedia Flash

• Forms Overview
• Creating Form Fields
• Walkthrough 3-1: Creating Input Text Fields on a Form
• Using Form Data Within Macromedia Flash
• Walkthrough 3-2: Displaying Form Variables in Dynamic Text Boxes
• Validating Forms
• Walkthrough 3-3: Using Conditional Logic to Validate a Form
• Passing Variables Out of Macromedia Flash
• Walkthrough 3-4: Passing Variables Out of Macromedia Flash
• Lab 3: Building a Form and Sending the Input Out of Macromedia Flash

Creating Movie Clips with ActionScript

• Creating Empty Movie Clips
• Walkthrough 4-1: Creating a Movie Clip with ActionScript
• Using the loadMovie Method to Load SWF and JPEG Files
• Walkthrough 4-2: Dynamically Loading JPEG Files into Movie Clips
• Drawing with ActionScript
• Walkthrough 4-3: Using the Drawing Methods to Build Movie Clips
• Walkthrough 4-4: Using the With Statement
• Creating Duplicate Movie Clips
• Walkthrough 4-5: Duplicating a Movie Clip
• Generating Multiple Copies of a Movie Clip
• Walkthrough 4-6: Creating Many Copies of a Movie Clip with Unique Instance Names
• Lab 4: Creating Movie Clips Dynamically

Animating with ActionScript

• Why Use ActionScript to Animate?
• Changing Movie Clip Properties Over Time
• Walkthrough 5-1: Using onEnterFrame
• Changing an Animation Interactively
• Walkthrough 5-2: Using onEnterFrame with hitTest
• Stopping Animation When a Condition Is Met
• Walkthrough 5-3: Using onEnterFrame for Animation
• Stopping onEnterFrame When Animation Stops
• Walkthrough 5-4: Deleting the onEnterFrame After Animation Is Complete
• Stopping Animation After a Specific Time Period
• Walkthrough 5-5: Unloading a Movie Clip After a Specific Time Period
• Lab 5: Animating Movie Clips Using ActionScript

Creating Objects

• Understanding Objects
• Walkthrough 6-1: Creating Objects That Inherit Events
• Creating Objects Visually
• Creating Objects Using Built-in Movie Clip Methods
• Walkthrough 6-2: Creating a TextField Object
• Creating Objects Using the new Keyword for Built-in Objects
• Walkthrough 6-3: Creating a TextFormat Object and Using It to Format a TextField Object
• Walkthrough 6-4: Creating and Using the Color Object
• Creating Custom Objects
• Walkthrough 6-5: Creating a Custom Object to Use with the Color Object Set

Transform Method

• Lab 6: Instantiating and Applying Methods to Objects

Reusing Code

• Reusing Code
• Functions Overview
• Walkthrough 7-1: Creating and Using a Simple User-Defined Function
• Defining Variables Local to Functions
• Walkthrough 7-2: Using the var Statement
• Identifying When to Use Functions
• Walkthrough 7-3: Converting Repeated Blocks of Code to a User-Defined Function
• Using Dynamic Evaluation
• Walkthrough 7-4: Using Dynamic Evaluation
• Referencing an External ActionScript File
• Walkthrough 7-5: Including External ActionScript Files in Your Code
• Lab 7: Using Functions with Objects

Creating Dynamic Content Using Text Files

• Understanding Dynamic Content
• Where Does the Data Come From?
• Walkthrough 8-1: Formatting a Text File for Use by Macromedia Flash
• Getting Data into Macromedia Flash
• Walkthrough 8-2: Using Data from a Text File in Macromedia Flash
• Walkthrough 8-3: Using Data from a Text File in Different SWFs
• Waiting Until the Data Has Loaded
• Walkthrough 8-4: Using the the onLoad Event
• Lab 8: Building Dynamic Page Content from a Text File

Using ActionScript with Components

• Components Overview
• Walkthrough 9-1: Adding a Scroll Bar to a Text Field
• Manipulating Component Properties and Methods
• Walkthrough 9-2: Using Scroll Bar Properties and Methods
• Walkthrough 9-3: Creating a Dynamic Drop Down List
• Using Components with Change Handlers
• Walkthrough 9-4: Creating a Component with a Change Handler Function
• What Else Can You Do with Components?