Flash 5 with ActionScript Magic [With CDROM]

by Scott Hamlin, J. Scott Hamlin, David J. Emberton

Macromedia Flash 4 was the standard for web animation and interactivity, and Flash 5 contained improvements in content creation, interactivity, and portability. Those designers not currently using... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0735710236
• ISBN13: 9780735710238
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: New Riders Publishing
• Length: 375 Pages
• Weight: 2.11 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 10.0" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Wonderful!

After hearing about it from numerous people I am happy to say this book lives up to its great rep. The visuals are fab and the CD source code flawless. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!!The great thing about this book is that you will not be able to put it down. If you already have a foundational understanding of Flash, you will be up and running immediately. There is no wasting of time with basics that you already know or theoretical waxings. This book will get you working on ActionScript and more in no time.

Good Stuff, Give me More

I can't wait for the next book, I want more. I purchased after seeing some of the great reviews. Frankly I suspect a couple may be from competing authors.The code works fine, in fact the samples in the book are all contained on the CD-ROM and guess what, it works. Hmm makes you wonder about the validity of "some" comments doesn't it.The layout of the book is very easy to follow and understand. What I really liked is the usefullness of the projects.

For ActionScript, no other Flash book touches this one

The few bad reviews I've seen so far on this book are awfully nitpicky. What's the deal with Mr. validated XML--Flash doesn't care! Flash as an XML parser--or whatever--leaves a lot to be desired. Anyway, that point is irrelevent where Flash is concerned and in any case, the examples in the book sure work for me. Besides the real point, IMHO, is that this book blows away all the other ActionScript books--at least in the depth department. Sure, if you want to learn ActionScript from the ground up, start elsewhere, but if you want to go beyond the basics, Flash 5 Magic is without peer.

No Fluff

If you're tired of how-to books that utilize examples full of fluff and stuff that you can't really use for anything, you'll find this book a welcome relief.My goal was to understand the new Action Script in Flash 5, but not merely in an academic way, I wanted something that uses "real-world" examples. Flash 5 Magic is doing just that. I say doing because there is so much meat in this thing that it'll take a while before I'll completely digest it all.I say hats-off to the Flash 5 Magic team, they've created a real winner and one that you other how-to book authors should model your next book after. At least you won't have frustrated guys like me sending you email and calling you wondering when you are going to get out of academia and into the real world.

6 Stars!! It's that good!

I thought Flash 4 Magic was great, but this version, which is a Totally different book, is in a category of it's own. But be warned, when the category listing says intermediate to Advanced, it means it. Of course that's what useres at that level want. If you want a beginners book, check out Friends of Ed foundational book or the Idiots book (I hate that title) but Mr. Karlins did a great job for the beginner.You want the meat and potatoes of Flash, this is a great book. It uses Real World projects such as managing your assests, designing a shared library, and tons of ActionScript. Is this the "pretty" stuff, no, but it sure helps you get the job done.Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of the pretty stuff too, but with the pretty comes setting up rotation and alpha transparency, animating mouse effects, randomized arrays. There is just so much in this book, I couldn't begin to tell it all. You will even implement databases and add content to an XML document. This is a very deep book and the tough subjects are not avoided.You will not regret investing in your future by purchasing this book.Even if you are new with ActionScript you will be able to figure it out with this book. Not to say a total novice opening Flash for the first time would be comfortable.