ActionScript 2.0 Language Reference for Macromedia Flash 8 (Paperback)

~ Francis Cheng (Author), Jen deHaan (Author), Robert L. Dixon (Author), Shimul Rahim (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The ActionScript 2.0 Language Reference for Macromedia Flash 8 is a comprehensive reference manual that describes the application programming interface (API) for Macromedia Flash Player, the most pervasive client runtime environment in the world. It includes valuable syntax and usage information; detailed descriptions of classes, functions, properties, and events; and copy-and-paste code samples for every element in the ActionScript language.

The ActionScript 2.0 Language Reference for Macromedia Flash 8 will help you:
•    Learn how to use specific APIs efficiently and effectively
•    Understand the range and variety of functionality ActionScript offers
•    Repurpose Macromedia-tested code in your own applications

Powerful development and design tools require thorough and authoritative technical advice and documentation. When it comes to Macromedia Flash, no one is more authoritative than Macromedia Development and writing teams. Now their official documentation is available to you in printed book form. As you work, keep this guide by your side for ready access to valuable information on using Flash. We’ve designed it so that it’s easy to annotate as you progress.

About the Author

Francis Cheng, Jen deHaan, Robert L. Dixon, and Shimul Rahim are members of the staff of the Instructional Media Development team at Macromedia. The Macromedia Instructional Media Development (IMD) team is a group of technical writers, editors, and production engineers who create the technical documentation for all Macromedia products and technologies. Each product has a team of dedicated writers who document the help systems, feature descriptions, and learning paths that Macromedia customers use. Through their years of insider, hands-on product experience, the IMD team is uniquely qualified to bring you these official Macromedia-branded documentation reference guides.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1376 pages
• Publisher: Macromedia Press; 1 edition (October 23, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321384040
• ISBN-13: 978-0321384041
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #958,934 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Total ripp off [zero stars], April 2, 2004

By	J. Mulder (Amsterdam) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Macromedia Flash MX 2004 ActionScript 2.0 Dictionary (Paperback)

First of all, I am not that much of a review writer, but feel I have to add to the reviews above. I bought this book before the reviews above were written. If only I had waited. Anyway: why is this a ripp off?
1. it should have come with the software in the first place as the new help function within flash is totally unusable, and the documentation was far from complete.
2. it is full of mistakes, and the only erratum is the updated helpfunction with the software.
3. it was published at the time that even Macromedia knew that the documentation with their software was far from complete AND full of errors. Never could understand why they would repeat that unforgivable error in a book and dare ask money for it.

As a sidenote: the docs with the software are updated in the meantime, so you might as well put your printer to work if you need a printed copy. Don't waste your money on this book.

John

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great addition to the library, October 19, 2006

By	C. Hill "rascalpants" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Review of Actionscript Language Reference for Macromedia Flash 8

Introduction:

Actionscript Language Reference for Macromedia Flash 8 from Macromedia Press and Rew Riders is a "thick book" that every Flash Designer or Developer should have sitting next to the keyboard. But don't let the words "Macromedia Flash" fool you into thinking this book is about animation or designing in Flash. This is a no nonsense dictionary-style resource that provides a ton of information about the powerful scripting language behind Flash 8.

Because this is a reference book, I will be comparing the content to another book published by New Riders and Macromedia Press, Macromedia Flash MX 2004 Actionscript 2.0 Dictionary. These two books are very similar in content and I would consider the Flash 8 book to be the second
edition of the Flash MX 2004 book.


First the bad news:

Because I had previously read the Flash MX 2004 book, I was a little suprised to see that the Flash 8 book has omitted, in my opinion, some valualbe editorial content in the beginning of the book. The Flash MX 2004 book includes articles from Flash Community Leaders that helps to build a good foundation for the rest of the book. The second issue that I had while reviewing the Flash 8 book was that it was a bit harder to find the reference information I needed. This is because the Flash 8 book uses a different style to list the language elements that is a bit harder to read (see below example).


Flash MX 2004 Dictionary: LoadVars.onData

Flash 8 Language Reference: onData(LoadVars.onData handler)


The second example bunches up the information and provides redundant information, and the issue is compounded by the Font style that is used which a bit too "bubbly" and does not stand out as much as the font used in the Flash MX 2004 book.



Now for the good news:

While the lack of introductory content is a small issue, the Flash 8 book more than makes up for it with extra content added for each language element listed. The explanations have improved and I think the money spent on this book is given back by the greatly improved examples that are provided for each listing. There is not longer just a few lines of code for each example. The book now has extended examples that really help to explain how the language element should be used while.


Conclusion:

While there is room for improvement, this reference manual is full of examples that make up for any Issues that I have with the fonts and listing format. The depth of information is what makes this book a very valuable asset to own, and I would highly recommend picking up your own copy. On a scale of 1 to 10 I would give this book an 8.5 and recommend it to any Flash Developer or Flash Designer looking for a reference manual on Actionscript for the Flash 8 environment.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not with someone else's barge pole..., December 15, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Macromedia Flash MX 2004 ActionScript 2.0 Dictionary (Paperback)

Let me start off by saying that I knew before buying this book that the overwhelming majority of the material was a regurgitation of the online help information within Flash MX 2004 itself. Indeed, my main reason for buying was to have a hard copy of this information that I could plonk on my desk and refer to when necessary.

The biggest issue with this book is that the reference section seems not to be indexed at all, and neither do these pages have tabbed edges. In addition, the version of the documentation this is based on is full of errors and has some gaping holes that have since been fixed in the online help documentation. All these combine to make the book completely unusable as a reference.

Secondly, the articles are a complete waste fo time if you've done any basic reading up on the subject matter on the internet. You can find more helpful information on Flash MX 2004 and ActionScript 2.0 on the major Flash community sites, written by real community leaders that actually know what they're talking about. Admittedly I didn't buy the book for the articles, but had I done so I would have been severely disappointed.

At such a low price, I didn't expect a lot from this book and was prepared to forgive a few minor niggles. What I've now got is a moderately expensive door stop, and I would recommend heartily that anyone thinking about buying this book think again. If I could have given this book zero stars, I would have done, so I'm now waiting for the Moock/O'Reilly book on ActionScript 2.0 and OOP, which is what I should have done in the first place.