ARTDM 170, Week 5:
Intro to Adobe Flash
Gilbert Guerrero
gguerrero@dvc.edu
gilbertguerrero.com/blog/artdm-170

Homework
• Please turn in your homework

Adobe Flash
Open Flash and create a new
ActionScript 3.0 document...

Basic Setup
• Click the first Keyframe in the
timeline to select it
• Open the ActionScript window by
going to Window > Actions

Trace output
• Add a call to the trace function:
trace(“Hello World!”);
• Go to Control > Test Movie to test
out your ActionScript
• Trace helps troubleshoot code by
sending notes to you in the Output
window

Screen Output
• var myText: TextField = new
TextField();
myText.text = "Hello World!";
addChild(myText);
• The first line creates a new area to display
the text, a textfield
• The second line puts your text in the
textfield
• The third line adds the textfield to the

Your first ActionScript class
• Save your ActionScript file
• Go to New... > ActionScript File to
create a new external AS file
• Save the file using the same name
as your Flash file, example:
HelloWorld2.as

ActionScript Class
• package {
import flash.display.*;
import flash.text.*;
•
public class HelloWorld extends MovieClip {
• public function HelloWorld() {
var myText: TextField = new TextField();
myText.text = "Hello World!";
addChild(myText);
}
}
}

ActionScript Class
Class file declaration
• package { Library classes needed
import flash.display.*;
import flash.text.*; Class definition
•
public class HelloWorld2 extends MovieClip {
• public function HelloWorld2() {
var myText: TextField = new TextField();
myText.text = "Hello World!";
addChild(myText);
}
} Constructor
}

Constructors package {
import flash.disp
• Function that
import flash.text
executes as soon
as the class loads
public class Hell
• Must be named
the same as theMovieClip {
class
• Other functions public function
come afterward var myText: T

Putting it together
• To use the class in your Flash movie
you must associate it with the movie.
• In the Properties panel associate the
external AS file with HelloWorld.fla
by typing the filename into the class
field

Display Objects
• Visual elements that appear in
ActionScript
• Such as textfields, graphics, buttons,
movie clips, and user interface
components
• Example:
var myText: TextField = new TextField();

Object Properties
• Objects have properties
• Each object has itʼs own properties
• Properties of the objects can be
changed directly
• Example:
myText.text = "Hello World!";

Display Lists
• Creating objects does not add them
to the stage. You must place them
directly.
• Example:
addChild(myText);

The Stage
• The main movie area where
everything takes place that the user
will see

The Library
• Where youʼll store all the media
thatʼs associated with your Flash
movie

The Timeline
• Frames
• Keyframes
• In-between Frames
• Empty Keyframes
• Labels
• Layers

Writing ActionScript

ActionScript Window
• Wonʼt use most of the buttons until
you get used to ActionScript
• Use the Show/Hide Toolbox button to
collapse the left column
• Disable Script Assist for now

Comments
• To add a comment:
// single comment
/*
multi-line comment
*/
• Comments are notes you can add for
yourself or other developers
• Comments can also be used to “turn off”
code

Use descriptive naming
• Variable names: tennisBall,
userRacket, userScore
• Function names: hitBall( ),
calcScore( ), headPunch( )

Use functions
• Use functions for repetitive tasks or
tasks that appear in many places
• Example:
public function showTime() {
timeDisplay.text = “Time: ” + timeElapsed;
}
showTime();

ActionScript Logic

if-else statements
if (this is true) {
then do this
}

if-else statements
if (this is true) {
then do this
} else {
do this
}

if-else statements
if (this is true) {
then do this
} else if (this is true) {
then do this
} else {
do this
}

Equal, not equal, or...
• Assume this:
a = 1;
b = 2;
c = 1;
• These are true statements:
(a == c) a is equal to c
(a != b) a is not equal to b
(a == 1 || c == 1) a is equal to 1 or c is equal to 1
(b > a) b is greater than a
(a >= c) a is greater than or equal to c
(a + c == b) a plus c is equal to b

Variable Types
• When they first appear, they must
be declared using var
• Variable type must also be
declared (after the colon):
var moveX:Number = 10;

Variable types
Primitive: Complex:
Boolean Object
int Array
null Date
Number Error
Function
String
RegExp
uint
XML
undefined XMLList
• Declare any data type using an asterisk (*):
var myX:*;

Placement
• An instance of a movie clip can be
moved to any location using x and y
as coordinates:
myClip.x = 300;
myClip.y = 200;

Movement
• An instance of a movie clip can be told to
move by adding a value to x or y:
// Setup the values
var moveX:Number = 10;
var moveY:Number = 10;
// Move the clips
myClip.x = myClip.x + moveX;
myClip.y = myClip.y + moveY;

Event Listeners
• By using an event listener that's triggered by
ENTER_FRAME the movie clip instance will move
on it's own
addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, myFunction);
myBtn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, myFunction);

Homework, due Sept 23
• Read Chapter 1, p1-42 in the
ActionScript 3.0 Cookbook

Thank You