User Guide

INTRODUCTION

Getting Started with ActionScript

Macromedia Flex developers can use ActionScript to extend the functionality of their Flex

applications. ActionScript is an ECMAScript-based language that provides support for object-

oriented development. You are not required to use ActionScript to use Flex, but it provides flow

control and object manipulation features that are not available in strict MXML.

Intended audience

This manual assumes that you already installed Macromedia Flex and know how to use it. If you

have written programs before, ActionScript will seem familiar. But if you’re new to programming,

ActionScript isn’t hard to learn. It’s easy to start with simple commands and build more

complexity as you progress.

Using the documentation

This manual provides an overview of ActionScript syntax, information on how to use

ActionScript when working with different types of objects, and details on the syntax and usage of

every language element. The following list summarizes the contents of this manual.

• Chapter 1, “ActionScript Basics,” on page 9 describes the terminology and basic concepts used

in the rest of the manual.

• Chapter 2, “Creating Custom Classes with ActionScript 2.0,” on page 45 describes how to

create custom classes and objects for manipulating data in your applications.

• Chapter 3, “Working with External Data,” on page 67 describes how to process data from

external sources using server- or client-side scripts in your applications.

• Chapter 4, “About the ActionScript Language Reference,” on page 77 provides an overview of

the second part of the manual, which describes the elements that comprise the ActionScript

language.

• Chapter 5, “ActionScript Core Language Elements,” on page 80 explains all of the elements of

the ActionScript language that are not related to a particular class or to a particular

Macromedia product.

• Chapter 6, “ActionScript Core Classes,” on page 232 documents all of the classes of the

ActionScript language that are not related to a particular Macromedia product.