Jennifer Dehaan

Creating web designs and site content in Macromedia Flash MX can be a lot of fun, but there are always tasks that you'll want to do again and again. It's always a bit of a hassle to have to keep recreating and tweaking the same old content or functionality in different projects, so why can't you just reuse what you've created? With components, you can do just that! Flash MX Components enable the creation of self-contained design building blocks that can be simply dragged and dropped into any Flash movie. They are flexible enough to be easily customized to take care of many different tasks. No fuss, no bother - you can repurpose the standard elements of your design, application, or game, and use them over and over again. But wait, it gets better! Components can be used by anyone, not just the person who created them. So in this book, we've done all the hard work for you and collected together the Most Wanted components that will make your life easier. In this book (and on the CD) youíll find a perfect combination of creative and functional components from some of today's leading Flash designers and developers. Just look at the fantastic components you get: - Event Calendar - David Doull - Text Editor - Josh Dura - XML News Ticker - Jon Steer - Tool Tip - Brandon Williams - Sketchpad - Steve Young - Video Player - Jen DeHaan - Image Scroller - Brian Monnone - Pattern Generators - Paul Prudence - TabControl - Jeremy Larkin - Sliding Panel - Todd Marks - ColorPicker - Jeremy Larkin - Game Player Selector - Todd Coulson - Particle Emitter - Jared Tarbell - Layout Manager - Michael Montagna - Data Grid - Daryn Nakhuda - Movie Loader - Aral Balkan - Image Modulators - Lifaros - XML-to-ActionScript Converter - Mike Pearce - Virtual 3D Trackball - James Palmer - Text Animations - Todd Yard - Dynamic Text Manager - Peter Elst Each of these components is included on the accompanying CD, ready to incorporate within your designs, along with plenty of example files giving practical demonstrations of their use. On top of that, each chapter in this book presents a comprehensive designer-oriented guide that will help you to get the most out of using all of the featured components. If youíre a Flash designer, of any ability from novice to professional, this book will increase the power of your Flash designs and enhance your project workflow ñ instantly! From the Publisher This book is for experienced Flash users and novices alike. That is the beauty of Flash components, they are so easy to use that those who are fairly new to Flash can use them to create movies that would ordinarily be out of their reach, whereas the more experienced designer can use them as great time-saving tools, cutting the time needed to create their applications and improving their productivity.

If you've dabbled with Flash and want to expand your repertoire, this book will teach you what you need to know about ActionScript in a fast-paced tutorial style. The ActionScript language is becoming an increasingly vital part of every Flash designer's toolkit, but it can seem like a scary prospect for the non-programmer. We'll show you how easy it is to create interesting, interactive movies in Flash MX through visual metaphors and worked examples. The aim is to get you up to speed quickly, giving you the skills you need to add extra functionality and control to your Flash movies. By the time you're finished, you should have a good grasp of the core ActionScript concepts and techniques, and plenty of ideas for your own projects. No previous programming experience is required, just a familiarity with the Flash MX interface, and even the most code-phobic reader should find the learning curve to be smooth and easy.

You've seen the promises in the advertising: Microsoft's free Movie Maker 2 will make it simple to capture, edit and share your home movies. We agree, but how do you know where to start, or where you're going? The answer is Windows Movie Maker 2 Zero to Hero, which will take you from filming your movie (with useful tips to improve the quality) through editing and adding effects, to premiering your masterpiece to your friends and family. You'll learn how to produce professional looking films, with effects and transitions like those you see on TV, and how to show them off. Send them by e-mail, post them to web sites, copy them to a CD, or even make your own DVD! Zero to Hero is more than a catchy slogan and an opportunity for puns and graphical representations of tights, capes, and phone booths. It's a style of learning designed by Friends of ED to reach beyond dry technical explanations and dusty old authors who don't know how it is for real users and wouldn't know good design if it slapped them round the face with a wet fish. With a Zero to Hero book you can choose how you learn. You can choose to learn everything you need to know about Windows Movie Maker 2 by working through the first section of the book from start to finish. Alternatively you can dive straight in to the inspirational 'Hero' chapters and refer back as and when you need. Then later, when you're a hero yourself, the book is easily used as a reference tool. When you're done you'll be ready to wear your underwear on the outside, metaphorically speaking of course. And if you get stuck, our support heroes are just an e-mail away. As with all books from friends of ED - our support is fast, friendly and free. All friends of ED authors help with the support on their books, and will either directly e-mail readers with answers, or send their response to an editor to pass on. Information and Inspiration. Speed and Support. We'll not only unlock the toolset for you, we'll feed your imagination, and that's a promise. So, what are you waiting for?