Hour 16. Using ActionScript for Advanced Interactivity

What You'll Learn in This Hour:

• How to create draggable objects

• How to create variables to track user data

• How to change visual properties of clip instances

• How to change onscreen text dynamically

You saw last hour how a few strategically placed actions can control how a movie plays. An action on a button instance gives the user the power to make that action execute when he or she clicks the button. Also, you can place actions in a keyframe to make the movie jump back to another frame effectively looping. Last hour was fun, but it was just the tip of the iceberg!

This hour continues on the subject of adding interactivity via ActionScript. You won't spend time learning exactly how to place actions (that was covered last hour); instead, you'll forge ahead into applying scripts for more complex tasks.

You have a huge task in front of you! Even if you don't see yourself as a programmer, this hour should give you a sense of Flash's potential. If you're already into programming, this hour may not challenge you, but it will give you the fundamental tools with which you can grow on your own.