Recommend Flash CS3/Actionscript 3 Books?

I am looking to buy two books: one on Flash CS3 and one on
ActionScript 3.0 (probably one by Colin Moock). Any
recommendations?

I'll add a little more of a review to the ActionScript 3.0
Cookbook. For the most part the recipes inside are pretty good. I
have been unimpressed though with the amount of spelling mistakes
and code errors. The errata on O'Reilly's website doesn't contain
all the errors either and I was finding a lot more that were not
listed yet. Generally I've found O'Reilly books to be edited pretty
good, this book though seems like it slipped through the reviewers
or something. Still, like I said its a good book and has some good
info in it - just be aware that there are a lot of errors
throughout it.
I am eagerly awaiting the delivery of Colin's book, my past
experiences have been that his books are a cut above everyone
elses.

Similar Messages

Flash CS3 Actionscript

I get he impression that newbies to Flash are no longer
welcome. I was just getting the hang of CS2 and had to upgrade.
What happened to the simple behaviors for buttons? What is this
stuff called Actionscript 3.0? I am ticked.

SuJun,
>> What happened to the simple behaviors for buttons?
They're still there. ;)
>> What is this stuff called Actionscript 3.0? I am
ticked.
ActionScript 3.0 is a new, overhauled version of
ActionScript made to
take advantage of the new virtual machine in Flash Player 9
and higher.
(Flash Player 9 actually has two virtual machines now, AVM1
for ActionScript
1.0/2.0 and AVM2 for ActionScript 3.0.)
> I understand tweening, putting objects on the stage,
importing
> graphics, but actionscript is beyond my competency
level.
Fair enough. Keep your chin up ... you'll be happy to hear
that Flash
can easily be configured to the way you were used to before.
It all depends
on your Publish Settings for the FLA at hand. If you don't
need new
ActionScript 3.0 features, just head to File > Publish
Settings > Flash tab
and change the ActionScript version field to ActionScript 2.0
or lower. If
you like, you can even change the version of Flash Player for
your published
SWF.
Again, if you're not making use of newer features, you may
as well
publish for the lowest version of Flash Player you can get
away with. Flash
Player 8 introduced filter effects (blur, drop shadow, etc.),
so if need
those, you'll have to publish to Flash Player 8 or higher --
but if you
don't need them, maybe Flash Player 7 would do ... or 6, or
even 5. If you
go 5, you'll have to drop your ActionScript version down to
ActionScript
1.0.
> This type of change focuses strictly on the developer at
the
> expense of someone trying to learn. Obviously Adobe
> doesn't give a rip about someone just beginning.
I wouldn't go so far as to say that. I've noticed that many
people seem
to equate Flash CS3 with ActionScript 3.0 exclusively, but
fortunately, that
simply needn't be. As soon as you change to ActionScript 2.0
or lower,
you'll find that the Behavior panel becomes enabled.
David Stiller
Co-author, Foundation Flash CS3 for Designers
http://tinyurl.com/2k29mj
"Luck is the residue of good design."

[urgent]flash cs3 actionscript input lags on extreme fast pc

I have a problem with flash cs3
first let me tell me my specs of my pc:
intel core 2 quad 3 ghz (Q9650)
4gb ram
890 mb videocard
asus p5q motherboard
this is a very fast pc as you can see
but still it lags when i try to put some code in the main
timeline
when i have around 30 lines of AS the lagging begins :s
example:
when i type:
if(Key.isDown(Key.SPACE))
when i'm at SPACE, flash still is struggling getting Key on
the screen.
it's like flash has troubles handling the pc's speed.
i use vista, sp 1, flash cs3 and actionscript 2.0
who can help me?
this is a very annoying problem and i hope someone can help
me asap!
thanks!

I found the solution!
it's vista who makes it lag :(
i set the compatibily to windows XP and now it runs fast as
hell :D

