Learning ActionScript 2.0

February 17, 2005 8:30 PM

It looks like I'll be dusting off some of my Flash skills to do some contract work. There's a snag though. I'm used to (light) coding with ActionScript circa Flash v.5 and the company uses the newer Flash MX and ActionScript 2.0. I'm wondering how hard it will be for me to catch up and figure it out. Has anyone had to make the leap (and quickly at that)?

Additionally, any reccomendations for books on ActionScript 2.0 would be very much appreciated. Something with decent tutorials would be ideal.

posted by picea to Computers & Internet (3 answers total)

my pal mr moock is the man: essential actionscript 2.0, incredibly detailed but the sort of crystal clear writing that non-coders like me can wade through...
posted by judith at 9:54 PM on February 17, 2005

I used Flash 5 & ActionScript roughly 3 years ago. Having resumed interest, I picked up a copy of mx here at work. I didn't have any trouble once I was "knee deep." Since you were familiar with actionscripting, I think the transition will be smoother than you think.

Pixel 2 life has good tutorials as a "refresher"
posted by AllesKlar at 8:46 AM on February 18, 2005

how hard it will be for me to catch up and figure it out

Depends on how "light" your original understanding was. But you'll probably pick it up very quickly. The really big advantages of MX are that you can import JPG files directly (instead of having to embed them in external movie clips), Flash components, and Flash remoting. I believe there are some new XML routines as well, but Mr. Moock would know more about that than I.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:24 PM on February 18, 2005