Macromedia's Flash - now at version 5 - is the de facto standard for delivery of animation to the Web. It is a fast-loading, easy-to-use application with a surprisingly small footprint. An object oriented scripting language, ActionScript, has been developed to control anima-tion and multimedia within Flash 5.

ActionScript is built into the Flash 5 application and contains the macro command set that has been developed over successive versions. That set has been codified into the new feature which has a JavaScript look, but is "modelled after the ECMAScript standard (ECMA-262)" [ActionScript: The Definitive Guide]. With that development a significant difference has been introduced in the way Flash 3-4 and Flash 5 are programmed. "The difference . is quite large. The environment and commands are almost completely different." [Flash 5 ActionScript for Fun and Games].
 
In keeping with the increasing practice of making web applications XML-compliant, ActionScript includes an XML Class. The XML features are designed specifically for XML programmers, enabling them to manage connections between XML documents and servers. For ordinary users there is inbuilt support for HTML.
 
A feature of ActionScript is that ordinary users can acquire a somewhat superficial knowledge that will satisfy their needs. They don't have to have a solid theoretical foundation to make Flash 5 do the things they want it to do. Professional developers will need a full understanding of all ActionScript's technical detail. For those who want to use ActionScript there are some useful resources that should satisfy users at all levels.
 
Virtual Classroom

Flash 5: Virtual Classroom is an interactive tutorial in book-and-CD format that provides an easy entry to version 5 and its new features for beginners through to intermediate-level users. I found the book to be a well-organised series of lessons suitable for beginners through to intermediate-level users. By "beginner" I mean someone who is using Flash for the first time, not a novice computer user.

The style is strictly tutorial. Specific processes are dealt with in clear, step-by-step instructions supported by good use of illustrations. Annotated screen shots show the student exactly what they should see, and explain what represents what. As in any high-end graphics application, the window can be surrounded by a confusing array of "instrumentation".

Each chapter covers a subject, such as working with layers, and within the chapter individual topics focus on a specific task.
 
A companion CD contains supplementary video-based lessons that follow a seminar format. Just as a presenter describes and explains particular facets of an application, a video clip of the author displays in a separate window with each lesson. An interesting use of the medium.
 
For newcomers to Flash and those who have some experience of earlier versions, this is a very good self-teaching resource. The style is clear and brief - literally doing it by numbers - which makes the book a useful reference to keep at hand. Many classroom-style texts lose their usefulness once the basic skills are mastered, but for those who will not be using Flash at a professional level, this book should serve the need for an ongoing reference.

Doug Sahlin: Flash 5 Virtual Classroom ISBN 0-07-213115-2 Published by Osborne McGraw-Hill,  96 pp. + CD, RRP $69.95 incl. GST

Programming with ActionScript

From the Coriolis fx & Design series, Flash ActionScript is about putting the scripting language to practical use. Programming and scripting language novices who have used earlier versions of Flash should find this title an excellent introduction. The intended audience is intermediate-to-advanced users who are moving from versions 3-4 to version 5.
 
The book is not for novices; they should start with Virtual Classroom, or look out for a forthcoming title in the Dummies series. It is suitable for hose who have used earlier versions of Flash, but who have no programming experience. They should find it a valuable introduction to ActionScript.
 
An introductory chapter explains what users can do with ActionScript and provides some simple examples. 
Two chapters introduce ActionScript programming, discussing variables and data types, operators, event handling, properties and functions, and so on. The author carefully, and clearly, explains what all those terms mean and how to create scripts. Apart from being an excellent introduction to ActionScript, the section provides a good foundation for anyone who wants to learn a scripting language.

The tutorial style - which is very well done - focuses on technical aspects of programming with ActionScript. Anyone who wants to achieve an in-depth grasp of the scripting side of Flash should find this title a very good resource. Example programs, with annotated source code, are used to illustrate the lessons. A companion CD contains all the necessary files for readers to practice the lessons.

Throughout there are side panels with useful notes and tips. These provide sound advice and are not simply quotes lifted from the main text. The illustrations, mostly screen shots, do a good job of supporting the text.

