Essential ActionScript 3.0: ActionScript 3.0 Programming Fundamentals

I remember reading the documentation for Flash MX back around 2003-2004. It had this big section about object-oriented programming and why it's so great. The idea of reusing snippets of code by arranging them as modular classes was easy to understand and get on board with, but it never stuck with me when it came time to build an app. That was partly because I had just barely gotten into scripting at that point, but it was also because you can't truly explain the practical benefits of of OOP in just a few pages.This book makes OOP tangible. It is a long book, and it goes into exhaustive detail. When you finish reading the first half of it, you will have seen numerous examples of OOP in action, and you will have practical knowledge of when OOP can work for you and how to go about implementing it in basic ways. When I started reading the book, I had never bothered arranging my code into classes. After I read it, I couldn't wait to jump onto my computer and start building a few classes for future use. Each chapter started off kind of scary as I delved into new, unfamiliar subject matter, but by the end of each chapter I felt like a bulb had lit up inside my head and I was beginning to realize I had powers as a programmer that I never knew I possessed. It also shed a lot of light on terminology that I had heard thrown around before but that I never understood the significance of. I'll admit -- reading a couple hundred pages about programming can be a chore. I took lots of naps along the way. But when I started this book I was just a guy who could write scripts, and when I finished I was on my way to learning some serious programming.You might wonder why the book is called "Essential Actionscript 3.0" if it is all about OOP. Well, in many ways the two topics are one and the same. I believe most potential readers are like myself. We have a background in Flash and maybe even Actionscript, but we are not full-time programmers by trade. In order to make the transition from Actionscript 2 to Actionscript 3, the main thing we have to learn is Object Oriented Programming. AS3 embraces OOP concepts much more closely than AS2, and if you start to understand OOP, you start to understand why AS changed the way it did in moving from version 2 to version 3. Even those who think that AS3 code looks unnecessarily cumbersome at first glance might come around and realize that its long-term benefits outweigh the cost of the learning curve once you start building truly object-oriented apps that run super fast.People with a background in computer science might get a little less out of the book, as you should already be familiar with OOP. You could still learn a lot about what AS3 supports in comparison to other OOP languages, but the majority of that can be gleaned from any documentation of ECMA guidelines, as Adobe is adhering as closely as they can to those guidelines. There is a lot of documentation out there about AS3's built-in classes, and Adobe maintains a pretty excellent language resource on its website.But again, for people who are Flash developers first, and programmers second, this book is an excellent way to go from AS2 to AS3. And if you find yourself drawn to AS3 programming and want to learn even more, check out "ActionScript 3.0 Design Patterns" by the same publisher. That book will take you from knowing how to build OOP apps in AS3 to structuring your applications in ways that professional programmers have considered standard for several decades.

This is a really complete and good book for starting out with AS3. The only thing it's missing is a better index, and a reference section, where (like other Colin Moock books), it should show examples on specific AS3 functions, and properties. I found this the best part of other Actionscript books I have purchased in the past, and it's sadly missing on this book. For example, I was looking for an example of certain event listeners involving the webcam on the index. Once I found them and turned to the respective page, I found that the description provided was insuficient for me, and it lacked real examples. So this got me to thinking, this wasn't the best book if you're going to use it as a reference if you forget how certain syntax works, or how to do a certain feature and need specific examples.So DO NOT buy if you already know enough of AS3 or if you're looking for a book to reference specific functions or properties about AS3. Oher than that, it's a great book to start learning, and covers a great deal of information

After having been tasked with developing object-oriented Flash applications at work, I started off by reading some of the more introductory books on Flash hoping to gain some insight into how ActionScript can be used. The introductory books gave me a basic comfort level with the Flash IDE and how it is used to create multi-media content. I soon found it wasn't enough though. After having trouble with ActionScript development in several areas, I wanted to find books that could help me take my skills to the next level. Thanks to the recommendation of a co-worker, I purchased this book. I am so thankful I did. This book is one of the best books on ActionScript programming. I would also consider it one of the best books on programming that I have seen in my 20+ year career. One thing I want to make clear - it is not for beginners. It is designed for programmers wishing to learn more about the ActionScript language. The rate at which you will learn will be determined by your areas of interest and your past experience.If you are just starting out in Flash, I would recommend a book like "Flash CS5 The Missing Manual". You'll get a good foundation in many of the core areas of Flash by reading it. It covers things in much more depth than some of the introductory books. When you understand the concepts it presents, you'll be more than ready for this book.Essential ActionScript 3.0 covers all of the topics it discusses in great detail. When looking for an answer, it may or may not be a quick read but the concept will be explained in detail. Some concepts require more time and effort to learn and the author does not try to cut corners as such. Learning ActionScript is in many ways like learning a new language. If you come from the .NET world like I did, a new way of thinking about programming is required (event based programming in conjunction with visual elements over time). This book has helped me to make the transition.Overall - if you are an experienced programmer looking to do object-oriented development in ActionScript 3.0, this is the reference you will want to have by your side.

This will only be a short review as I haven't actually finished the book yet!- If you're a newbie to AS3: Buy it- If you're an intermediate developer: Buy it- If you've used AS2 before: Buy itIn short, it really is essential. Don't let the subject matter put you off. This book explains not only the how, but the why - something which many books with a similar aim often fail to do.For example, I never realised there were two modes for the AS3 compiler. I had encountered but never used the [...rest] parameter, as it hadn't been explained properly.This book will fill in the gaps in your knowledge. It covers AS3 completely. The only thing missing here is some really good workarounds for the Flash Player 9 memory leak issue, but that particular bug was not fully appreciated when this book was written.Hands down brilliant!

I've been working with Flash for 5 years and still find this book to be an indispensable reference. It's perfect for newbies and veterans alike and cuts right to the chase. It is not for people who need concepts explained 3 times over and is perhaps a little too brief on certain subjects. Regardless it's the only tome on AS 3.0 outside of Adobes own help pages that I use time and again. Brilliant.

when i got this book the 4.0 got released...

Originally, i was slightly intimidated to read such a large book about AS3. Having read several other books on the subject, i was already fairly comfortable with AS3 and therefore chose to read this book in the hope of learning details about the language that other books simply do not discuss. Now having finished the book from cover to cover, I must admit that there were several times while reading this book when i would actually say aloud "no way!" or "get the f*** out!" as a pleasant reaction to learning something that i just never knew was common practice or even possible.However, it is unfortunate that the book is now outdated and targets Flash Player 9, which means there is nothing at all about new aspects of Flash Player 10 like the Sound class or Vector arrays. That being said, because the book does give an insightful look into details that other books miss, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is serious about developing in ActionScript 3.0.

really really good comprehensive book which I read a lot in my programming days. The old problem with Actionscript is that it is propriety code. iphone does not support flash. a good alternative to AS seems Adobes new development environment -> which is also timeline based. Inside it is HTML 5 and Java-Script, i.e. not propriety, i.e. any developer can join in on projects, not only Flash/AS expertised.Though I am really happy I am now not doing this kind of work anymore. ;-)