Customer Reviews

Foundation Flash CS4 for Designers

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a decent book on learning how to design on Flash CS4. While there is some Actionscript code interspersed throughout, the comments help explain the code on somewhat readable terms. (I loved the XML chapter, though!)

The book starts off with an introduction in using graphics, art, symbols, movieclips, and more in the Flash CS4 authoring environment. There are step-by-step examples that allow the reader to follow along and grasp such concepts vital in using Flash CS4. Then, the books delves into more complex activities, such as audio and video, text, and creating animations. Admittedly, I found the book's coverage on topics brand new to Flash CS4 such as Inverse Kinematics (bone-based animation) and 3D to be somewhat difficult to follow.

The money chapter is in the final chapter; it actually provides a couple of real-world examples of what you can do with Flash CS4, such as creating a slide show, a MP3 player, video controller, and dynamic loading. I found the chapter on optimizing and publishing Flash movies to be very useful.

One thing that was disappointing was its coverage on adding captioning to Flash video files. I found it somewhat confusing, especially using XML captions. I would have liked to know how to create cue points and how to create 'Timed Text' files.

This book provided excellent coverage on the basics of using Flash. However, I felt that it got a little bit more difficult when advanced concepts were discussed, such as 3D or IK. Granted, these advanced concepts deserve a whole book on their own, so condensing them to a chapter or two would be a difficult undertaking, I'm sure. I would have liked more coverage on Actionscript, beyond an introductory chapter. But, there's books on Actionscript, and the book's main focus is on using Flash CS4 from a designer's perspective.

I use Flash to develop simulation games that teach the basics of long-term investing in a fun and engaging manner. I needed to update a Flash version of one of my simulations that I had written in Flash MX or prior (can't really remember). I did not use Flash CS3 much and was intrigued by the new 3D features of Flash CS4. I wanted a book that could get me up to speed quickly while providing practical information on the new features. This book exceeded my expectations in that regard.

The chapters on the interface, creating artwork, symbols and libraries refreshed my memory at the same time they introduced me to new Flash tools. The action script chapter did a nice job of helping me transition from attaching script to buttons and movie clips to using event listeners and other aspects of AS 3.0. The animation and 3D chapters sparked a number of ideas that I'm now beginning to implement. I skimmed the video, CSS, and XML chapters and will return to these in more detail as needed.

As someone who creates educational simulations, I found David and Tom's book to take a very effective approach to getting up to speed on Flash CS4.

"Flash CS4 for Designers" contains a wealth of knowledge, however the inconsistencies between the book and downloadable files, as well as the apparent lack of editing made the whole experience frustrating.

Three of the chapters downloadable files refused to download properly from the first link provided in the book. The landing page of the second link stated that the book had no downloadable content. After doing a title search on the publisher's website and drilling down a few levels, I was able to download all of the lesson files. Or so I thought.

As I went through the chapters, I noticed typos and grammatical errors. This isn't a major problem until you start using writing action script or plugging values into to objects, and discover that it's not producing the desired results. I was able to troubleshoot some of the problems having discovered that some of the downloaded files weren't in the starting state that the book indicated. To help with this the publisher did include a completed file for you to compare your work against. In one case, I found that the completed file didn't match the action scripting indicated in the book. Since this was a lesson specifically on action scripting, the completed file provided was useless for checking action scripting on my working file. I do understand that coding can be written many ways to achieve the same results, however if you're teaching the "longhand" version of action scripting then the completed file should reflect the "longhand" version as well.

While a lot of the problems I encountered centered around the provided files not being available or just in various states of completion that didn't correspond with the text, sloppiness is the underlying problem for the book as a whole. As an unexpected bonus, you will learni trouble-shooting just to get through the book.

An important thing to note is that I purchased this book in mid-December 2008, and the copyright date on the inside cover is 2009. Perhaps the book was intended to go through an editor one last time pushing the release back to 2009.

I have written to the publisher to make them aware of the poor quality of "Flash CS4 for Designers", and they are looking into the problems. Hopefully, future editions of the book will be much more professional.

While I wouldn't recommend "Flash CS4 for Designers" I would recommend reading "Adobe Flash CS4 Classroom in a Book" which I read prior to this publication. It isn't as in depth, but there are no consistency issues to make the learning process more frustrating.

I had to get this book for one of my classes and must say it's great. it arrived on time and in new condition.

I just bought Foundation Flash CS4 for Designers, and have read all the way through two chapters- that is, the two chapters on action script and XML. I am very pleased. I am a designer who learned AS2 on CS3 in school and had a need for something to bring me up to speed. I have never read a program manuel that is actually WELL written. Sometimes the examples make me chuckle at times due to the authors' sense of humor, which is unheard of in this vein. They start off very basic and explain all of the terms very thoroughly using analogies to facilitate understanding. Then they slowly build on the tutorials and have you check your work the whole way to build a frame of reference as you move toward more complex work. When they give action script snipets each line is logically explained right afterward. That being said, I have only read the two chapters but I am sure this book is going to open a lot of possibilities for me that I was unaware of within Flash, and make my work much easier in the long run. My only kink is that I wish that it were just a tad more extensive; though the book is huge already, so how much can you really expect in one volume? I am now faced with picking out two more books- one for AS3 and one for XML. Of course you could get an individual volume on any one of the chapters covered in this book!

