Learning flash

gameover · 2 Apr 2009 at 19:44

hi,
I know a lot about web development (ie, lamp / html & css & js) - but no flash. decided it was about time, as ive had to pay other developers to get even basic flash stuff done (like banner animations more suitable for flash than gifs)

i never learnt it in the past as I assumed that one day there would be a html standard (a bit like the canvas thing), but i think flash really is here to stay...

any advice as to where to start? I'd prefer a book, but only really to cover the basics. At the moment I know nothing. When learning php classes, i got a book to read the basics, and learnt the rest just by trying stuff out, i never read more than a third of it.

also, what software is the best to develop it in? flash mx? (I am a complete flash noob, so appoligies if this is the *only* program to develop it in...)

RobH · 2 Apr 2009 at 20:39

You probably want to be using Flash CS3/CS4 if possible as it supports the latest version of ActionScript (ActionScript 3). I learned flash through video tutorials which was very easy from http://www.lynda.com/home/DisplayCourse.aspx?lpk2=500 - they are not free though but you can give the sample videos a try and see if it's something you'd get on with.

Immsy · 2 Apr 2009 at 22:27

As above you really need Flash CS3/CS4 to get the latest version of actionscript. As far as learning goes the same sort of method you used for PHP is what I used. Got a book to learn the basics and learnt the rest myself by playing and trial/error etc. There are loads of sites out there that can help. A few of them are:

http://www.gotoandlearn.com
http://www.actionscripts.org
http://www.flashkit.com
http://www.kirupa.com

gameover · 2 Apr 2009 at 22:37

Thanks.

Is cs4 of flash better than cs3? Or pretty much the same? I downloaded a demo of photoshop cs4 and it was sooo slow, and had no useful (for me) new features (currently using cs3 still)

Any recommendations for books? i might get one of the "for dummies" one, should give a rough idea of whats what