ActionScript for Flash MX: The Definitive Guide

Foreword Preface Part I. ActionScript Fundamentals 1. A Gentle Introduction for Nonprogrammers Some Basic Phrases Further ActionScript Concepts Building a Multiple-Choice Quiz 2. Variables Creating Variables (Declaration) Assigning Values to Variables Changing and Retrieving Variable Values Types of Values Variable Scope Loading External Variables Some Applied Examples 3. Data and Datatypes Data Versus Information Retaining Meaning with Datatypes Creating and Categorizing Data Datatype Conversion Primitive Data Versus Composite Data Copying, Comparing, and Passing Data 4. Primitive Datatypes The Number Type Integers and Floating-Point Numbers Numeric Literals Working with Numbers The String Type Working with Strings The Boolean Type Undefined Null 5. Operators General Features of Operators The Assignment Operator Arithmetic Operators The Equality and Inequality Operators The Strict Equality and Inequality Operators The Comparison Operators The Flash 4 String Operators The Logical Operators The Grouping Operator The Comma Operator The void Operator Other Operators 6. Statements Types of Statements Statement Syntax The ActionScript Statements Statements Versus Actions 7. Conditionals The if Statement The else Statement The else if Statement The switch Statement Compact Conditional Syntax 8. Loop Statements The while Loop Loop Terminology The do-while Loop The for Loop The for-in Loop Stopping a Loop Prematurely Timeline and Clip Event Loops An Alternative to Timeline Loops:setInterval( ) 9. Functions Creating Functions Running Functions Passing Information to Functions Exiting and Returning Values from unctions Function Literals Function Availability and Life Span Function Scope Function Parameters Revisited Recursive Functions Nested Functions Built-in Functions Functions as Objects Centralizing Code The Multiple-Choice Quiz Revisited 10. Events and Event Handling Synchronous Code Execution Event-Based Asynchronous Code Execution Types of Events Event Handling Event Handler Properties Listener Events Flash 5's on( ) and onClipEvent( ) Handlers Event Handler Lifespan Event Handler Scope Values of the this Keyword Flash 5-style onClipEvent( ) Order of Execution Copying Movie Clip Event Handlers Refreshing the Screen with updateAfterEvent( ) Code Reusability Dynamic Movie Clip Event Handlers Event Handlers Applied 11. Arrays What Is an Array? The Anatomy of an Array Creating Arrays Referencing Array Elements Determining the Size of an Array Named Array Elements Adding Elements to an Array Removing Elements from an Array General Array-Manipulation Tools Arrays as Objects Multidimensional Arrays The Multiple-Choice Quiz, Take 3 12. Objects and Classes The Anatomy of an Object Instantiating Objects Object Properties Object Methods Classes and Object-Oriented Programming Using Standalone Object Instances as ssociative Arrays The Almighty Prototype Chain Built-in ActionScript Classes and Objects OOP Quick Reference Further Topics Simulating Namespaces The Multiple-Choice Quiz, OOP Style 13. Movie Clips The "Objectness" of Movie Clips Types of Movie Clips Creating Movie Clips Movie and Instance Stacking Order Referring to Instances and Main Movies Method Versus Global unction Overlap Issues Drawing in a Movie Clip at Runtime Using Movie Clips as Buttons Input Focus and Movie Clips Building a Clock with Clips 14. Movie Clip Subclasses and Components Creating the Library Symbol Creating and Invoking the Subclass Constructor Assigning the MovieClip Superclass Packaging Subclass Code and Library Symbols Together Making Movie Clip Components MovieClip Sub-Subclasses Summary 15. Lexical Structure Whitespace Statement Terminators (Semicolons) Comments Reserved Words Identifiers Case Sensitivity 16. ActionScript Authoring environment The Actions Panel Adding Scripts to Frames Adding Scripts to Buttons Adding Scripts to Movie Clips Where's All the Code? Productivity Externalizing ActionScript Code Defining Components 17. Building a Flash Form The Flash Form Data Cycle Creating a Flash Fill-in Form Part II. Language Reference ActionScript Language Reference Global Functions Global Properties Built-in Classes and Objects Entry Headings Alphabetical Language Reference Part III. Appendixes A. Resources B. Latin 1 Character Repertoire and Keycodes C. Backward ompatibility and Player Build Updates D. Differences from ECMA-262 and JavaScript E. HTML Support in Text Fields F. Support for GET and POST G. Flash UI Component Summary H. Embedding a Flash Movie in a Web Page Index