Adobe Flash CS4/CS5:
ActionScript 3 Foundations
We provide you with the right training solutions to help you learn Adobe Flash Professional for creating rich content and applications. Check our schedule for class dates and prices for Flash training in Dallas Texas or call us for private training at your site.
Adobe Flash Professional: ActionScript. This course covers fundamental programming techniques in Flash with a more formal discussion of Object-Oriented Programming concepts and how they are implemented in ActionScript 3. Variables, conditionals, loops, event handling and animation will be discussed while working on practical realistic projects. The Built-in ActionScript classes will be focus with perhaps some minor custom class creation. Script Assist will not be used in this course.
Topics covered in this three-day class are:
Introducing ActionScript 3
- Flash Player compatibility
- ActionScript Virtual Machines
- Flash Player Penetration
- Object.property / Object.method syntax
Event Handling in AS3
- Writing Custom Functions
- Working with Listeners
- Event Objects and Listeners
Controlling MovieClips
- Using Listeners and Functions for MovieClip Control
- Working with Nested Clips
- Using MovieClip Methods
- Target paths and parent
Coding with Variables and Object properties
- Creating and Datatyping Variables
- Variable Scope
- Modifying MovieClip Properties
- Using Intermediate and Flag Variables
- Working with the Equality Operator
- Using Conditionals, if/else
Using Debugging Tools
- Writing Trace Statements
- Using Debugger mode
- Applying Breakpoints
- Comments
Working with the Loader Class
- What is a Constructor function?
- Writing Constructors: Loader and URLRequest
- What is the Display List?
- Using NavigateToURL method
- Using the Loader Object to create multipage Flash Websites
- Loading Dynamic swf files at runtime
Using the Event Object to Abstract Functions
- Use a conditional to enable/disable loading of dynamic swf files
- Convert 6 earlier functions to one function via Event Object
- Understand key Event Object properties
- Using target.name property of Event Class
- Event Propogation & Bubbles
Preloaders
- Understanding the Bandwidth Profiler
- Creating a preloading animation.
- Handling Progress and Complete Events
- Displaying Percentages
- Animation Alternatives
Classes, Packages and ClassPaths
- Custom Classes and Esternal .as files
- Packages explained
- Classpaths – Global vs Per FLA
- Using Import Statements
Working with Components
- TextArea vs UIScrollbar
- Creating Dynamic Textfields
- Using the URLLoader Class
- Loading external text with html formatting
- Component packages
- Customizing Component Skins
- Supported HTML and CSS in Flash
Custom Functions with Parameters
- Listeners function = no parameters
- Switch- Case statements
External Text
- Create a Textfield Object with code
- Working with Textformat Objects
- Using the with operator
- Loading External Text
- Font Symbols and Embedding
- Dataformat and name-value pairs
- Text Area Component
Dynamic Evaluation/ Square Braces
- Extracting specific loaded variables
- Using square braces / array access to dynamically evaluate
Using EnterFrame and the Timer Class
- EnterFrame mechanics
- Timer mechanics
- Pros and Cons
- Using Timer Class for Programmatic Animation
- Using the Tween & Transition classes to Animate with Code
Using the Slider Component & Sound Objects
- Controlling Objects on Stage with the Slider Component
- Creating & Controlling the Sound Object
- Loading External Sounds
- Working with Sound Channels, Sound Transform & Volume Sliders
- Catching MP3 id3 Metadata to Display for Users
Sprite Objects
- Creating Sprites
- Using Transform and Color Transform
prerequisites:
- Students who have taken the Flash Level 1 Essentials course or equivalent experience.
related classes:
what students say:
- Tom was fabulous. It was clear he knew his stuff!! He was adaptable and explained questions as they came up whether or not they were directly related to what we were working on at the time. This was a fast-paced demanding class; Tom kept the class moving without sacrificing explanation, practice, or help for students.
- This instructor was engaging, easy to follow and willing to explain specific issues related to our individual needs. I appreciated his respect of our skill levels and going the extra mile to find answers to our specific company projects. I would highly recommend this course and instructor to others. I also plan to send all members of my team to this course.
- I was just amazed that Tom was so willing to spend his extra time after class working with me on individual questions I had. He was also careful to make sure I understood the answers from A to Z. It's rare that you come across a trainer that actually remains so enthusiastic about the software they are training. Tom is one in a million. His attitude and his exhuberance is an incredible sales tool for your services. Thank you for giving me a GREAT 3 days in class! I am leaving feeling pretty impressed with myself AND Digitrain.
- Tom, the instructor for this course, was highly knowledgeable and very flexible with this ActionScript class. We students were at different levels and he was able to gear the class in such a direction so that we could all be successful AND learn what we needed to for our workplace. His descriptions of the abstract difficult programming concepts were perfect! Even us non-programmers were able to absorb the content. I will highly recommend this company and teacher for any training that my district may need in the future and will come back for future training. Give Tom a raise!!
- "Wow. This class has really opened my eyes to a side of Flash that I've neglected. I feel like I've fallen in love all over again. The instructor was so knowledgable and flexible . . . the class couldn't have been better (maybe except for more days; three isn't enough). I will recommend this company and instructor to my district for any training they may need in the future. I am now ready to take over the world with Flash! Woo hoo!!" Brenda Olden
