This is the Safari online edition of the printed book.

ActionScript is the programming language integral to the Adobe Technology Platform. It began as a simple scripting language for creating interactivity and animation in Flash, but is now used to create full-featured Web applications, not only in Flash but in Flex. ActionScript 3, introduced with Flex 2, is now a full-fledged object-oriented programming language, and the need for teaching materials, for both newcomers and veterans, is great. This task-based tutorial is for students with no programming experience as well as those programmers who have learned earlier versions of the programming language and now need to learn the new version. The book walks a reader through all the fundamentals, then moves on to creating interactivity, working with data, looping and decision making, programming visualizations, and working with multimedia. It's a complete end-to-end tutorial.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 8 Ratings

1* reviewer out of touch - great for CS4 - 2008-12-21
Reviewer Rating:
The previous reviewer is a detriment to the whole review process. His mistake for being five or so years behind the times and not understanding the latest technology has no bearing on this book. I have ActionScript 3.0 for Adobe Flash CS4 Professional and Learning ActionScript 3.0 A Beginners Guide and both are excellent books but it is the Visual Quickstart Guide to ActionScript 3.0 that I keep coming back to to fill in the most basic gaps that the other two books seem to assume you are aware of. I have a degree in Mathematics and did programming back in my day but coming back to it I find I am a little rusty. Some of the concepts of ActionScript 3.0 are difficult to comprehend because the terms of reference are foreign and the books available start you off from different angles. The three books noted in this review have me up and running and becoming more confident all the time but none on their own works well. This book is a must have for anyone new to the software but please note that due to the initial complexities of understanding the language and syntax there is no ONE magic book that will get you up to speed. This is a great book for CS4, why wouldn't it be?

no good - 2009-06-23
Reviewer Rating:
Like all the books on action script they never give any examples of usage, never an idea of what they are teaching you could be actually be used for-what's the big secret they don't want you to know? Everything you want to know about action script and use it for is for some reason omitted from all of these books. When I learn other things-they give everyday usage examples. These books offer none. Why? The karmic result of having knowledge and not sharing it-because you want to be exalted above others, is that you return as someone with no knowledge (retarded)-It's the same as the rich who hoard money-unused-while many others starve-to feel exalted above others-returns many times as someone who starves over and over again-for all who starved. Unlike humans, the Universe is completely fair and just-and balances all equitably. Money is waisted on this book, unless you want to know action script but not how to use or apply it.

Excellent book to wrap your brain around Actionscript 3.0 if you have some basic general programming skill - 2009-03-23
Reviewer Rating:
To the point, not more detail than you need--but enough on the key topics. I've started a number of books and this is the one that I finally stuck with, and felt like I finally "got" Actionscript with. It has a few typos, as it seems books of this type always do--but nothing that wasn't obvious from context.

The one for Designers - 2009-01-14
Reviewer Rating:
I bought the three main actionscript 3.0 books out there and this is the one I should have started with. Unlike the other two, this one is actually aimed at those of us who are predominantly visual designers and who are migrating from 2.0 to 3.0. Because I taught myself 2.0, I had a bunch of bad practices which probably made the jump to 3.0 even more daunting. This book starts out simply and builds upon itself in a manner that is never intimidating. The 'Learning Actionscript' book is much more suited to programmers who are moving into flash. This book is best for flash or visual designers who are migrating and just want to be able to program in 3.0. 'Essential Actionscript' seems best for after you've already become comfortable and need an extensive reference guide.

ActionScript 3.0 - 2009-09-28
Reviewer Rating:
If you really want to understand ActionScript 3.0 from it's absolute core, this is the book... I have read other books but this one seemed to be the one that got me to really understood what action script was and how it's used. It didn't have a lot of extra fluff in it. It just tells you what it is. I hate when an author goes off into some other direction when he's trying to explain something... it gets confusing. Just tell me what it is, how it's used and move on. This is a good book to start with. After this, you'll be ready to tackle the more complex books on this language.

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