Flash CS3 ActionScript and "Test Movie" on Mac

I recently switched over to a PowerMac and Flash CS3 from
Flash 8 on a PC.
I've been on a PC forever but wanted to migrate over to the
Mac as XP and Vista and the headaches we all know about.
So, within Flash you can "Test Movie" and a little test
window pops up displaying your swf.
It has always been the case on the PC, and my friends with
Flash 8 on the Mac tell me it's the same for them, that you can be
writing in the Actions panel and then hit "Control/Apple - Enter"
and the ActionScript actions you just typed will be reflected in
the "Test Movie" pop up. In other words it the "Test Movie" window
acts as a constantly updated reflection of the latest edit to your
Flash piece, regardless of whether you've "Saved" the .fla document
itself.
This is part of the normal work flow to me. Write some
actions, edit them, when they are right, I save. But in the
meantime, as I'm writing I can keep hitting "Control/Apple - Enter"
to watch the changes of my edits and I'll see them.
Well, on my new Mac with Flash CS3, the "Test Movie" window
never updates to the latest edit. Whether with hot-keys or with the
cursor/menu selection, the window will not reflect the latest edit,
UNLESS, I close it first. If I close it, and then hit the
hot-keys/menu for "Test Movie" then it will load my latest edit
(regardless of whether the .fla is saved). So it seems that closing
the pop up "Test Movie" window prior to is the only way to ensure
getting the current edit/actions to preview.
If you write a lot of actions script, then I'm sure you can
agree that adding that "close the window" step into your work flow
is really really a headache. And, if I can't find a way around
that, sadly, I'll have to migrate back to the PC, ugh, and Flash
CS3 on it, which still acts as it always has, with "control-enter"
faithfully launching the current edit.
Any ideas? Have you experienced this.

You have to switch the focus back to the application and then
to the test window. Evidently between Flash MX04 (the one I have to
test) and CS3, they made it so that just clicking in the AS editor
window doesn't return the focus to the application. In that case
the Testing Environment intercepts the apple-enter and just
re-tests the already compiled version.
If you click the application window, then click the
actionscript window, it will recompile the swf. However I
personally don't find apple-w to close the window so
onerous.

FLASH CS3/ActionScript CS3 HELP

I have created a Flash CS3 website and making a STORE PAGE to sell items on. I have created COMBO drop down buttons for the items and having trouble. It tells me I have Access of Undifined Propertys.
Can someone help me with this issue?

please don't cross-point.

Preloader Issues Flash CS3 Actionscript 2

My preloader is acting all sorts of strange. I have other
layers that are supposed to be visible at the same time as the
preloader, and sometimes they are there, but sometimes only the
dynamic text box of the preloader shows and nothing else. It seems
to happen about every other time I load or refresh the page.
Can anyone tell me why this might be happening? It's working
half the time.
Is it something with the way my layers are ordered that the
rest aren't showing up?
Here is the link to the site:
www.kathryngillespie.com
I know it takes a while to load on some connections...I'm a
flash newbie and I'm going to go back and change the section with
the images and optimize them better to get the size down.
I can also email a picture of my time line setup because I
don't see an option to post it here.
Thanks in advance!

I found the solution!
it's vista who makes it lag :(
i set the compatibily to windows XP and now it runs fast as
hell :D

Preloading in Flash CS3/Actionscript 3

I am wondering if anyone know why this is happening:
I built a preloader based on code from the net. Once the
preloader plays through (in simulated download) it opens to the
first "stop();" in the MC timeline instead of starting at frame 1.
Here is the code I am using:

I have found the code:
var myRequest:URLRequest = new URLRequest("insitev3A.swf");
var myLoader:Loader = new Loader ();
myLoader.load(myRequest);
myLoader.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.INIT
,initHandler);
myLoader.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.OPEN,showPreloader);
myLoader.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(ProgressEvent.PROGRESS,showProgress);
myLoader.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE,showContent);
var myPreloader:Preloader = new Preloader();
function initHandler(e:Event) {
MovieClip(LoaderInfo(e.target).content).stop();
function showPreloader(event:Event):void {
addChild(myPreloader);
myPreloader.x = stage.stageWidth/2;
myPreloader.y = stage.stageHeight/2;
function showProgress(event:ProgressEvent):void {
var percentLoaded:Number =
event.bytesLoaded/event.bytesTotal;
myPreloader.loading_txt.text = "Loading - " +
Math.round(percentLoaded * 100) + "%";
myPreloader.bar_mc.width = 198 * percentLoaded;
function showContent(event:Event):void {
removeChild(myPreloader);
addChild(myLoader);
MovieClip(LoaderInfo(event.target).content).play();

Does Flash CS3 AS 3.0 work in SC4

I am new to Actionscript and picked up a book on AS3.0 that
was written for Flash CS3 (Actionscript 3.0 Bible). I have Flash
CS4. I thought they should be interchangable because they both run
AS 3.0 but as I go through the book and duplicate thier code it
keeps telling me "1037: Packages cannot be nested." What should I
do? Thank you in advance.