The first Flash CS4 book I read was atrocious; the second one was good but still left some gaps (from other authors). This book has blown me away. It is excellent and complete. The authors (Tom Green and David Stiller) meticulously describe every facet of this program and leave no stone unturned. I have read many other books in general on graphics and thought I knew it all. Tom and David showed me things that were never mentioned in other books.

Not only are these guys very knowledgeable in this subject, they are expert at teaching too, something that is rare these days.

Marc

Flash CS4 has been greatly updated from previous versions and this book written by Tom Green and David Stiller has updated all the new features in CS4 and explains it very throughly in an easy-to-understand manner.

Chapter 1: Learning the Flash CS4 Professional Interface

Chapter 2: Creating Artwork in Flash

Chapter 3: Symbols and Libraries

Chapter 4: Actionscript Basics

Chapter 5: Audio

Chapter 6: Text

Chapter 7: Animation

Chapter 8: Animation, Part 2

Chapter 9: Flash Gets a Third Dimension

Chapter 10: Video

Chapter 11: Building Interfaces With the UI Components

Chapter 12: CSS

Chapter 13: XML (Dynamic Data)

Chapter 14: Building Stuff

Chapter 15: Optimizing and Publishing Flash Movies

Lots of interesting topics you will learn from this book which includes creating effective animations using the new Motion Editor and animation tools; how to use 3D features to animate objects in 3D space; how to create captioned video and full-screen video, and deploy HD video, how to use Flash UI components as well as XML documents; create interactive presentations.

The author setup the book in sections using a series tutorials which explains basic Flash CS4 techniques to the point where you can create animations, MP3 players, and customized Flash video players. Each chapter has a "Your Turn" exercise to review what has been taught and helps the reader create something real-life useful for your own flash website.

This is a book that is not only constructed for the beginner flash user to the exisiting flash user who wants to quickly update their skills from older versions of flash to the latgest CS4 version.

A great book and something that should be in your library.

The books of the series Foundation offer solid concepts for each application and in this case of Flash. This book cover almost all major aspects of Flash offer a clear and comprehensive explanation of each concept through examples that the reader can follow through the files can be downloaded from the website of the publisher.

The book includes the new characteristics of the version CS4 of Flash such as the Motion Tween, the 3D, Spray and Deco tools and the Adobe Media Encoder.

Designers who do not want to bother programming interfaces be grateful for the chapter destined to the components, however the topics such as the basics of ActionScript 3, applying styles with CSS, working with video and dynamic data management through XML will provide an step ahead of the simple animation in time line.

Although in general the entire book contains important topics, personally emphasized the last two chapters: "Building Stuff" and "Optimizing and Publishing Flash Movies". "Building Stuff" focuses on typical real-world examples such as a preload, a slideshow and an MP3 player using AS3 and XML, the latter is probably the most interesting example that you will find and you will can make. "Optimizing and Publishing Flash Movies" focuses on best practices to create and publish Flash movies in various formats.

Foundation Flash CS4 for Designers is definitely a book that can take advantage the novice user of Flash and also the experience user that want to know the news tools in Flash CS4 and more specialized topics such as CSS and XML.

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Los libros de la serie Foundation ofrecen conceptos o fundamentos sólidos de cada aplicación y en este caso, de Flash. Este libro cobre casi todos los aspectos fundamentales de Flash ofreciendo una explicación clara y extensa de cada concepto por medio de ejemplos que el lector puede seguir mediante los archivos que puede descargar de la página web de la editorial.

El libro incluye las nuevas caracteríticas de la versión CS4 de Flash tales como el Motion Tween, la herramientas de 3D, Spray y Deco y el Adobe Media Encoder.

Los diseñadores que no quieren molestarse en la programación de interfaces agradecerán el capítulo destinado a los componentes, sin embargo los temas como los fundamentos de ActionScript 3, aplicación de estilos con CSS, trabajo con video y el manejo de datos dinámicos mediante XML que permitirán dar un paso más adelante de la simple animación en línea de tiempo.

Aunque en general todo el libro contiene temas importantes, personalmente resalto los dos últimos capítulos: "Building Stuff" y "Optimizing and Publishing Flash Movies". "Building Stuff" se enfoca en ejemplos típicos del mundo real tales como una precarga, un slideshow y un reproductor MP3 mediante AS3 y XML, éste último es problablemente el ejemplo más interesante que usted encontrará y que podrá realizar. "Optimizing and Publishing Flash Movies" se enfoca en las mejores prácticas para generar películas Flash y publicarlas en diversos formatos.

Foundation Flash CS4 for Designers es en definitiva un libro que podrá aprovechar el usuario novato de Flash y también el usuario con experiencia que quiere conocer las novedades de Flash CS4 y temas más especilizados como CSS y XML.

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Marlon Ceballos

Colombia Adobe User Group Manager

As soon as my son showed up for class the professor said that CS5 had just come out and he was making the newer book the class text. Wow! So, it was fun while it lasted but the textbooks can't keep up with the technology and we're on to the next before he had a chance to look through the last. Wonder what CS4 is lacking?

Yeah, just like the title explains, I liked it and I was happy with the turn around time. What more can I say?