Flash 5 Interactivity and Scripting Book

Flash 5 Interactivity and Scripting is a book for advanced Flash developers, dedicated solely to ActionScript, the powerful scripting language introduced in Flash 5. The author shows how to use scripting for rich interactivity, and in Web applications such as e-commerce sites. He is careful not to duplicate the Flash documentation, so you will not find a language reference here. He is also an enthusiast for learning by doing. He includes a number of carefully designed exercises at the end of each chapter, stating "Until you have attempted these you have not really read the book." This is not a comprehensive tutorial, but shows what you can do with Flash and ActionScript and lays the foundation for further work. Following a brief overview of Flash, there is a basic introduction to ActionScript, recognising that Flash developers are not necessarily programmers. Next comes a look at user interface elements, and a chapter on creating reusable scripts with objects. Further chapters cover scripting movie clips, interacting with HTTP and CGI scripts, controlling the browser from ActionScript, and using XML. The book is only 250 pages, and more detailed examples would be welcome, but this is nevertheless a clear and thoughtful book on an important topic, and one that is normally an afterthought in more general Flash tutorials. There is a supporting Web site from which you can download all the Flash source referenced in the book. --Tim AndersonRead More