straightthinker,
> as I go through the book and duplicate thier code it
keeps
> telling me "1037: Packages cannot be nested."
I'll bet you're trying to put code into a frame that should
actually be
going into an external class file (a text file with code in
it). If you see
sample code with the keywords "package" or "class", you can't
put that code
into a keyframe, or you'll see the 1037 error. The reason for
this is that
AS3 FLA files already contain a package and class under the
hood -- the
MainTimeline class -- so by adding class code to a frame,
you're nesting
packages without realizing it.
This isn't a CS3/CS4 issue, by the way, so your book is
fine.
David Stiller
Co-author, Foundation Flash CS4 for Designers
http://tinyurl.com/5j55cv
"Luck is the residue of good design."
What should I do? Thank you in advance.
>

Recommend Books, Helping Material for Adobe Flash CS3 ACE

Hi fellas
Please recommend me some books, helping material, blogs, links which could be helpful in the preparation of the Adobe Flash CS3 Ace Exam.
Thanks in advance.

Here is the official Adobe ACE prep resources page.
It lists out each product exam, and gives a link to download a pdf regarding that exam. The pdf details the breakdown of questions, the number of questions there are, the percentage necessary to pass, and approx 10 sample questions.
http://partners.adobe.com/public/ace/main.html

ActionScript 2.0 in Flash CS3

I am thinking of upgrading from Flash 8 to CS3 but I'm
skittish about legacy code compatibility and would like the option
-- in CS3 -- of continuing to code in AS 2.0 for the foreseeable
future--until I know AS 3.0 cold and/or I'm ready to do whole new
projects in it. Is this possible?
I have books on both CS 3 and AS 3 and they don't seem to
address this question.
Thanks.

hezekiah-1812,
> Thanks, David!
Sure thing.
>> In my Flash 8 Actionscript panel, for instance,
there is a pull-down
>> menu in the upper left that has the following
options: ActionScript
>> 1.0 & 2.0; Flash Lite 1.0 ActionScript or Flash
Lite 1.1 ActionScript
In Flash CS3, you get new entries in that list.
>> In Flash CS3, is that pull-down still there, with
ActionScript 3.0 the
>> default, and with ActionScript 1.0 & 2.0 below
it?
The default choice depends on what sort of FLA file you
open. If you do
File > New, you have the choice to start in AS3 or AS2
(which also counts as
AS1) -- or you can change the Publish Settings at any time
(File > Publish
Settings > Flash), though doing so after you've already
begun coding is very
likely to lead to warning and error messages, for obvious
reasons.
> I recently bought Russell Chun's CS3 and Rich Shupe's
Learning AS 3.
I've heard good things about Rich Shupe's and Zevan Rosser's
"Learning
ActionScript 3.0: A Beginner's Guide" (O'Reilly). Hadn't
heard of Russell
Chun's book, but it has high marks on Amazon.com.
> Good starting points?
Based on Amazon reviewers, they look good! :) These seem to
focus more
on ActionScript 3.0 than 2.0, but if you're already
comfortable (at least,
comfortable enough) in AS2, that may be just what you're
after.
> Or add Colin Moock?
I value Colin Moock's work tremendously and regularly
consult his books.
> Or... feel free to give yourself a plug.
"Foundation Flash CS3 for Designers" (friends of ED) has
been selling
very well and has also received favorable reviews on
Amazon.com. I wrote
that one last year with Tom Green, and it's been a neat
experience all
around. I'm usually very active on these forums, so that
might be useful if
you choose to buy that one. The past couple months have been
unsually busy
for me, because I'm working on a new title for O'Reilly, but
I'll be back in
the saddle very soon.
David Stiller
Contributor, How to Cheat in Flash CS3
http://tinyurl.com/2cp6na
"Luck is the residue of good design."

Problem with FLVPlayer in Flash CS3 (need to save out as Actionscript 3.0 SWf file)

I am using Flash CS3 and am trying to publish a SWf file that
makes use of the "FLVPlayback" component. I need for this SWF file
to be published as an Actionscript 3.0 file, so I have set my
publish settings to Flash Player 9.0 and Actionscript 3.0, but keep
getting an error as follows:
"WARNING: The component 'FLVPlayback' requires ActionScript
2.0."
Has anyone encountered this?? I am doing something wrong? I'm
pretty comfortable within Actionscript/Flash 2.0, but am only
beginning my first steps into the relam of CS3 and AS3.
I have also attached a screenshot of the files that represent
my FLVPlayback component (or so I assume). (see this link for
attachments
http://www.actionscript.org/forums/showthread.php3?t=140886)
Thanks all,
Mark
http://www.actionscript.org/forums/showthread.php3?t=140886

