Macromedia Flash is the de facto standard for delivering web-based multimedia to over 250 million users worldwide. ActionScript: The Definitive Guide is dedicated entirely to documenting ActionScript, Flash's object-oriented programming language. It goes beyond the hype and buzzwords to give web developers the fundamental tools for creating advanced web sites. It is targeted at both Flash developers who are new to programming and existing JavaScript programmers migrating their skills to ActionScript (both languages are based on the ECMAScript standard).

Colin Moock's ability to relate his exhaustive knowledge in practical and accessible terms has earned him wide acclaim in the Flash community. ActionScript: The Definitive Guide is written in his clear, narrative tone, free of ego and condescension, and packed with information. Part I, ActionScript Fundamentals, describes core programming concepts (variables, datatypes, operators, statements, functions, events, arrays, and objects) and details their usage, particularly with regard to movie clips. Part II, Applied ActionScript, covers common applications, such as processing online forms. Part III, Language Reference, details all ActionScript globals, properties, methods, event handlers, and objects, and includes extensive implementation examples.

This book gets new ActionScript programmers up to speed quickly. It documents ActionScript in traditional terms, giving you a solid theoretical foundation. Experienced programmers can leverage their JavaScript knowledge while learning Flash-specific intricacies. Beyond the theory, this book is filled with practical tips and real-world examples, covering scrolling text fields, menu buttons, multiple-choice quizzes, XML-driven sites, physics-based video games, realtime multiuser environments, and more. The book's meticulous coverage includes many undocumented and underdocumented topics. The detailed Language Reference is an invaluable daily companion. The popular companion site, the ActionScript Code Depot (http://www.moock.org/asdg/), includes all source .fla files plus numerous additional examples, including a sample XMLSocket server in Java and a sample Perl text database.

"The best ActionScript book I have ever seen. You would be hard-pressed to find more information on ActionScript anywhere else."
~ Slavik Lozben, Principal Engineer on Flash 5, Macromedia

"Moock has written the only truly authoritative guide on Flash scripting. Nowhere else can one find an ActionScript reference so exhaustive, practical, and accurate"
~ Jeremy Clark, Macromedia Flash Product Manager