An expanded update of the original bestseller, this book helps you build compelling Web sites using the newest features of Flash 4. Produce cutting-edge Web graphics with advanced animation tools such as transparency, Flash movies, and Action Scripts.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
Few technologies offer so much for so little like Macromedia Flash. Big impact with little overhead is Flash's modus operandi when it comes to presenting on the Web. Flash 4 Web Animation, part of the Coriolis "f/x and Design" series, does a solid job of introducing Flash to the new user, and it teaches several important concepts for creating contemporary, sophisticated work.
The opening chapter, "A Flash Snapshot," is an excellent overview of the technology and new and changed features in version 4, while subsequent chapters introduce the Flash toolset and basic drawing techniques. Animation and interactivity are covered in chapters 6 ("Basic Animation") through 9 ("Automating Flash with ActionScript").
A particularly important aspect of Flash--using it to interact and communicate with other programs (and what file formats it can create)--is discussed in chapter 12. The little used, but powerful, feature of adding a Flash layer to a QuickTime 4 movie is also explained here. If you haven't yet investigated this feature, it's worth checking out. By adding a Flash layer, the user has DVD-like menu control over the playback of the QuickTime movie--an ideal feature for adding tables of content or chapter headings for training CDs, for example. This chapter also discusses how to use forms to gather information from the user, and how to send that data to other applications or URLs.
Flash 4 Web Animation covers a good deal more than animating in Flash, but it doesn't spend enough time on animation itself. It's a well-rounded book, though, and a good introduction to using this Web-content tool. --Mike Caputo
About the Author
Ken Milburn (Oakland, CA) is a photo-digital illustrator and freelance writer. He is coauthor of Converting Content for Web Publishing and author of Designing Web Pages with PageMill 2.0. More than 250 of his articles/reviews have appeared in nationally renowned publications such as PCWorldand Mac User.
Ken Milburn (Oakland, CA) is a photo-digital illustrator and freelance writer. He is coauthor of Converting Content for Web Publishing and author of Designing Web Pages with PageMill 2.0. More than 250 of his articles/reviews have appeared in nationally renowned publications such as PCWorldand Mac User. John Croteau (Rockville, MD) is a recognized expert in Macromedia Flash.He appeared on stage as a guest speaker for UCON 99 and, together with Jon Gay, provided technical support for Ralph Mittman at the Optimizing Flash conference.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing for beginning to intermediate users.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Flash 4 Web Animation f/x and Design (Paperback)
I bought this book solely because of J. Croteau's contribution. oy. J. Croteau is undoubtedly a Flash genius but he's no technical writer. Ideas and concepts need to be presented in a more logical format. He assumes a knowledge level that will frustrate beginning and intermediate users. His instructional writing style would give Stephen Hawking a nosebleed.
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
action scripting?,
By roni (silicon valley) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Flash 4 Web Animation f/x and Design (Paperback)
i specifically bought this book for flash's action scripting. they (the authors) never really explain in detail how to use it. no examples, even the cd is vague, they go into detail technically, but no real life applications. it's almost if it was copied from an owners manuel. if you want real life examples you must go to their web site. which is fine, but i wish i would have known that before i kicked down the money for the book.
29 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Flash 4 Web Animation F/X and Design,
This review is from: Flash 4 Web Animation f/x and Design (Paperback)
A "Must have" for any one struggling to learn Flash 4, also a great knowledge builder for Flash 3 users. Even though this book provides highly technical information about a pretty complex technology but it has a reader friendly tone...not loaded with obscure Jargon! The book is broken down into 13 chapters, each filled with "To the point" info about the tools and application of some "Nifty" techniques. As a web developer I loved chapter 9 " Automating Flash with ActionScript" This chapter alone pays off the book! Flash 4 Color Studio - is very cool. It shows quite a few examples of Flash in Live Action. If you are looking to buy "One Book" on Flash 4...then this book is all what you need! The only complaint I have is the lack of REAL SCOOP on Expert Level Production Tricks...But still a great companion to a "Fully loaded Mac G4 and a pair of 21' Trinitrons"
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