Macromedia Flash 8: Training from the Source [With CDROM]

by James H. English

Flash 8 provides the tools, authoring power, and video capabilities you need to provide stunning interactive content. This Macromedia-certified guide provides the key to learning the basics of Flash... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0321336291
• ISBN13: 9780321336293
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Macromedia Press
• Length: 398 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 7.4" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

from a new convert

I'm a recent convert to Flash 8 Professional, so my interest in the Flash 8 Training from the Source book was high in the beginning. The book is well-crafted, written especially for a beginner, and I find that, in some cases, I can move among the lessons to grab just what I need for two time-intense projects I've been working on. The first project I wanted help with was the opening sequence to the Indiana-Princeton-Tennessee Astrobiology Initiative's website (http://www.indiana.edu/~deeplife). For the IPTAI website opening I needed to import a Quicktime (QT) movie that I had composed in After Effects. It took several tries, but I finally figured out that if I imported it as a movie clip and separated the audio, Flash put the video and the audio on their own timelines. That way I could sync the audio (as much as possible) to the video and add actions to the video on another timeline. It's a clumsy way of working, but for this short sequence and looping audio, it's ok. I wouldn't try it if I needed precise sync, I'd try something else (not sure what). The second project is another QT After Effects animation without sound. I imported it as progressive download and with that choice I could embed cue points and link them to navigation so people can choose which parts of the animation they want to see. Flash 8 Pro also has a collection of pre-made skins to choose from which made the project a lot easier. The buttons are already programmed to start, stop, pause, and go to the cue points. The first project was very successful, but I didn't rely heavily on the book's tutorials because I was using the video import capabilities in Flash 8 Pro and the book doesn't address those. The second project is a bit more challenging. As I write this I am cruising through the tutorials trying to find relevant examples for embedding video and adding components with behaviors. What I am finding are incomplete lessons with the hope of more suitable information later on somewhere in the book. I'm pretty sure I can get what I need to complete this project from the help menu in Flash 8 Pro rather than from Training from the Source: it will take some time to work through the lessons for what I'm certain will be a valuable exercise. The book speaks to beginners like me in a tone that isn't belittling so I am encouraged to explore further and seek my own resources where the book is lacking. The book is definitely worth buying and working through. I am not a programmer by any stretch, so I appreciate tutorials that assume I do not speak geek. ~Ruth Droppo

A very good "getting started" title for me...

Flash is one of those technologies that's like a black box to me. I'm not good with graphics, and I really don't know how people produce those Flash animations on the web. But a recent review copy of Macromedia Flash 8 Training from the Source by James English might actually allow me to understand the basics... Contents: Learning the Basics; Creating Graphics; Using Text; Creating and Editing Symbols; Creating Animations; Adding Basic Interactivity; Adding Sound and Video; Creating Forms Using Components; Learning ActionScript Basics; Loading and Optimizing Flash Content; Publishing Flash Documents; Installing Extensions; Resources; Keyboard Shortcuts; Index English takes the reader through eleven chapters that cover all the basic tasks and functions within Flash. The book comes with a trial copy of Macromedia Flash 8, so it's not like to have to spend hundreds of dollars before you can even use the book. The material is very much a step-by-step approach, with all the sample files included. The target project is creating a bookstore site, so all the exercises build on one another so that you have a finished project by the time you're done. The layout of the chapters is very nicely done, also. You're told what the chapter will cover, what you will learn, how long it should take, and what lesson files you'll need from the CD. At the end, there's a recap telling you what you *have* learned so that it's all reinforced. Each "do this" step is followed by a brief commentary on what is happening as well as any tips that might be useful to you. All in all, I can see that 15 or so hours spent with this book would definitely demystify the whole Flash concept. It doesn't mean I'm switching careers, mind you, but at least there's one less black hole in my knowledge landscape... :)

The best resource for Flash beginners

Macromedia Flash professional 8 training from the Source is a member of the training from the source series that lets you learn by example. The book is good for beginners that need to know about Flash. In the beginning, Tom Green and Jordan L. Chilcott introduce Flash interface and walk through the program features with some useful example for better understanding for the program and its features. For sure, it is not useful if you want to go deeper and more advanced in the program, but it is still a very good start. This book is also a very useful resource for the Flash certification exam beside the study guide.