For 2 weeks in a row, I was tryng to peneterate into the world of ActionScript 3.0 language, the one used in Flash CS3 and Flash CS4, to program the flash animation. It has never been easy for me to think and develope programs in the way Flash works, as it mostly conflicts with my methods. Till know, Flash to me has been an environment which you both have to set the objects manualy into the environment, and then program them individually or in groups, and you could not just start writing a program which does load the objects or creates them and use them to animate or whatever you like to do.
I still believe this system is very unusual, but with the introduction of ActionScript 3.0 language and huge changes they have made into its basics, Now it is like a real computer language, to me. Maybe I am wrong, but this is the way my brain works.
I tried two weeks and 5 books and lots of good hints on the web to find a point where I can understand the language and basically start the learning curve, which is the hardest point in learning a new language. 2 nights ago finally, I guess I did it.
Suddenly I had a feeling just like what Neo had, in the movie Matrix, where they upload the instructions to Jujitsu into his brain and he knows how to fight like a Jujitsu pro. And in the middle of the night, when my first pieces of ActionScript3.0 worked, I told myself; I know ActionScript3.0!
Believe me, aside from jokes, it is always very nice to know you have another language (or computer language) available in your brain. It feels you are a little stronger in understandings. It will take me a while before I’ll be using it like a pro, but I have already started using it for a project, and I know I will finish the project using this.
So, where to start? Try this books and sites:
1- OReilly Learning ActionScript 3.0 A Beginner’s Guide. This is a great book!
2- Flash CS4 for Dummies. I guess this one is a good one as well, although it talks too much.
3- The Flash Blog http://www.theflashblog.com lots of articles
4- GoToAndLearn(), http://www.gotoandlearn.com lots of video tutorial on flash!
And lots of other sites like Adobe itself, although Adobe is containing the worst set of information, they are actually useless for an starter unless you try seaching though google on their livedocs, and that is still no use to somebody who still doesn’t know where to start.
Try finding small samples on other people’s site and be careful as they don’t put most of needed headers and starter code on theirs, considering everybody knows what they already know. Find small, working demos and then read them and try to recompile them to get sure the code is complete.
Paymaan.
