Course Index • Information Technology - IT • Flash MX ActionScript

Flash MX ActionScript Course

A Distance Learning Course of 1 Lesson

Course Description

This series introduces the student to the ActionScript programming language and its capabilities, covering basic programming concepts such as objects, actions, arrays, and variables.

Course Syllabus

GETTING STARTED

Introduces users to the ActionScript programming language and explains how Flash MX uses ActionScript to control objects within Flash MX files. This section explains how to create and publish an ActionScript movie, how to add actions to a movie file, and discusses common ActionScript commands, arguments, properties, and syntax.

Introducing ActionScript
ActionScript Elements
ActionScript Component Books
Creating an ActionScript
Working with an ActionScript
Testing and Debugging an ActionScript
Exploring the Actions Panel
Assigning an Action to a Keyframe
Controlling Actions
Using Options and Context Menus
Tracking and Preferences
Expert Mode, Code Hints, and Version Compatibility
Understanding ActionScript Terminology
Syntax, Keywords, and Context
Dissecting a Typical ActionScript

DIRECTING AND MANAGING MOVIES

Explains how to use ActionScript to manage the flow of a Flash MX movie file by advancing and stopping a movie at a particular frame or scene, and by creating loops.

Using the stop Action
Using the goto and play Actions
Creating an Interactive Animation
Programming and Testing an Animation
Using the getURL Action
Creating Individual Movies
Loading and Unloading Movies
Working with Scenes
Creating a while Loop
Creating a for Loop
Testing for Preloader Needs
Building a Preloader

USING VARIABLES, PROPERTIES AND FUNCTIONS

Explains how to create variables in ActionScript that collect and display data. This section explains how to use ActionScript to create and store data in an array and to retrieve and display data from an array. The section also explains how to create objects, set and change the properties of an object, and to use functions to perform tasks within a Flash MX movie clip.

Understanding Data Types
Understanding String and Numeric Data
Creating Variables
Working with Strings
Working with Numbers and Boolean Values
Creating Arrays
Working with Arrays
Creating Movie Clips
Setting an Object's Properties
Moving Objects
Rotating and Scaling Objects
Changing Opacity and Hiding Objects
Getting an Object's Properties
Creating Functions
Using Functions

CREATING OBJECTS AND INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS

Explains how to create and modify ActionScript objects that retrieve time and date information, transform colors, and control sounds within a Flash MX movie clip. This section also explains how to use ActionScript to program a movie clip, load a movie into a movie clip, and to create a user-defined component within a movie clip.

Creating Objects
Working with Date Objects
Creating a Clock
Working with Color Objects
Creating a Sound Object
Using Sound Methods
Understanding Targets and Paths
Producing a Movie Clip
Creating and Loading Target Movie Clips
Using the onClipEvent and with Actions
Creating a User-Defined Component

WORKING WITH TEXT, BUTTONS AND MENUS

Explains how to use ActionScript to create and manipulate dynamic text within a Flash MX movie. This section also explains how to use ActionScript to create interactive buttons, drag-and-drop objects, and interactive menus.

Working with Dynamic Text
Loading and Creating Text Data
Working with Input Text
Creating Hyperlinked Text
Scrolling Text
Building a Button
Programming a Button
Creating an Invisible Button
Creating Drag-and-Drop Objects
Using the startDrag and stopDrag Actions
Assembling a Customizable Menu
Programming Menu Buttons

STATEMENTS, EXPRESSIONS AND TESTING

Explains how to use ActionScript to create conditional statements that evaluate parameters within a Flash FX movie. This section explains how to use ActionScript to create and evaluate logical operators, string expressions, and mathematical expressions. The section also explains how to use the Key object to execute actions.

Creating Conditional Statements
Working with Conditional Statements
Working with Logical Operators
Creating String and Mathematical Expressions
Creating Incremental and Decremental Expressions
Using the Key Object
Scripting a Guess Number Game
Testing Movies
Using the trace Action
Debugging in Authoring Mode
Watching a Variable
Working with Breakpoints
Using the Movie Explorer

ADDING ADVANCED FEATURES

Explains how to use ActionScript to create advanced interactive elements such as animated buttons, multi-state rollover buttons, custom cursors, scrolling text blocks, and On When Pressed buttons. This section explains how to use ActionScript to create an e-commerce shopping cart and a response form. This section also explains how to use ActionScript to program interactive movie clips, test for object collision, and animate a mask layer.

Creating Animated Buttons
Creating a Multi-State Rollover Button
Creating a Custom Cursor
Building an On When Pressed Button
Building a Scrolling Text Block
Building an E-Commerce Shopping Cart
Constructing a Cartoon Face
Collision Detection in Flash
Creating an Animated Mask

FINISHING TOUCHES

Explains how to use ActionScript to incorporate complex multimedia elements in Flash MX movies such as a jukebox, a stereo sound controller, pop-up menus, and mouse chasers. This section explains how to combine arrays, variables, graphics, and conditional statements to create an interactive quiz game. This section also explains how to organize ActionScript files that allow the user to find coding problems more easily.

Building a Flash Jukebox
Building a Stereo Sound Controller
Programming a Pop-Up Menu
Creating a Mouse Chaser
Creating an ActionScript Quiz
Ten Tips for Trouble-Free ActionScript
Export and Import ActionScript
Ten Internet Resources for ActionScript

Qualifications

Printable Transcript

On completion of this course you may print a transcript off as evidence of your progression throughout the course.

Study Options

This course is an online course. With online study you have access to your entire course from the start of your studies. You can access your course materials, and submit all of your question papers to your personal tutor, online from anywhere in the World using your unique student account.

Fees

Online

£50.00

N/A

Studying Online. If you would like to study online we cannot accept payment for course fees in instalments, instead course fees must be paid in full at the point of enrolment. The reason for this is due to the fact that when you study online you have access to all of your course materials from the outset.

Requirements for Entry

There is no experience or previous qualifications required for enrolment on this course. It is available to all students, of all academic backgrounds.

Study Hours

This is only an approximate figure and is dependant upon how much time you can dedicate to your studies and how well you grasp the learning concepts in the course material. Furthermore, at the end of each lesson there is a question paper that needs to be completed and returned to your tutor. You should allow at least 1 - 2 hours of study to complete each question paper.

The approximate amount of time required to complete the course is: 40 hrs.

Additional Information

This course is different to other courses hosted on Elearnuk. The course is supplied by Stonebridge Associated Colleges in conjunction with Stonebridge IT School.

Once you have enrolled and paid for your course you will receive an email within 24-72 hours. The email will contain your username and password to login to your course.

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Flash MX ActionScript Course

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