Mark,
> I have set my publish settings to Flash Player 9.0 and
Actionscript
> 3.0, but keep getting an error as follows:
>
> "WARNING: The component 'FLVPlayback' requires
ActionScript 2.0."
Gotcha. You must have started the document in AS2, then
changed the
publish settings. Each version of the language has its own
version of the
FLVPlayback Component (written in the relevant language).
Start over and
compare two compleley new FLA documents: make one for AS3 and
one for AS2.
Open the Components panel and note the differences between
the two. There
are a different set of Components depending on the language
chosen for the
document. Drag the FLVPlayback Component from the Components
panel in an
AS3 document, and you'll have the AS3 version.
David Stiller
Co-author, Foundation Flash CS3 for Designers
http://tinyurl.com/2k29mj
"Luck is the residue of good design."

AS3 - 1) Countdown Timer to the designated Date for Live-Broadcast-Event yet to take place; 2) Detect End of Live Stream on FLVPlayback with FLVPlayback.isLive = true - ActionScript 3 - flash cs3 cs4

Hi folks,
Ronny's here again on forums, having particularly 2 (two) questions/problems to resolve:
1) Countdown Timer to the designated Date for Live-Broadcast-Event yet to take place
2) Detect End of Live Stream on FLVPlayback with FLVPlayback.isLive = true
attached is the .zip file (as3_Countdown Timer_ver 1.0.1_by Ronny Depp.zip) with all flash source files containing:
a) The FLash Source (file: timer_module.fla) - (FLA flash source file - Flash CS3 Professional, Flash Player 9, actionscript 3.0)
b) com.othenticmedia.utils.dateAndTimeManagement package including 2 .as actionscript 3.0 Class files.
       i) com.othenticmedia.utils.dateAndTimeManagement.DateAndTimeManager Class in the said package. (file: DateAndTimeManager.as)
       ii) com.othenticmedia.utils.dateAndTimeManagement.CountdownTimer Class in the package. (file: CountdownTimer.as)
c) The compiled SWF file version of this Application's blueprint. (file: timer_module.swf).
What i need to confirm is: ........................................................ see the next post of mine. (for Problems need to be Resolved)

Problems to Resolve:
Problem#1) - Countdown Timer to the designated Date for Live-Broadcast-Event yet to take place.
Problem#2) - Detect End of Live Stream on FLVPlayback with FLVPlayback.isLive = true;
Problem#1 Description:
I need to pinpoint the Logical TimeSync Exception, i am still unable to figure out. That is I'm using a webservice in my Application to Synchronize the Time with the actual ET (eastern time) with accomodation of auto-adjustment for EDT GMT-4 (eastern daylight time) & EST GMT-5 (eastern standard time), times. I am using the zipcode: "10012" to pass it to the Web Service in urlRequest object, to retrieve the Current ET eastern time according to EDT & EST time settings for Manhattan/Brooklyn areas or others within New York, NY 10012.
Currently the Web Service is returning accurate date/time based on local EDT GMT-4 daylight time.
Is there some defined set of dates for EDT & EST times for New York region that I can check for to ensure the correct Dates/Times for Eastern Time in New York area ??? I am using NY zipcodes because i am sure to get correct ET values.
The Major Problem Part: is I need to correct the time by 2 seconds or approx. 2 secs, some millisecs.
When I retrieve the Time Value from WebService, it lags behind for 2 seconds as compared to DateObj i create using computer's local time, on my Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Automatic Updates turned-on. And I'm sure about my Windows will be having latest updates for Time Management already installed. I also added the 2 secs. to the TimeSync(ed) Date to make correction to this Date obj.
I call my custom fucntion addSeconds(dateObj:Date, secs:int) to add 2 seconds to the Date by Converting Seconds to Milliseconds.
Please comb through the as code in files attached and Help Me Out !!!
Problem#2 Description:
Secondly I need to Detect the End of Stream state while using FLVPlayback component, an rtmp:// live Stream from FLASH MEDIA SERVER.
I need to Play a YuMe Post-Roll Ad when Steam Finishes/Ends.
Live Broadcast Stream Event starts every night on Wednesdays & Saturdays exactly at 10:59 PM EDT GMT-4.
Live Events only Streams/Broadcasts the stream for 50secs. exactly. When [playback stopped] it plays a PostRoll Ad and after the CountdownTimer again comes back to life. The Next upcoming Event is calculated & the Countdown begins until Next Event's time/date is reached.
Here is the code on the frame 1 on the MainTimeline: (rest of the params like source, volume, skinAutoHide are Set using Property Inspector for FLVPlayback instance on Stage)
//myStream instance of FLVPlayback is on the Stage
myStream.isLive = true;// Frame 1 Actions in the FLA
myStream.addEventListener(VideoEvent.COMPLETE, onEndOfStream);
myStream.addEventListener(VideoEvent.STATE_CHANGE, onState);
myStream.addEventListener(String(VideoError.NO_CONNECTION), onStreamError);
myStream.addEventListener(NetStatusEvent.NET_STATUS, netStatusHandler);
/*if(myStream.stopped){
     trace("tracy: "+myStream.state);
} else if(myStream.state == VideoState.STOPPED){
     trace("tracy: "+myStream.state);
function onStreamError(event:VideoError) {
     trace(event.code + "\n\t" + event);
function onState(event:VideoEvent) {
     trace(event.state + "\n\t" + event.toString());
function onEndOfStream(event:VideoEvent) {
     trace(event.state + "\n\t" + event.toString());
function netStatusHandler(event:NetStatusEvent):void {
     switch (event.info.code) {
          case "NetConnection.Connect.Success":
               //connectStream();
               break;
          case "NetStream.Play.StreamNotFound":
               trace("Stream not found: "/* + myStream.source*/);
               break;

