Learning Contract

Learn advanced ActionScripting techniques to write, modify and implement new, existing, and/or found functions. Understand arrays, loops, functions, timing, mathematics, physics, object behaviors, and possibly drawing API within Flash MX environment. Determine best methods for simple, repeatable animations, actions, and events.

Primary Resources:
ActionScript Cookbook. Joey Lott. O'Reilly; 2003.
ActionScript for Flash MX: The Definitive Guide. 2nd Edition. Colin Moock. O'Reilly; 2002.
ActionScript: The Definitive Guide. 1st Edition. Colin Moock. O'Reilly; 2001.

Schedule:

Week	AS Definitive Guide (2nd Ed.)	AS Cookbook	Online Tutorials *
1	GET AND SKIM BOOK 1. A Gentle Introduction for Nonprogrammers 15. Lexical Structure
2	2. Variables 3. Data and Datatypes 4. Primitive Datatypes
3	5. Operators 6. Statements 7. Conditionals 8. Loop Statements 9. Functions
4	9. Functions 10. Events and Event Handling	1. Actionscript Basics; functions supplemental	Timing
5	11. Arrays 12. Objects and Classes	6. Arrays 9. Strings
6	13. Movie Clips 14. Movie Clip Subclasses and Components Appendix G: Flash UI Component Summary 15. Lexical Structure (review)	7. Movie Clips; 7.8, 7.11, 7.13, 7.16, 7.18
7	16. ActionScript Authoring Environment 17. Building a Flash Form Appendix E: HTML Support in Text Fields 19. Debugging (1st. Ed.)		supplement with XML instruction
8		5. Numbers and Math	Trigonometry & Physics in Flash
9		12. Objects and Custom Components 13. Programming Sound 2. Runtime Environment

*Potential, Supplemental Resources:

Unofficial Resources:
Flash Cartoon Animation: Learn from the Pros, "Building an Animatic"
Flash MX Designer's ActionScript Reference. Rhoades, Glen. Friends of ED, 2002.
Flash MX Studio. White, Alex. Friends of ED, 2002.
Friends of ED: http://www.friendsofed.com/
Macromedia Flash MX 2004 Advanced for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickPro Guide. Chun, Russell. Peachpit Press, 2003.