Essential Actionscript 2.0

Description:

In September 2003, Macromedia released Flash MX 2004, and with it, ActionScript 2.0, a dramatically improved version of Flash's programming language. ActionScript 2.0 introduces a formal object-oriented programming syntax and methodology for creating Flash applications. From a developer's perspective, the new OOP-based techniques in ActionScript 2.0 make applications more natural to plan and conceptualize, more stable, more reusable across projects, easier to maintain, change, and expand upon, and much more. In short, they enhance the entire development process.

In Essential ActionScript 2.0, bestselling author Colin Moock--one of the most universally respected developers in the Flash community--covers everything you'll need to know about the new ActionScript language and its methodologies for producing movies, animation, and applications on the web. Moock guides readers through this important new territory with his trademark easy-to-understand style and expertise. Moock's goal throughout the book is not just to get you to use object-oriented programming in your daily Flash work: he wants you to reap the benefits of OOP; he wants you to understand ActionScript 2.0 completely. And without question, Moock is the author who can make this happen.

Essential ActionScript 2.0 begins with a tour of the language, including the fundamentals of object-oriented concepts, syntax, and usage. Those who are new to OOP will learn the basics and how to apply their understanding. Those who are familiar with OOP will leverage their prior experience to learn about Flash-based OOP. The next part of the book shows how to structure entire applications with ActionScript 2.0, teaching you best practices and techniques to build scalable, extensible, stable apps. Next, you'll explore a variety of approaches to various programming situations by applying object-oriented programming strategies, known as design patterns, to Flash.

Experienced Flash developers and programmers coming from other languages will enjoy the sheer depth of Moocks's coverage and expertise in Essential ActionScript 2.0. Novice programmers will appreciate the frequent, low-jargon explanations that are often glossed over by advanced programming books. As usual, Moock guarantees quality and accuracy by working closely with Macromedia Flash engineers, including Rebecca Sun, lead developer of ActionScript 2.0.
Whether you're ready to make the move to ActionScript 2.0 now or simply assessing it for the future, you'll find everything you need to know within this book. Essential ActionScript 2.0 is the one book every ActionScript coder must own.

Table of Contents:

Foreword 

Preface 


Part I. The ActionScript 2.0 Language

1. ActionScript 2.0 Overview

      ActionScript 2.0 Features 

      Features Introduced by Flash Player 7 

      Flash MX 2004 Version 2 Components 

      ActionScript 1.0 and 2.0 in Flash Player 6 and 7 

      Let's Go OOP 

2. Object-Oriented ActionScript

      Procedural Programming and Object-Oriented Programming

      Key Object-Oriented Programming Concepts 

      But How Do I Apply OOP? 

      On with the Show! 

3. Datatypes and Type Checking

      Why Static Typing? 

      Type Syntax 

      Compatible Types 

      Built-in Dynamic Classes 

      Circumventing Type Checking 

      Casting 

      Datatype Information for Built-in Classes 

      ActionScript 2.0 Type Checking Gotchas 

      Up Next: Creating Classes-Your Own Datatypes! 

4. Classes

      Defining Classes 

      Constructor Functions (Take 1) 

      Properties 

      Methods 

      Constructor Functions (Take 2) 

      Completing the Box Class 

      Putting Theory into Practice 

5. Authoring an ActionScript 2.0 Class

      Class Authoring Quick Start 

      Designing the ImageViewer Class 

      ImageViewer Implementation (Take 1) 

      Using ImageViewer in a Movie 

      ImageViewer Implementation (Take 2) 

      ImageViewer Implementation (Take 3) 

      Back to the Classroom 

6. Inheritance

      A Primer on Inheritance 

      Subclasses as Subtypes 

      An OOP Chat Example 

      Overriding Methods and Properties 

      Constructor Functions in Subclasses 

      Subclassing Built-in Classes 

      Augmenting Built-in Classes and Objects 

      The Theory of Inheritance 

      Abstract and Final Classes Not Supported 

      Let's Try Inheritance 

7. Authoring an ActionScript 2.0 Subclass

      Extending ImageViewer's Capabilities 

      The ImageViewerDeluxe Skeleton 

      Adding setPosition( ) and setSize( ) Methods 

      Autosizing the Image Viewer 

      Using ImageViewerDeluxe 

      Moving Right Along 

8. Interfaces

      The Case for Interfaces 

      Interfaces and Multidatatype Classes 

      Interface Syntax and Use 

      Multiple Type Inheritance with Interfaces 

      Up Next, Packages 

9. Packages

      Package Syntax 

      Defining Packages 

      Package Access and the Classpath 

      Simulating Packages in ActionScript 1.0 

      Just a Little More Theory 

10. Exceptions

      The Exception-Handling Cycle 

      Handling Multiple Types of Exceptions 

      Exception Bubbling 

      The finally Block 

      Nested Exceptions 

      Control Flow Changes in try/catch/finally 

      Limitations of Exception Handling in ActionScript 2.0 

      From Concepts to Code 


Part II. Application Development

11. An OOP Application Framework

      The Basic Directory Structure 

      The Flash Document (.fla file) 

      The Classes 

      The Document Timeline 

      The Exported Flash Movie (.swf file) 

      Projects in Flash MX Professional 2004 

      Let's See It in Action! 

12. Using Components with ActionScript 2.0

      Currency Converter Application Overview 

      Preparing the Flash Document 

      The CurrencyConverter Class 

      Handling Component Events 

      Components Complete 

13. MovieClip Subclasses

      The Duality of MovieClip Subclasses 

      Avatar: A MovieClip Subclass Example 

      Avatar: The Composition Version 

      Issues with Nested Assets 

      A Note on MovieClip Sub-subclasses 

      Curiouser and Curiouser 

14. Distributing Class Libraries

      Sharing Class Source Files 

      Sharing Classes Without Sharing Source Files 

      Solving Real OOP Problems 


Part III. Design Pattern Examples in ActionScript 2.0

15. Introduction to Design Patterns

      Bring on the Patterns 

16. The Observer Design Pattern

      Implementing Observer in ActionScript 2.0 

      Logger: A Complete Observer Example 

      Memory Management Issues with Observer 

      Beyond Observer 

17. The Singleton Design Pattern

      Implementing Singleton in ActionScript 2.0 

      The Singleton Pattern in the Logger Class 

      Singleton Versus Class Methods and Class Properties 

      A Warning Against Singletons as Globals 

      On to User Interfaces 

18. The Model-View-Controller Design Pattern

      The General Architecture of MVC 

      A Generalized MVC Implementation 

      An MVC Clock 

      Further Exploration 

19. The Delegation Event Model

      Structure and Participants 

      The Flow of Logic 

      Core Implementation 

      NightSky: A Delegation Event Model Example 

      Other Event Architectures in ActionScript 

      From Some Place to Some OtherPlace 


Part IV. Appendixes

A. ActionScript 2.0 Language Quick Reference

B. Differences from ECMAScript Edition 4


Index