Macromedia Flash MX Professional 2004 Application Development: Training from the Source [Paperback]

Jeanette Stallons (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 10, 2004 | ISBN-10: 0321238346 | ISBN-13: 978-0321238344 | Edition: 1

Author Jeanette Stallons has spent a lot of time thinking about application development with Flash MX--so that you don't have to! Instead, you can get right down to doing: Drawing on the wealth of information Jeanette has developed as technical lead for Macromedia's Authorized Training curriculum, this volume offers a series of step-by-step tutorials that will have you using all of Flash MX 2004's new features in the process of developing a dynamic real-world Flash application. Along the way, you'll learn about using ActionScript 2.0, the Flash UI component framework and dynamic data, screens, MovieClip objects, and more. In the end, you'll come away with a solid grounding in Flash theory and technique that will propel your own projects to stunning results. The accompanying DVD includes all of the project files required to complete the book¿s exercises as well as a trial version of Flash MX 2004.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jeanette Stallons is Curriculum Architect at Macromedia where she is the technical lead for defining the scope and content of the Macromedia Authorized Training curriculum. In the last year she co-developed, written, and built the Developing Rich Internet Applications with Flash MX and Advanced ColdFusion MX Development courses. Between product cycles, she divides her time teaching the courses, training, certifying, and supporting instructors' worldwide to teach the courses, building intranet and Internet applications, and speaking at conferences.

Product Details

• Paperback: 672 pages
• Publisher: Macromedia Press; 1 edition (May 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321238346
• ISBN-13: 978-0321238344
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,240,255 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Flash MX Professional 2004 Application Development, October 11, 2004

By 

C. McGrew "real name is actually T. Wagner (w... (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Macromedia Flash MX Professional 2004 Application Development: Training from the Source (Paperback)

I am writing this in mid-October 2004 after just having finished the book. I honestly wonder if the guy that posted a review in early Oct. actually tried to work through it.

Do NOT buy this book! Wait for the next edition. (Or buy a used copy keeping what I am about to tell you in mind.) It is outdated even though it just came out in April 2004. In July of 2004, Flash Professional MX 2004 was updated to version 7.2 which was actually a minor free (patch) upgrade. However, it had significant changes for those using Flash Professional for Rich Internet Applications (AKA Flash screen based development). Most other Flash books are not affected, as this is really the only book that is advanced enough to go into screens based development and Flash Remoting in Flash MX Professional 2004 in detail.

The book itself is actually very good as far as tech how-to books go. However, starting in Chapter 9 (the book has 16 chapters overall) it totally starts to fall apart. The way that you capture events thrown to the page in an external actionscript class file has changed. All of the code presented in the book on how to do this will no longer work. This obviously includes all of the included example files. It no longer works because the upgrade added a new class for dealing with this. It is not obvious. It took me quite awhile to track down the fix (which actually ends up just being a class import and then rewriting your event listeners so they use this imported class). You then have to recognize where this is done throughout the rest of the book and recode accordingly. The Macromedia forums were no help either as of this writing (saw lots of postings saying gee this doesn't work, but no solution). Finally figured out it had something to do with the upgrade, as someone said it stopped working after that. If you do buy this book, then go read what changes took place with the 7.2 upgrade in the Flash Dev Center on Macromedia's site. You will be able to figure out how to fix it.

Also, Chapter 14 is all about using Flash Remoting. When the book was written Flash Remoting was not yet updated to use AS 2.0, and as such you couldn't reference AS files externally by import statements (which is the main point of this book). Instead, you are given the directions for using include files on the main timeline. The author admits in the book that this will probably change soon to use AS 2.0. It did, and in a big way. The two main classes you are taught to use have also been 'depreciated' and replaced by something else. So, not only do you have to figure out how to convert it to work (which isn't a big deal) but also you have to rewrite it using new classes (which are detailed well in the updated Help files -thank you Macromedia).

Don't get me wrong, I learned a ton from this book. However, I am also already a certified .NET developer comfortable with coding and finding answers in Help files, online, etc. I just want anyone who buys this book to know what they are getting into. The 'errata' page for the book still states 'none found so far' which is ridiculous and there doesn't seem to be much forum help either. (Lots of activity for the other less advanced non-screens based, non-pro, Flash MX 2004 book though.)

My advice is to buy this used, keeping in mind what I said, or wait for the next edition. Or better yet, save the $ and learn from the tutorials online on Macromedia's site. That really isn't an option for a beginner, but if you have coding experience it might be less painful (and is more up to date) than this book.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This book should come with a warning, November 4, 2004

By 

Patrick Davis (Robertsdale, Alabama) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Macromedia Flash MX Professional 2004 Application Development: Training from the Source (Paperback)

This book is for Actionscript 1.0!!!! Let me say that again, THIS BOOK IS FOR ACTIONSCRIPT 1.0!!!! Do not buy this if you have the letest version of Flash MX 2004 with actionscript 2.0. Up until the 9th chapter or so it woks alright. After that it all falls apart. The excersises become almost impossible because of the difference between the two versions. I bought this book based on the reviews writen on this site. None mentioned this fact so I am writing this so that anyone else who looks at this book is aware right away. Wait for an updated book. This really should be pulled or a warning should be put somewhere that this is not for the latest version. I hope that I can save someone else some money buy letting them know eactly what is in this book. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!! (Unless you are still using actionscript 1.0, in which case disregard everything I have said here today)

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Author Got a Little Lost in Own Steps, May 5, 2005

By 

koder (Garden Grove, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Macromedia Flash MX Professional 2004 Application Development: Training from the Source (Paperback)

I'll be brief. It teaches efficient programming and good tips for beginner programmers but don't try to follow the steps outlined in the book. Seems that author got lost in his own steps. For example page 144 step 8 doesn't indicate that you should place the onChanged code in the "calcObject.as" file, instead it says that you sould place it after the onKillFocus event. I lost a lot of time trying to figure out why my program wasn't working (wanting to practice debugging) until I finally looked at the files in the DVD. I'd say just read the book and test using the files that came in the DVD if things don't work.