Adobe Flash CS3 Professional On Demand

• Cover Type: Paperback with 592 pages
• Published by: Que
• Edition: 1st Edition May 6, 2007
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0789736926
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0789736925
• Book Dimensions: 9 x 7.5 x 1.1 inches
• Weighs: 2 pounds

FOR THOSE WHO WOULD RATHER BE SHOWN HOW THAN TOLD HOW

SEE HOW TO

• Improve publishing and productivity with the CS3 interface and templates

• Browse, organize, and process files using Adobe Bridge and Version Cue

• Import Photoshop and Illustrator files directly into Flash

• Keep track of the changes in Flash on a per-object basis

• Copy and paste graphic filters and motions

• Create more compelling designs with built-in filter effects and gradients

• Use blend modes to change the way the image of one object on the Stage is combined with other images

• Preview changes to 9-slice scaled movie clips on Stage

• Simplify common timeline and scripting tasks with Timeline Effects and Behaviors

• Use Script Assisted mode to create scripts without detailed knowledge of ActionScript

• Test content on different target devices using Adobe Device Central

On the Web

This book uses real world examples to give you a context in which to perform a task. This book also includes workshops to help you put together individual tasks into projects. The Flash example files that you need for project tasks are available at www.perspection.com.

Perspection has written and produced books on a variety of computer software, including Adobe Flash 8, Adobe Photoshop CS3 and CS2, Adobe Dreamweaver CS3, Microsoft Office 2007 and 2003, Microsoft Windows Vista and XP, Microsoft Expression Web, and Apple Mac OS X Panther. Perspection was founded in 1991, and is committed to providing information and training to help people use software more effectively. Perspection has written more than eighty computer books, and sold more than 5 million copies.

      Introduction      

1          Getting Started with Flash CS3         

2          Working Within the Flash Environment       

3          Creating Graphics     

4          Working with Groups, Symbols, and Instances        

5          Working with Text    

6          Importing Graphics   

7          Creating Frame_By_Frame Animation         

8          Animating with Motion Tweening     

9          Animating with Shape Tweening       

10        Creating Masks         

11        Working with Sounds

12        Working with Video   

13        Applying Timeline Effects    

14        Using ActionScript Behaviors           

15        Using Basic ActionScripts     

16        Debugging a Movie   

17        Adding Display Components 

18        Adding Advanced Display Components       

19        Adding and Modifying Data Components     

20        Automating Your Work         

21        Publishing a Movie    

22        Using Advanced Flash Features      

23        Working Together with Adobe Programs   

            Workshops: Putting It All Together 

            New Features   

            Adobe Certified Expert  

          Index

About The Author

Andy Anderson is a graphics designer and illustrator who has worked with Flash since it was released. A university professor, Andy is a sought-after lecturer in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The remainder of his time is split between writing graphics and fiction books, and developing graphics, animations, and resource materials for various corporations and seminar companies. His clients include designers and trainers from the U.S. Government, Boeing, Disneyland, and other Fortune 500 companies.

Steve Johnson has written more than 45 books on a variety of computer software, including Microsoft Office 2007 and 2003, Microsoft Windows Vista and XP, Apple Mac OS X Panther, Macromedia Flash 8 and MX 2004, Macromedia Director MX 2004, and Adobe Photoshop CS3 and CS2. In 1991, after working for Apple Computer and Microsoft, Steve founded Perspection, Inc., which writes and produces software training. When he is not staying up late writing, he enjoys playing golf, gardening, and spending time with his wife, Holly, and three children, JP, Brett, and Hannah. When time permits, he likes to travel to such places as New Hampshire in October, and Hawaii. Steve and his family live in Pleasanton, California, but can also be found visiting family all over the western United States.

 

Reader Reviews
Flash CS3 is the most significant release from Adobe so far and this book by Andy Anderson and Steve Johnson is a quick reference guide that covers the new Flash CS3. The book's format makes it a great how-to source. Each task, from drawing with the Pen tool to working with Flash components, is presented on two-page spreads containing step-by-step instructions and screenshots. New CS3 features, indicated by a "What's New" icon, are easy to find. For those readers who need more in-depth coverage, extra information is presented in the sidebars and there are several workshops at the end of the book that pull together individual tasks into projects such as a customized cursor, cursor chaser, user defined button and analog clock. The book begins with the very basic tasks such as starting, opening and saving a new project. Next the authors examine the new workspace and give how-tos for the new tools. Creating graphics is the next topic which includes the improvements to the Pen tool as well as other drawing and painting tools. Once you learn how to create graphics, the authors introduce the basics for creating Flash magic such as the Library Panel, symbols, instances and the many built-in components. Next, you learn how to add text into your Flash movie. The authors teach you how to set font characteristics, how to embed fonts into your movie and how to use CSS and HTML to display dynamic text. Using graphics from other Adobe software such as Photoshop and Illustrator is much easier with the improved CS3 integration and the authors discuss several ways to use these improvements to increase your workflow. Animation is the backbone of Flash and the authors cover several types of animation that you can easily create in Flash. They start with the basics for creating manual animation within the Timeline which includes keyframes, frame-by-frame animation and onion skinning. Next, they cover automated animation such as tweening, special effects such as masking and filters such as blur and drop shadow. Video is becoming more popular on the web now that more readers have broadband access. The authors discuss how to use the Video Import Wizard and the Media Controller to add video to your Flash movie. Now it's time to introduce a little ActionScript. The authors begin with easy tasks such as loading graphics and movie clips. They also cover basic OOP, which is more important with the upgrade to ActionScript 3 in this new Flash release. You will learn about dot syntax, methods, conditionals, functions, event handlers and more. But if you are going to code your own ActionScript you will also need to know how to test and debug your code with the ActionScript Editor or Debugger. Publishing your Flash movie is much easier with this new release. The authors discuss publishing options, export formats and how to test your movie with the Bandwidth Profiler. This book meets the objectives for the Adobe Certified Expert Program. Andy Anderson is an author, graphics designer, illustrator and instructor. Steve Johnson is an author and founded Perspection Inc., a software training company. You can download support files for this book from the Perspection website.