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turn your programming dreams into a virtual reality with Learning ActionScript 3.0 from O'Reilly
 

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Ready. Set. ActionScript 3.0.

Ready to unleash your inner animator?

Ready to unleash your inner animator? Planning to launch a new e-commerce site? Developing a new interactive, online tutorial? No matter what you're envisioning, O'Reilly Media's latest release--"Learning ActionScript 3.0" can help turn your programming dreams into a virtual reality.

Flash designers, developers, and beginning programmers alike will find this feature-rich new guide invaluable for navigating ActionScript 3.0. "Our book is especially important now because ActionScript 3.0 is the most powerful and robust version of ActionScript to date and, as such, has a steeper learning curve," says author Rich Shupe.

Shupe and coauthor Zevan Rosser draw on their vast experience as Flash developers and teachers to provide a solid ActionScript foundation, revealing the myriad of ways you can use it for practical, everyday projects. "We wanted to teach beginners the core elements of the language, without requiring a computer science background or a lot of experience in object-oriented programming," says Shupe.

"More so than with any prior version of ActionScript, programmers new to ActionScript 3.0 need a book that will help guide them through the process of adopting the language and, quite possibly, radically altering their scripting practices. This book will help readers through that process," he adds.

Easy to use and fun to read, the new full-color book comes packed with screenshots of many example files, and the code is syntax-colored to make the sample scripts instantly familiar. "Plus, for readers that already have experience with classes, the downloadable source code includes Document Class files that accompany every timeline example. This allows you to code the way you are most comfortable from the first chapter to the last," continues Shupe.

With this book, you learn:

• New ways to harness the power and performance of ActionScript 3.0
• How ActionScript is used in Flash CS3 Professional and the Flash Player
• Common mistakes people make with the language
• How to format text, work with sound and video, draw with code, and more
• Scripting with either procedural or object-oriented techniques
• How to load assets and data into Flash using SWF, images, text, and XML file formats
• - Tips that go beyond simple script collections, including how to approach a project and which resources can help you along the way

Keep this approachable and comprehensive guide to ActionScript 3.0 by your side and soon you'll be writing your very own scripts.

Rich Shupe has been teaching ActionScript programming to students of all levels since the language became available. He founded his own training and development company, FMA, in 1995. A recognized authority on several technologies, including Flash, Director and QuickTime, Rich is a full-time faculty member at New York's School of Visual Arts' Computer Art Department.

Zevan Rosser is a freelance designer/programmer/consultant and computer artist. He teaches ActionScript and Flash animation at New York's School of Visual Arts and FMA. When he's not working on commercial projects he works on his

Learning ActionScript 3.0
Rich Shupe and Zevan Rosser
Paperback: 382 pages; Publisher: O'Reilly Media, Inc. (December 12, 2007); Language: English
List Price: $39.99 ~ but your price is only $26.39, when you click here to save $13.60 (34%)

O'Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O'Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying "faint signals" from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.

Adobe Developer Library is a co-publishing partnership between O'Reilly Media and Adobe Systems, Inc. and is designed to produce the number one information resources for developers who use Adobe technologies. Created in 2006, the Adobe Developer Library is the official source for comprehensive learning solutions to help developers create expressive and interactive web applications that can reach virtually anyone on any platform. With top-notch books and innovative online resources covering the latest in rich internet application development, the Adobe Developer Library offers expert training and in-depth resources, straight from the source.

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Reviewed by Fred Showker for the User Group Network News Service. (C) 2007, all rights reserved. Affiliate groups may freely republish this piece so long as they include the tag line: "From the User Group Network News Service at http://www.user-groups.net/ " ... Event dates are subject to change. Some products, programs, or promotions are not available outside the U.S. Prices are estimated retail prices and are listed in U.S. dollars. Product specifications are subject to change. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh, Power Mac, Velocity Engine, FireWire, AirPort, Safari, Sherlock, QuickTime, iLife, iTunes, iChat, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iCal and Apple Store are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Mention of third-party products is for informational purposes only and constitutes neither a recommendation nor an endorsement.

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