XML is the lingua franca of the Web. All designers and developers working in a web environment need a sound understanding of XML and its role in application development. Many software packages and organizations allow for the exchange of data using an XML format. Web services and RSS feeds are now commonplace. For those working with Flash and Flex, a thorough understanding of XML is particularly important. XML documents are one option for the data provided to SWF applications. Flash and Flex can load, display, and modify XML content. These applications can also send XML content to other applications for updating or for use in different situations. ActionScript 3.0 introduced some fundamental changes to the way in which Flash and Flex applications work with XML. One significant change is that XML is now a native data type. ActionScript 3.0 also introduced new classes and a different framework for working with external documents. These changes are based on the E4X ECMAScript standard, and they streamline and simplify the process for working with XML in Flash and Flex. In Foundation XML and E4X for Flash and Flex, Sas Jacobs gives you an introduction to XML and E4X. She explores the XML and XMLList classes and explains E4X expressions, providing examples for both Flash and Flex. In addition to explaining how to incorporate XML documents in Shockwave Flash applications, Sas shows you approaches specific to Flash and Flex and explores real-world usage. The book finishes with two case studies. In the first, you will learn how to consume and display information and images from Flickr using Flash. In the second, you will work with Adobe Kuler in Flex. Whether you are a designer or developer, this book will help you work with XML and make the transition from ActionScript 2.0 to ActionScript 3.0. It will also provide you with an excellent grounding if you are new to Flash and Flex.

ActionScript 3.0, the latest version of the Flash Platform's scripting language, offers many new and powerful features. ActionScript is now a full-fledged programming language, with complete object-oriented capabilities, improved event handling, sound and video support, drawing capabilities, support for regular expressions, and much more. Whether you are a Flash designer wishing to add to your skill set or an experienced ActionScript developer who wants to get up to speed with the latest version, you'll find all you need to know in Foundation ActionScript 3.0 for Flash and Flex. Starting with the fundamentals, you'll learn how to add interactivity to your Flash movies by using ActionScript objects, manipulating sound and video, and harnessing the power of regular expressions and XML. The book concludes with two case studies to consolidate what you've learned and introduce some additional advanced techniques. You'll gain a solid understanding of the new and exciting world of ActionScript 3.0 and see how everything fits together to form complete applications, so you'll be able to build your own professional sites. The sensible layout of the book makes it easy to find information about specific techniques. It focuses on the essential skills that will enable you to get up and running quick. With this book as your guide, you'll be creating killer Flash applications before you know it.

ActionScript 3 is a full-fledged programming language, with complete object-oriented capabilities, event handling, sound and video support, drawing capabilities, support for regular expressions, and much more. Whether you are just starting out on the road to computer programming and animation or an experienced developer who wants to learn a new language, you’ll find all you need to know in Foundation ActionScript 3. Starting with the fundamentals, you’ll learn how to add interactivity to your Flash movies by using ActionScript objects, manipulating sound and video, and harnessing the power of regular expressions and XML. The book concludes with two case studies to consolidate what you’ve learned and introduce some additional advanced techniques. You’ll gain a solid understanding of the exciting world of ActionScript 3 and see how everything fits together, so you’ll be able to build your own professional applications. The sensible layout of the book makes it easy to find information about specific techniques. It focuses on the essential skills that will enable you to get up and running quickly. With this book as your guide, you’ll be creating killer Flash applications before you know it.

This book teaches ActionScript to both aspiring ActionScript developers and experienced ones who want to upgrade their knowledge to the new version. It details how to use ActionScript through both Flash CS2 and Flex 2 (open source ActionScript developers should also be able to make use of the book). Coverage focuses on essential real world techniques and assumes no previous ActionScript knowledge. In addition, the book features a host of practical examples; reference sections are also included at the back of the book allowing the reader to easily look up syntax.

AdvancED Flash on Devices begins with a discussion of the mobile development landscape—the different players, tools, hardware, platforms, and operating systems. The second part of the book covers Flash Lite and how to take advantage newer features supported in Flash Lite 3.x. Then, the book covers AIR applications for multiple screens and includes topics such as: How to utilize new features of AIR 1.5 and Flash 10 as well as pitfalls to be aware of when building an AIR application for mobile How to include platform and context awareness for better adaptation How to adopt an application on multiple devices using dynamic graphical GUI Creating two full working real life touch screen mobile application The last part of the book covers creating Flex applications running Flash 9 and 10 in mobile device browsers and includes topics such as: How to adopt Flex for multiple mobile device browsers How to create various video players for Flash Lite and Flash 10 and optimize your content. How to take advantage of Flash Media Server Experienced Flash and ActionScript programmers who want to extend their skills to mobile platforms should find this book a great help in developing in this exciting and expanding marketplace.

In Foundation Flex for Developers, Sas Jacobs explores in detail how to create professional data-centric Flex 2 and Flex 3 applications. In the first half of the book, she starts off with a brief exploration of Flex and ActionScript 3.0, before looking at application essentials in detail, including creating custom components, user and web browser interactions, binding, formatting and validating data, debugging, and more. The second half of the book focuses on connecting Flex to data sources and covers XML, Flex Data Services, PHP, ASP.NET, and ColdFusion in detail, via a series of step-by-step case studies.

This book details how to customize the look and feel of Flex applications. It takes you through how to customize style and layouts using CSS; how to bring design assets into Flex from applications such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Fireworks, and Flash; how to spice up your design work with some handy ActionScript 3.0 techniques; and even a look forward to designing hybrid desktop/web applications with Flex and AIR. It culminates with several design-oriented case studies, including a video picker application, picture gallery, customer service site, and more.