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Programming in ActionScript 3.0 - Resources and Reviews

Here are some online resources and books that will allow you to hone your AS3 as well as Flash CS3 and Flash CS4 skills. The first three books include some of the new AS3 methods available in Flash Player 10 only. However, the core ActionScript 3 is the same in FP9 and FP10, Flash CS3 and Flash CS4. Some new methods have been added in FP10. Thus, the books that do not include methods specific to FP10 have not become any less interesting or valuable.

(Of course, besides the books listed below, we recommend our book, Flash and Math Applets: Learn by Example. But our review of it would lack objectivity.)

Books

  • ActionScript 3.0 Image Effects, T. Yard, friendsofed, 2009.

    A great book! It gives thorough, clear explanations of programmatic image processing. It covers filters, blend modes, advanced bitmap programming, just about every image effect you might want to accomplish and some video effects. It explains clearly very advanced concepts. The book is fully updated to Flash Player 10 and has an excellent coverage of Pixel Bender supported by FP10. The book focuses on image effects as it is definitely not a general manual on learning AS3. But who isn't interested in image effects? Highly recommended!

  • AdvancedEd ActionScript 3.0 Animation, K. Peters, friendsofed, 2009.

    As all books by Keith Peters, this one too should be a part of every AS programmer's library. The book in a continuation of Peter's earlier book, Foundation Actionscript 3.0 Animation: Making Things Move!, as well as an update to AS3 methods supported by FP10. A wealth of examples on advanced programmatic animation techniques. The book has the cookbook quality: you can pick an example of interest to you or read it cover-to-cover. Either way, you will find it very helpful.

  • ActionScript 3.0 for Adobe Flash CS4 Professional Classroom in a Book, Adobe Creative Team, Adobe Press, 2008.

    This book is updated to Flash Player 10 AS3 methods. Most of it, though, is a generic, step-by-step manual to learning ActionScript 3. Very good for beginners. The book walks you through basic AS3 techniques in 14 lessons, and covers most of the central topics: animation, event-handling, loading external data, working with XML, working with sound and video. Definitely recommended.

  • Learning ActionScript 3.0: A Beginner's GuideAmazon Ad, R. Shupe and Z. Rosser, O'Reilly, 2008.

    If you are a beginner programmer or new to Flash, this book is a great resource. The book is focused on Flash rather than on both Flash and Flex. All examples in the first five chapters use Timeline scripting. AS3 classes are introduced and covered and the OOP nature of AS3 addressed but only after a gentle and very clearly written beginning. If you are planning to eventually venture into more complex AS3 applications, the authors recommend using their book in conjuction with The Essential ActionScript 3.0 or ActionScript 3.0 Cookbook. We would add ActionScript 3.0 Bible as another possibility.

  • Essential ActionScript 3.0 Amazon Ad, C. Moock, O'Reilly 2007.

    A MUST!  As with all books by Colin Moock, this one is a must for ActionScript programmers. The author explains concepts with amazing clarity and depth. The book provides comprehensive coverage of AS3.

  • ActionScript 3.0 CookbookAmazon Ad, J. Lott, D. Schall, and K. Peters, O'Reilly 2007.

    An excellent AS3 resource. Beware though, the book is meant for Flash as well as Flex and it does not address timeline scripting. On the other hand, the book contains answers to so many practical questions, we can't imagine working without it.

  • ActionScript 3.0 BibleAmazon Ad, R. Braunstein, M. Wright and J. Noble, Wiley, 2007.

    Unlike the previous incarnations of ActionScript Bible by J.Lott and R. Reinhardt, this ActionScript 3.0 Bible is not specific to Flash. It covers AS3 ehaustively on the level general enough to be applicable to Flash CS3, Flex 2 and 3, and the upcoming AIR - Adobe Integrated Runtime. AIR (now in public beta) provides desktop runtime environment for AS3 applications. Don't expect examples of timeline scripting and tips on Flash CS3 authoring! The examples in the book consist of collections of custom classes, one of which should be entered as a fla file Document Class. On the other hand, the coverage of AS3 begins with the basics and should be accessible to a beginner programmer.

  • ActionScript 3.0 Game Programming UniversityAmazon Ad, G. Rosenzweig, QUE Publishing, 2007.

    This book is geared for game developers but it contains a lot of useful AS3 tricks that can be used in any context.

  • Foundation Actionscript 3.0 Animation: Making Things Move!Amazon Ad, K. Peters, friendsofed, 2007.

    If you are interested in programmatic animation and not afraid of Object-Oriented programming, this book will teach you everything you need to know. The book by a renown AS expert, Keith Peters, is meant for Flash, Flex, and AIR developers. Together with lots of AS3 examples, it gives you a solid backgroud in mathematics and physics that you need to know to make your 2D and 3D animations realistic and cool.

  • Foundation ActionScript 3.0 with Flash CS3 and FlexAmazon Ad, S. Webster, T.Yard, and S. McSharry, friendsofed, 2008.

    The book covers AS3 from the beginning (statements, variables) but quickly moves to the OOP concepts. Most examples are in Flash but with the code placed entirely in outside files. The authors strongly advocate the OOP approach over Timeline scripting. If you like this approach, you will find the book very useful. If you don't but want to learn all there is to know about the Document Class in Flash CS3 (a new and interesting construct), this book explains it more throughly than any other.

  • Adobe Flash CS3 Professional BibleAmazon Ad, R. Reinhardt and S. Dowd, Wiley, 2007.

    The book is an excellent resource for learning Flash CS3 authoring environment, especially for handling media files. Most of code samples, though, are in ActionScript 2.

  • Object-Oriented ActionScript 3.0Amazon Ad, P. Elst, S. Jacobs, and T. Yard, friendsofed, 2007.

      For more advanced programmers.

  •  Advanced ActionScript 3 with Design PatternsAmazon Ad, J. Lott and D. Patterson, Adobe Press, 2007.

      Definitely for more advanced programmers!

Flash and Flex Developer's Magazine

Flash & Flex Developer's Magazine  A great resource for Flash and Flex developers, beginners and advanced developers alike. This bimonthly magazine contains articles that can help you learn ActionScript development, server-side interaction, and sound and animation techniques. Give it a try. Since September 2009, the magazine is a free online publication. Download the new and past issues in the PDF format from the FFDM site! The newest January/2010 issue is already available.

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We welcome your comments, suggestions, and contributions. To contact us, email Barbara Kaskosz at barbara@flashandmath.com, Doug Ensley at doug@flashandmath.com, or Dan Gries at dan@flashandmath.com.

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