The emphasis is on teaching the under-lying programming skills necessary to making the best use of ActionScript. Those fundamentals are common to all scripting languages; if you want a sound theoretical foundation this is a text worth having. It is not just for Flash professionals, but is suitable for any user who wants to achieve the best results.
 
The companion CD (windows/Mac) contains trial versions of Flash 5, DreamWeaver 3, and Freehand 9 as well as source code (and related files) for the examples.
 
A particularly well-presented tutorial on ActionScript. The layout and typographic design are pleasing to the eye, and the contents are well organised.

Bill Sanders: Flash ActionScript ISBN 1-57610-821-X Published by Coriolis, 313 pp.,  RRP $100.95 incl. GST

Macromedia Flash 5 ActionScript

The full title of this recent text is Macromedia Flash 5 ActionScript for Fun & Games; it uses various game formats in a series of practical tutorials that introduce ActionScript and show how to use it.

Professional web site developers who have not used Flash seriously, but who need to acquire a better acquaintance, should find this a useful introduction that covers a wide range of applications. It is also a valuable resource for animators, illustrators, casual Web page owners, and students.
 
The style is casual, but the book is not a hand-holding introduction for raw novices. The content is presented in a series of lessons grouped under topics that are mainly to with making games and toys; indeed, the book's sub-title is, ActionScript for Fun and Games. That theme may seem trivial, but the tutorials contain a considerable depth of technical information relevant to any application. Furthermore, the author is able to illustrate - very effectively -how ActionScript is employed to achieve a wide range of effects, from the simple to the complex. There is also a discussion of how to protect your creations from unauthorised copying.

If you want to create games, or game-like presentations, this is the text to have. A companion web site contains all the source code, sample movies, etc. for download. For those with more serious aims, the techniques are easily adapted - and the acquisition of the necessary knowledge will be painless.

A very practical introduction to ActionScript. Don't be fooled by the "fun and games" in the title; the author has cleverly used the games genre to introduce techniques that can be transferred to professional level Web programming.

Gary Rosenzwieg: Macromedia Flash 5 ActionScript ISBN 0-7897-2524-X Published by QUE, 415 pp,  RRP $87.95 incl. GST

ActionScript - The Definitive Guide

If you want a detailed ActionScript language reference, this O'Reilly title is, in my opinion, the best. It is not a tutorial or how-to book, but a detailed guide written in "tractional terms". However, as the author says, "This book is not just for programmers . [and] a prior knowledge of programming is not required to read it. All you need is experience with the non-ActionScript aspects of Flash and an eagerness to learn" - the operative words are `eagerness to learn'. It can be read by those who have no "prior knowledge of programming"; after all, readability is a feature common to all O'Reilly books, no matter how esoteric the subject. In short, this is a guide for those who are serious about learning and using ActionScript.
 
The book is in parts. Part 1, ActionScript Fundamentals, takes up about half the book. It opens with a chapter, A gentle introduction for non-programmers, which helps the novice 'walk the walk and talk the talk'. Then follow chapters that explain variables, data and datatypes, operators, statements, conditionals, loop statements, functions, events and even handlers, arrays, objects and classes, movie clips, lexical structure, and advanced topics. This part of the book contains excellent discussions suitable for non-programmers who want to get a handle on the technical side of ActionScript.
 
Part 2, Applied ActionScript, deals with putting ActionScript to work. Chapters deal with the authoring environment, forms, on-screen text fields, and debugging. The discussion focuses on practical issues.

Part 3, Language Reference, is an alphabetical listing of all the built-in classes, objects, functions, properties, and event handlers. Each entry follows a common format and a sample of code is used to illustrate usage. The entries are brief, but complete; the object is to present a succinct reference for users who know what they are doing.
 
Appendices contain useful tabulated data that includes notes on backward compatibility with earlier versions of Flash and how ActionScript differs from JavaScript and ECMA-62.

The claim to "definitive reference" is well deserved. If you want Flash 5 for no more than driving to church on Sundays this is not the vehicle for you; if you need technical depth, want to know what's under the bonnet, or even aspire to driving Formula One, this is an essential reference.

Colin Moock: ActionScript - The Definitive Guide ISBN 1-56592-952-0 Published by O'Reilly, 696 pp.  RRP $115.00 incl. GST