Essential ActionScript 2.0

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by: Colin Moock

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On-line Price: $52.95 (includes GST) Paperback package 528 20%Off Retail Price You save: $13.00 Please call us to check availability	Retail Price: $65.95 Publisher: O'REILLY,2004/06/15 Category: Level: ISBN: 0596006527 ISBN13: 9780596006525
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Full Description

In September 2003, Macromedia released Flash MX 2004, and with it, ActionScript 2.0, a dramatically improved version of Flash's programming language. ActionScript 2.0 introduces a formal object-oriented programming syntax and methodology for creating Flash applications. From a developer's perspective, the new OOP-based techniques in ActionScript 2.0 make applications more natural to plan and conceptualize, more stable, more reusable across projects, easier to maintain, change, and expand upon, and much more. In short, they enhance the entire development process.

  In Essential ActionScript 2.0, bestselling author Colin Moock--one of the most universally respected developers in the Flash community--covers everything you'll need to know about the new ActionScript language and its methodologies for producing movies, animation, and applications on the web. Moock guides readers through this important new territory with his trademark easy-to-understand style and expertise. Moock's goal throughout the book is not just to get you to use object-oriented programming in your daily Flash work: he wants you to reap the benefits of OOP; he wants you to understand ActionScript 2.0 completely. And without question, Moock is the author who can make this happen.

  Essential ActionScript 2.0 begins with a tour of the language, including the fundamentals of object-oriented concepts, syntax, and usage. Those who are new to OOP will learn the basics and how to apply their understanding. Those who are familiar with OOP will leverage their prior experience to learn about Flash-based OOP. The next part of the book shows how to structure entire applications with ActionScript 2.0, teaching you best practices and techniques to build scalable, extensible, stable apps. Next, you'll explore a variety of approaches to various programming situations by applying object-oriented programming strategies, known as design patterns, to Flash.

  Experienced Flash developers and programmers coming from other languages will enjoy the sheer depth of Moocks's coverage and expertise in Essential ActionScript 2.0. Novice programmers will appreciate the frequent, low-jargon explanations that are often glossed over by advanced programming books. As usual, Moock guarantees quality and accuracy by working closely with Macromedia Flash engineers, including Rebecca Sun, lead developer of ActionScript 2.0.

Whether you're ready to make the move to ActionScript 2.0 now or simply assessing it for the future, you'll find everything you need to know within this book. Essential ActionScript 2.0 is the one book every ActionScript coder must own.

Table of Contents

Foreword

  Preface

      Part I. The ActionScript 2.0 Language

  1. ActionScript 2.0 Overview

          ActionScript 2.0 Features

          Features Introduced by Flash Player 7

          Flash MX 2004 Version 2 Components

          ActionScript 1.0 and 2.0 in Flash Player 6 and 7

          Let's Go OOP

  2. Object-Oriented ActionScript

          Procedural Programming and Object-Oriented Programming

          Key Object-Oriented Programming Concepts

          But How Do I Apply OOP?

          On with the Show!

  3. Datatypes and Type Checking

          Why Static Typing?

          Type Syntax

          Compatible Types

          Built-in Dynamic Classes

          Circumventing Type Checking

          Casting

          Datatype Information for Built-in Classes

          ActionScript 2.0 Type Checking Gotchas

          Up Next: Creating Classes-Your Own Datatypes!

  4. Classes

          Defining Classes

          Constructor Functions (Take 1)

          Properties

          Methods

          Constructor Functions (Take 2)

          Completing the Box Class

          Putting Theory into Practice

  5. Authoring an ActionScript 2.0 Class

          Class Authoring Quick Start

          Designing the ImageViewer Class

          ImageViewer Implementation (Take 1)

          Using ImageViewer in a Movie

          ImageViewer Implementation (Take 2)

          ImageViewer Implementation (Take 3)

          Back to the Classroom

  6. Inheritance

          A Primer on Inheritance

          Subclasses as Subtypes

          An OOP Chat Example

          Overriding Methods and Properties

          Constructor Functions in Subclasses

          Subclassing Built-in Classes

          Augmenting Built-in Classes and Objects

          The Theory of Inheritance

          Abstract and Final Classes Not Supported

          Let's Try Inheritance

  7. Authoring an ActionScript 2.0 Subclass

          Extending ImageViewer's Capabilities

          The ImageViewerDeluxe Skeleton

          Adding setPosition( ) and setSize( ) Methods

          Autosizing the Image Viewer

          Using ImageViewerDeluxe

          Moving Right Along

  8. Interfaces

          The Case for Interfaces

          Interfaces and Multidatatype Classes

          Interface Syntax and Use

          Multiple Type Inheritance with Interfaces

          Up Next, Packages

  9. Packages

          Package Syntax

          Defining Packages

          Package Access and the Classpath

          Simulating Packages in ActionScript 1.0

          Just a Little More Theory

  10. Exceptions

          The Exception-Handling Cycle

          Handling Multiple Types of Exceptions

          Exception Bubbling

          The finally Block

          Nested Exceptions

          Control Flow Changes in try/catch/finally

          Limitations of Exception Handling in ActionScript 2.0

          From Concepts to Code

      Part II. Application Development

  11. An OOP Application Framework

          The Basic Directory Structure

          The Flash Document (.fla file)

          The Classes

          The Document Timeline

          The Exported Flash Movie (.swf file)

          Projects in Flash MX Professional 2004

          Let's See It in Action!

  12. Using Components with ActionScript 2.0

          Currency Converter Application Overview

          Preparing the Flash Document

          The CurrencyConverter Class

          Handling Component Events

          Components Complete

  13. MovieClip Subclasses

          The Duality of MovieClip Subclasses

          Avatar: A MovieClip Subclass Example

          Avatar: The Composition Version

          Issues with Nested Assets

          A Note on MovieClip Sub-subclasses

          Curiouser and Curiouser

  14. Distributing Class Libraries

          Sharing Class Source Files

          Sharing Classes Without Sharing Source Files

          Solving Real OOP Problems

      Part III. Design Pattern Examples in ActionScript 2.0

  15. Introduction to Design Patterns

          Bring on the Patterns

  16. The Observer Design Pattern

          Implementing Observer in ActionScript 2.0

          Logger: A Complete Observer Example

          Memory Management Issues with Observer

          Beyond Observer

  17. The Singleton Design Pattern

          Implementing Singleton in ActionScript 2.0

          The Singleton Pattern in the Logger Class

          Singleton Versus Class Methods and Class Properties

          A Warning Against Singletons as Globals

          On to User Interfaces

  18. The Model-View-Controller Design Pattern

          The General Architecture of MVC

          A Generalized MVC Implementation

          An MVC Clock

          Further Exploration

  19. The Delegation Event Model

          Structure and Participants

          The Flow of Logic

          Core Implementation

          NightSky: A Delegation Event Model Example

          Other Event Architectures in ActionScript

          From Some Place to Some OtherPlace

      Part IV. Appendixes

  A. ActionScript 2.0 Language Quick Reference

  B. Differences from ECMAScript Edition 4

      Index