Problem with actionscript window in Flash CS3 IDE

The actionscript window doesn't open up for any frames on the
timeline. When I press 'F9' or try to access via context menu the
action window tab appears at the top in minimized form. No matter
how many times I click on it or on the maximize button the window
doesn't open up. I tried reinstalling Flash CS3 but it didn't help.
Any help with this issue is appreciated.
Thanks!

Found a solution for this atlast ! Delete the Users/AppData
folder for flash CS3 and things will be back to normal. It seems
the Flash IDE screws somewhere while saving the local users
settings. Clearing these settings restored my action window
!

Has Actionscript 3 changed since Flash CS3?

maybe it is a strange question?
I find that sometimes opening a Flash CS3 or Flash CS4 file in Flash CS5 causes the scripts to either fail or I get some strange results.
I do not have specific examples to mention as it does happen on occasions.
At the moment, I am doing a project for a University.
They only run Flash CS3 Flash Player 9, which already leads to issues.
I use Flash CS5 currently.
The first time I sent in a draft example, they could not open the file and also they could not play the SWF file, as they only run Flash Player 9. They will not update the Flash Player to 10 as it will affect other ongoing projects in the University.
I only purchase Master Suites, so I had to reinstall Flash CS4 from the CS4 Master Suite and also Flash CS3 from the Web Premium Suite.
The Flash CS5 file had to be saved out as Flash CS4. I then had to open the Flash CS4 file and save it for Flash CS3.
I found on occasions that opening the file in Flash CS3 cause some placement issues of Text and soemtimes, but not always some Actionscript 3 code would cause some errors.
Has Flash CS5.5 rectified this and added the option to save to Flash CS3 perhaps, this would solve alot of issues.
Has Actionscript 3 changed since Flash CS3?

Actionscript 3 has changed since CS3, though what existed in CS3 has not changed. Newer versions have newer features, so new code was created to support those features.

Flash CS3 seams sluggish with text and if actionscript window open

I have a movie clip on the stage that has a large text box
inside with 18-20pt font, 3-4 paragraphs of text. When I try to
scrub the timeline, the playhead on the timeline does not keep up
with my mouse... it lags way behind. It's like the Flash CS3
software starts to freeze or hang. And the text in the final swf
movie doesn't animate on the timeline.
What I did finally discover is that if I hide (turn off
visiblity) the layer on the timeline that has the text movie clip,
voila! I can now smoothly scrub the timeline. What gives??? I think
others have had similar issues with the CS3 actionscript panel.
My pc specs are as follows... (I think it should be beefy
enough to handle this simple text animation).
Vista Ultimate SP1 64-bit, Intel Quad Core, 8G Ram, 512MB
eVGA 9800GTX graphics card

You have to switch the focus back to the application and then
to the test window. Evidently between Flash MX04 (the one I have to
test) and CS3, they made it so that just clicking in the AS editor
window doesn't return the focus to the application. In that case
the Testing Environment intercepts the apple-enter and just
re-tests the already compiled version.
If you click the application window, then click the
actionscript window, it will recompile the swf. However I
personally don't find apple-w to close the window so
onerous.

Recommend Flash CS3/Actionscript 3 Books?

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