• Introducing variables
• Creating variables and using them with literals and expressions
• Naming variables
• Creating variables
• Using literal values
• Using expressions
• Input and output
• Using string expressions
• Working with numbers
• Other uses for numeric expressions
• Working with Boolean values
• Logic operators
• Arrays
• Reasons for using arrays
• Arrays let you store related information together
• Arrays let you hold information in a specific order
• Arrays let you index information
• Arrays let you link information
• Creating a new array
• Typing an array Using variable values as offsets

• Decision making
  
• Making decisions in ActionScript: The if action
  
• Defining a decision
  
• Alternative actions
  
• Acting on alternatives: The else action
  
• More than one alternative: The else if action
  
• Handling lots of alternatives: The switch action
  
• Switching without breaks

• Timeline loops
• ActionScript loops
• while loops
• Useful things to do with while loops
• for loops
• init
• condition
• next
• Some useful examples of for loops
• Simple loop
• Reverse loop
• Two at a time
• Looping through elements in an array
• Applying an operation to all the elements in an array
• Searching an array for a specific value
• Cross-indexing a pair of arrays
• Hangman

Movies That Remember How to Do Things            

• Breaking down a task
  
• Bundling actions and running them afterward
  
• Using anonymous and named functions
  
• Using functions to hide evil math
  
• Using functions to take care of repetitive jobs
  
• Choosing which actions to bundle and where
  
• Arguments and redundancy
  
• Local variables and modular code
  
• Returning values from a function
  
• Typing functions
  
• Running in circles
  
• Nesting functions
  
• Using nested functions
  
• Using more function nesting to tidy up your script

• Introducing objects and classes
  
• Type and object-oriented programming
  
• Classes, generalization, and abstraction
  
• Seeing arrays in a new light
  
• The Array constructor method
  
• Other Array methods
  
• Array properties
  
• Creating classes and objects (instances) in Flash
  
• Instances
  
• The Object object
  
• Viewing an object in Flash
  
• Constructors
  
• Objects, objects, everywhere
  
• Lurking objects
  
• Making a show reel

• Movie clips and buttons as objects
  
• Symbol types and behaviors
  
• Two sides of the same object
  
• Working with Library items
  
• Let chaos reign
  
• Bitmap caching
  
• The other side of bitmap caching
  
• Bitmap caching and RAM
  
• Changing the appearance of a cached movie clip
  
• When to use bitmap caching
  
• Referencing different timelines with ActionScript
  
• Different place, different variable
  
• Locating variables from inside an event handler function
  
• Reusing handler functions
  
• The apply method
  
• Global variables

Reusable Code and Realistic Movement

• Breaking down big tasks into smaller ones
• Black-box programming
• Creating simple components
• Creating a modular set of playback controls
• Dark Valentine
• Modular control of movie clips
• How to simulate realistic movement
• Motion with acceleration
• Trailing the pointer (a mouse follower)
• Understanding the inertial code
• Fine-tuning the component
• Function-based modular code
• Swarming behavior
• Taking the swarming effect forward
• Creating tweens with ActionScript
• Using import to access the Tween class
• How to use the Tween constructor function
• Understanding the transition types

• What is a sprite?
  
• Control
  
• External and internal data
  
• Movement
  
• Collision
  
• Planning zapper
  
• The game world (the main timeline)
  
• gSCREEN_TOP, gSCREEN_BOTTOM, gSCREEN_RIGHT, and gSCREEN_LEFT
  
• score
  
• level, skill, and accel
  
• speed
  
• shipDead, fired, and gSHIP_HEIGHT
  
• The timeline
  
• The code
• Global constants
• The “start game” trigger
• The player (the ship)
• The SwarmAlien
• alienSpawn()
• onEnterFrame
• alienBrain()
• alienReincarnate()
• The SwarmAlien code
• The bullet
• The debris of war

Adding Sound to Flash      

• Choosing the right sound format
• Using sound on a timeline
• Using the ActionScript Sound class
• Playing sounds from ActionScript
• Attaching sounds to a sound instance
• Starting and stopping sounds
• Creating dynamic soundtracks
• Using ActionScript to control volume and balance
• Dealing with large sound files
• Using compression to reduce download times
• Loading sound from external files
• Silence can also be golden

Working with Multimedia

Responding to Events


Flash Action Script Excercise