ActionScript : The Definitive Guide

Colin Moock, O'Reilly

ISBN:1565928520, Edition: 1, 2001-05

Price: $39.95

Table of Contents

Copyright Page

Foreword

Preface

Part 1: ActionScript Fundamentals

Chapter 1: A Gentle Introduction for Non-Programmers
Some Basic Phrases
Further ActionScript Concepts
Building a Multiple-Choice Quiz
Onward!

Chapter 2: Variables
Creating Variables (Declaration)
Assigning Variables
Changing and Retrieving Variable Values
Types of Values
Variable Scope
Some Applied Examples
Onward!

Chapter 3: Data and Datatypes
Data Versus Information
Retaining Meaning with Datatypes
Creating and Categorizing Data
Datatype Conversion
Primitive Data Versus Composite Data
Onward!

Chapter 4: Primitive Datatypes
The Number Type
Integers and Floating-Point Numbers
Numeric Literals
Working with Numbers
The String Type
Working with Strings
The Boolean Type
Undefined
Null
Onward!

Chapter 5: Operators
General Features of Operators
The Assignment Operator
Arithmetic Operators
The Equality and Inequality Operators
The Comparison Operators
The String Operators
The Logical Operators
The Grouping Operator
The Comma Operator
The void Operator
Other Operators
Onward!

Chapter 6: Statements
Types of Statements
Statement Syntax
The ActionScript Statements
Statements Versus Actions
Onward!

Chapter 7: Conditionals
The if Statement
The else Statement
The else if Statement
Simulating the switch Statement
Compact Conditional Syntax
Onward!

Chapter 8: Loop Statements
The while Loop
Loop Terminology
The do-while Loop
The for Loop
The for-in Loop
Stopping a Loop Prematurely
Timeline and Clip Event Loops
Onward!

Chapter 9: Functions
Creating Functions
Running Functions
Passing Information to Functions
Exiting and Returning Values from Functions
Function Literals
Function Availability and Life Span
Function Scope
Function Parameters Revisited
Recursive Functions
Internal Functions
Functions as Objects
Centralizing Code
The Multiple-Choice Quiz Revisited
Onward!

Chapter 10: Events and Event Handlers
Synchronous Code Execution
Event-Based AsynchronousCode Execution
Types of Events
Event Handlers
Event Handler Syntax
Creating Event Handlers
Event Handler Scope
Button Events
Movie Clip Events Overview
Movie-Playback Movie Clip Events
The User-Input Movie Clip Events
Order of Execution
Copying Clip Event Handlers
Refreshing the Screen with updateAfterEvent
Code Reusability
Dynamic Movie Clip Event Handlers
Event Handlers Applied
Onward!

Chapter 11: Arrays
What Is an Array?
The Anatomy of an Array
Creating Arrays
Referencing Array Elements
Determining the Size of an Array
Named Array Elements
Adding Elements to an Array
Removing Elements from an Array
General Array-Manipulation Tools
Multidimensional Arrays
The Multiple-Choice Quiz, Take 3
Onward!

Chapter 12: Objects and Classes
The Anatomy of an Object
Instantiating Objects
Object Properties
Methods
Classes and Object-Oriented Programming
Built-in ActionScript Classes and Objects
Onward!

Chapter 13: Movie Clips
The "Objectness" of Movie Clips
Types of Movie Clips
Creating Movie Clips
Movie and Instance Stacking Order
Referring to Instances and Main Movies
Removing Clip Instances and Main Movies
Built-in Movie Clip Properties
Movie Clip Methods
Applied Movie Clip Examples
The Last Quiz
Onward!

Chapter 14: Lexical Structure
Whitespace
Statement Terminators (Semicolons)
Comments
Reserved Words
Identifiers
Case Sensitivity
Onward!

Chapter 15: Advanced Topics
Copying, Comparing, and Passing Data
Bitwise Programming
Advanced Function Scope Issues
The movieclip Datatype
Onward!

Part 2: Applied ActionScript

Chapter 16: ActionScript Authoring Environment
The Actions Panel
Adding Scripts to Frames
Adding Scripts to Buttons
Adding Scripts to Movie Clips
Where's All the Code?
Productivity
Externalizing ActionScript Code
Packaging Components as Smart Clips
Onward!

Chapter 17: Flash Forms
The Flash Form Data Cycle
Creating a Flash Fill-in Form
Onward!

Chapter 18: On-Screen Text Fields
Dynamic Text Fields
User-Input Text Fields
Text Field Options
Text Field Properties
HTML Support
Working with Text Field Selections
Empty Text Fields and the for-in Statement
Onward!

Chapter 19: Debugging
Debugging Tools
Debugging Methodology
Onward!

Part 3: Language Reference

Chapter 20: ActionScript Language Reference
Global Functions
Global Properties
Built-in Classes and Objects
Entry Headings
Alphabetical Language Reference

Part 4: Appendixes

Appendix A: Resources

Appendix B: Latin 1 Character Repertoire and Keycodes

Appendix C: Backward Compatibility

Appendix D: Differences from ECMA-262 and JavaScript

Index

Colophon