Flash Actionscripting Not A Big Deal
This is by far the most difficult thing to grasp when it comes to building a Flash website. Is it the end of the world? Nah, the truth is that you can build a full fledged Flash website using minimal Flash actionscript. Is it a must to use this Flash action scripting? Absolutely, you cannot escape this even if you build the most simple website or even super basic things like banners.
Scared Yet?
Don’t be. I am a designer and not too well versed in Flash actionscripting and I get by just nicely without learning moderate or advanced actionscripting. In fact, I probably know approx 5% of whole grand scheme of Flash coding. Once you decide to connect to databased or configure MP3 or Video players, it’s a must to either reverse engineer an existing .fla or learn code from scratch. When I say “reverse engineer, I don’t mean decompile other people’s work but to download existing free examples and learn from them.
Essential Flash Actionscript
So what are the most essential flash actionscript codes? I believe the following to be the most important actionscript functions in Flash.
- goto
- stop
- getURL
I won’t get into what those actions do in details but take special note on these actionscript modes. You can build a full Flash website using these functions. What will all be including using just these functions? You can build a Flash website with unlimited amount of pages, and add hyperlinks and email. This will be more than enough for 80% of people wanting a Flash site. Of course, these are the bare minimums and learning other variables would be especially helpful.
We recommend this book to get you started with Flash Actionscripting
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March 28th, 2008 at 9:31 am
I learned Action Script 3.0 with the tutorials from Lynda.com. I watch the Flex Builder Version of the series and I understood the concept of flash movies. After that I tried to do something in flash,and it was much easier that the action script from flex. There are more automated things…
As for important things to know in action script, Mouse Event is one of them. What would we do without it?
March 28th, 2008 at 9:34 am
I like action script because it looks really similar to Java, and the way it works is similar to JavaScript. The thing I don’t really understand is how to address exact pieces of code to specific layers. I am used to using classes and functions in different files, and the way your have to write the actionscript is a bit weird to me.
March 28th, 2008 at 9:41 am
dreamblog could you recommend me a few beginner tutorial on action script? I only know a bit of C++. I am familiar to variables and functions but apart from that, I have no idea about what I can and should do in action script. Thanks.
March 28th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
I have learned this language in less than 2 months, now I know it like the back of my hand, and yes – goto- stop- getURL are some of the most important and basic elements that one must understand in order to learn this language easier.
March 28th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Understanding things like this is just not something for me. I have no idea what programing and scripts are but I am glad that flash has it’s design orientated feel. Maybe I’ll give it a shot in a long weekend when it’s raining outside…
March 28th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Action scripting…well basic action scripting is really not as hard as you think especially when you turn on “Actionscript Assist”. The assist mode gives you less flexibility, but it throws in a preset script that you modify.
The “Script Assist” is more thsn enough for the average flasher.
March 28th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Flash Action Script is easy to learn. However it is not the easiest thing in the world. It requires a bit of logic, and when things get serious, the code gets complex and requires a lot of knowledge and thought in order to deal with it without to much frustration.
I take a lot longer to learn to use the true power of this language. Now Action Script has been extended and we can create even desktop standalone application with it.
March 28th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
I agree with emy. Action Script has a lot of potential and great power and in the same time it can offer the novice one simple and reliable tools -thanks to the flash environment- to help them get used to the basics of the language.
March 28th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
I really don’t like coding so I’ve always managed to use flash without learning actions script. I do realise though that if I really need to be very good at flash I have to learn actionscript
March 28th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Took me a few weeks to master actionscript. Not that difficult to learn at all. Anyway I love coding and wasn’t that difficult for me at all.
March 28th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Have used flashed for about 2 years now and have never used actionscript or bothered to learn it. I don’t believe its that difficult to learn but i just stay away from coding as much as I can
March 28th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
I am currently learning action script. It toke me a few days to learn the basics, but it’s not really that hard if you have a little javascript knowledge. It’s all Object Orientated, all the OOPs are similar in some way.
March 28th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Flash AS is really easy. The big thing is when dealing with complex animations and other stuff like that. I learned it easily at the begging, but the more I got into the complexity of some procedures, the harder it got.
March 28th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
I would learn this language if I had more time. But since time is not something I have lately, I will simply stick with the simple designer tools that flash offers, even though I know that sooner or later I will have to learn how to actionscript.
March 28th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
I will start learning this language today! I had enough. I can’t get to the next level of designing and developing flash applications without learning how to code. I guess it’s time to get working.
March 29th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Vily:
You can only get away from using Actionscript for only so long, but I wouldn’t get scared off, I remember cringing when I dove into Flash actionscripting and was pleasantly surprised at how easy the basic functions were.
My advice is to start easy with the basic commands and not build say a dynamic MP3 and video player right off the bat, you would probably lose your patience rather quickly this way.