Flash Article

With Macromedia Flash MX Professional 2004, you can create data-rich applications with sophistication and ease—thanks to some important enhancements. Flash MX Professional 2004 contains a number of data components you can use to connect to web services, XML files, and even databases without having to write much ActionScript in the process. You can even create small applications without any ActionScript at all!

Although you can opt for these simple methods, the potential to create some amazing applications is much greater when you use a few components and a little bit of code. This tutorial helps you realize the potential of the new tools found in Flash MX Professional 2004, while using the new screens-based approach to application development.

In this three-part tutorial you will build a Tip of the Day application using screens, web services, data components, and other selected components from the new Flash MX Professional 2004 component set.

• In this first part, you will assemble the application using screens, components, and some graphics that I provide.
• In the second part, Working with Web Services, you will connect to web services and display results in the application.
• Finally, in the third section, Submitting Tips to the Web Service, you will submit information to the web service to have particular information returned, and you’ll also format text using CSS.

Requirements

To complete this tutorial you will need to install the following software and files:

Macromedia Flash MX Professional 2004

• Try
• Buy

Download sample files for this tutorial

• firstflash.zip (810KB)

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About the author

Jen deHaan is a Calgary-based Flash "deseloper" (designer/developer) who writes books and makes things with Macromedia Flash. Jen has been involved in 15 books (usually) on Macromedia products since 2002. One of the recent books is the upcoming Macromedia Flash MX 2004: Training from the Source for Macromedia Press.

Jen started out as an eccentric and slightly paranoid art student. She says, modestly, that she has amazingly fooled people into thinking she knows ActionScript, despite what her friends might have said about her inability to pick up anything more complex than a paintbrush.

Jen is the friendly web person championing many unsuccessful sites including www.flash-mx.com and www.flash2004.com. You can find her personal portfolio and rants at www.ejepo.com and her Flash help at www.flashmx2004.com. Jen has dreams of managing a 7-11 to obtain free Slurpees. Surprisingly, she says, few people can spell “deHaan.”