Essential ActionScript 2.0

ActionScript 3.0 is now released, but the author is yet to update his classic book on the subject of ActionScript for this new version. Thus, I still highly recommend this book, since it covers ground not found in other books on the subject and I find it to be an outstanding tutorial on object-oriented programming as well as a precise tutorial on ActionScript. Keep in mind, though, that the author's version of this book for ActionScript 3.0 is due out in June 2007. So, if you don't need to know this material before next summer, you might want to wait on your purchase. I review this book in the context of its table of contents. Part I: The ActionScript Language Chapter 1. ActionScript 2.0 Overview Starts with a quick summary of ActionScript 2.0's core features and Flash Player 7's new capabilities. If you have an ActionScript 1.0 background, the summary will give you a general sense of what's changed in the language. If, on the other hand, you're completely new to Flash or to ActionScript, you may want to skip directly to Chapter 2. Chapter 2. Object-Oriented ActionScript Ironically, Flash users who are new to object-oriented programming (OOP) are often familiar with many object-oriented concepts without knowing their formal names. This chapter demystifies some of the terminology and brings newer programmers up to speed on key OOP concepts. It also serves as a high-level overview of OOP in ActionScript for experienced programmers who are making their first foray into Flash development. Chapter 3. Datatypes and Type Checking ActionScript 2.0 defines a wide variety of datatypes. Some datatypes are native to the language itself (e.g., String, Number, and Boolean). Others are included in the Flash Player and are available throughout all Flash movies (e.g., Color, Date, and TextField). Still other datatypes are defined by components that can be added individually to Flash movies (e.g., List, RadioButton, and ScrollPane). This chapter covers all of that. Chapter 4. Classes This chapter covers the syntax and theory behind classes in ActionScript 2.0 and assumes a prior basic understanding of the concepts discussed in Chapter 2. Classes are the foundational structure of all object-oriented programs, making them arguably the most important aspect of OOP. As such, classes are predictably intricate. This chapter is correspondingly lengthy and detailed but, even so, newer programmers can use it to learn the basics of creating and using classes. Chapter 5. Authoring an ActionScript 2.0 Class Chapter 4 covered the general anatomy of ActionScript 2.0 classes. In this chapter that theory is put into practice by authoring a real-world ActionScript 2.0 class named ImageViewer. The ImageViewer class creates an on-screen rectangular region for displaying a loaded JPEG image. The chapter covers designing and coding the class itself, as well as using it in a Flash document. Chapter 6. Inheritance In OOP, inheritance is a formal relationship between two or mor

since actionscript 3.0 has hit the scene in flex 2.0 and flash 9 is right around the corner, i'm slightly hesitant to recommend this book today (september 2006). BUT, the book is still great and if you are serious about programming in flash, i would say that it's essential material to learn. it's not a reference (although there is a small reference in the book) and it's not about how to program animation or do "cool" things in flash. it's about how to create custom classes and how to do it properly using best practices in flash. that's pretty much it. even as AS 3.0 crawls onto the scene, this book still gives a solid foundation and, from what i know about AS 3.0 so far, nothing you learn here will hinder you as you eventually move on to AS 3.0. the next version of actionscript will simply build upon what AS 2.0 has done. if you are still writing classes the old fashioned AS 1.0 way and feel like it's time to move forward, buy this book. if you've never written classes before, in any language, this book will show you how and provide a great foundation in doing so. this book is not for actionscript novices, however. there are a lot of code samples and moock doesn't describe what the code is doing, apart from class-specific issues. so if you don't know what a "for loop" is, get "actionscript for flash mx - the definitive guide" first.

There are certainly enough reviews of this book to give you a good sense of the quality content that Moock is known for. I wanted to simply offer an opinion regarding who this book is for, as opposed to simply praising the content. After reading the book, I feel empowered. But I'm not like every other Flash person out there. So lets look at who is using Flash, and what this book means to them. Generally speaking there are Flash Designers, and Flash Developers. Designers come from a graphic arts background, and are often familiar with timelines, tweening, keyframing, and other aspects of animated design. Developers have an interest in these things, but are more focused on building rich applications that require hundreds or perhaps thousands of lines of ActionScript code. This book is for the novice developer, or the designer who wants to become a developer. Moock smartly points out that Object Oriented Programming is not always neccesary for all Flash projects. Therefore, this book is not neccesary for the Designer who wants to build Flash applications which are predominantly animation and graphics. But once the designer finds that they are writing so much ActionScript that it's tough to keep track of it all, I think its time to get this book and become a developer.

I'm a java / C++ developer, and my first Flash MX apps were good, but lacking in standard OOP practices. After reading some other OOP books on actionscript, I was still lacking. Then with the release of MX 2004 and Actionscript 2.0, I knew that I was only a stones throw away from crossing the oop divide. This book was that stone. Moock has done a wonderful job of finally laying out how to utilize the flash environment to create robust applications. My favorite section is the portion on Patters. Some great patterns in there that you will use over and over again. My last advice would be for those of you who are interested to swing by the Actionscript community online. And starting with the flash blog agregator is a great place to start. (...)

You know ActionScript has come of age when a book like this comes out. Colin Moock had already written arguably the bible on ActionScript 1.0, and though I was worried at the decision that this book was to be a supplement to ActionScript for Flash MX, rather than a sequel, I now couldn't agree more with the logic. The resultant book would have been too big for its binding!!!Technically perfect, this book reminds me of why I fell in love with O'Reilly books in the first place. It reminds me of my first read of Larry Wall's Programming Perl book: concise, authoritative, and not without a bit of humor! And let me tell you, nowhere is humor more difficult than in a computer book, am I right?Mr. Moock leads us down a path that teaches how to actually write an application in Flash. And you didn't think it was possible! Believe me, I had my doubts too, but the fact that the book applies several design patterns to Flash programming by the end speaks for itself. When you're ready to write mature, object-oriented applications in ActionScript 2.0, you're ready to pick this one up.