User Guide

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CHAPTER 3
Write Scripts with ActionScript
The ActionScript language that is part of Macromedia Flash MX 2004 and Macromedia Flash
MX Professional 2004 offers designers and developers a variety of benefits. With ActionScript
you can control document playback in response to events such as elapsed time and loading data;
add interactivity to a document in response to user actions, such as a button click; use built-in
objects, such as a button object, with built-in associated methods, properties, and events; create
custom classes and objects; and create more compact and efficient applications than you could
create using user interface tools, all with code that you can reuse.
ActionScript is an object-oriented scripting language that offers control over how your
Flash content plays. In subsequent lessons, you’ll see how ActionScript has evolved into
ActionScript 2.0 to comprise a core set of language elements that make it easier to develop
object-oriented programs.
You’ll now use ActionScript to accomplish the following tasks:
• Name instances following recommended practices
• Initialize a document
• Apply ActionScript syntax
• Locate ActionScript reference documentation
• Add comments to ActionScript
• Write a function
• Copy and modify a function
• Check syntax and test your application