Macromedia Flash MX Developer's Guide

By Porter S. Woods

High-demand-Flash skills and techniques are essential for anyone involved in Web motion-and this book delivers the goods Gives advanced developers everything they?ll need to extend the already... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0072195592
• ISBN13: 9780072195590
• Release Date: April 2002
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media
• Length: 840 Pages
• Weight: 3.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 2.0" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

Good Book for Intermediate and Advanced Flash MX Developers

I bought the first edition of this book, Macromedia Flash 5 Developer's Guide, and I found some valuable information. However, given its coverage, it was overpriced. This time, I waited until the book had been released, and before purchasing it, I took a look at it in the bookstore. In short, this edition is a vast improvement. The book is comprehensive and well written. The author delves into topics that receive little or no attention in other books. Everything has been strained and massaged for developers, eliminating remedial or unnecessary coverage. Better yet, the author really drills down into ActionScript, giving you a good handle on advanced topics like XML, Scripting with Objects, and web data. I also appreciated his coverage of QuickTime and Flash Native Video. If you know Flash and you arte looking for a good intermediate to advanced book, I would highly recommend this.

Tons of information, well organized, and not too wordy

I read these reviews all the time, and I wonder about the people writing them. As you'll note, my review's title is diametrically opposed to another review posted for this book. Basically, it's like this. This is a fine book. The author is a good writer. The coverage and organization is thought out. He obviously spent a substantial amount of time researching Flash and ActionScript, as well as associated technologies covered in the book. Basically, this is a 5-star piece of work. Why people who can verily write a square sentence feel the need to lambaste professional authors is beyond me, and no, I am not the author's brother. If you buy this fine tome, you will not be disappointed.

The Good Stuff

Wow. I am glad I crossed this book's path. Clear, organized, and easy to read, in a few words. I got more out of this book then most. The author understands what you are looking for. He avoids the boring environment overview and "how to make a button" trap and gets to the good stuff - running Flash apps with dynamic data. This is a nice one for the shelf.

Perfect for developers

If you have Flash experience and you want to extend your skills, I would recommend this book. The book is very organized. The author begins with an overview of the Flash environment, focusing on changes and innovations that will matter to you. Then, he launches into some high-level design concepts that advanced readers need to know about. Next, you are treated to a thorough survey of ActionScript - in all of its MX wonder. The next sections focus on server-side development, optimization, offline multimedia, and 3D, which everyone should know about. The writing is clean and concise. Better yet, the coverage of PHP, MySQL, and XML is priceless. I found the book easy-to-read and a nice addition to my library.