Product Description

Flash CS3, the latest version of the premier tool for creating web animations and interactive web sites, can be intimidating to learn. This entertaining reference tutorial provides a reader-friendly animation primer and a guided tour of all the program's tools and capabilities. Beginners will learn to use the software in no time, and experienced users will quickly take their skills to the next level. The book gives Flash users of all levels hands-on instructions to help them master: special effects; morphing; adding audio and video; introducing interactivity; and much more. With "Flash CS3: The Missing Manual" you'll be able to turn an idea into a Flash animation, tutorial, or movie. This book will help you create online tutorials, training materials and full-blown presentations. It also teaches design principles throughout and helps you avoid elements that can distract or annoy an audience. This is the first new release of Flash since Adobe bought Macromedia, which means that it's the first version that will integrate easily with other Adobe products. It's a whole new ballgame when it comes to Flash, and "Flash CS3: The Missing Manual" offers you complete and objective coverage. It's the perfect companion to this powerful software.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #124618 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 527 pages

About the Author
E.A. Vander Veer started out in the software trenches, lexing and yaccing and writing shell scripts with the best of them. She remained busy and happy for years writing C++ programs and wresting data from recalcitrant databases. After a stint as an Object Technology Evangelist (yes, that's an actual job title), she found a way to unite all of her passions: writing about cool computer stuff in prose any human being can understand. Books followed-over a dozen so far-including Facebook: The Missing Manual, PowerPoint 2007: The Missing Manual, JavaScript for Dummies, and XML Blueprints. She lives in Texas with her husband and daughter. Email: emilyamoore@rgv.rr.com.

Christopher Grover received degrees in Creative Writing and Film from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. He's worked as a technical writer, advertising copywriter and product publicist for more than 25 years. His freelance articles have been published in a variety of magazines from Fine Homebuilding to CD-ROM World. Chris's latest project is launching Bolinas Road Creative (http://www.bolinasroad.com), an agency that helps small businesses promote their products and services. He is also the author of Word 2007: The Missing Manual, and co-author of Digital Photography: The Missing Manual.

Customer Reviews

Great first book on Flash
Let's face it - no single book is going to tell you everything you might ever need to know about Flash but I'd say this is pretty much a perfect first book for anybody trying to get to grips with this software package.

It's written in a very clear, accessible style - not at all the dry-as-dust style that blights so many of these technical books - but it's surprisingly comprehensive.

I only started using Flash within the last month but this book got me off to a flying start.

If you want to get into the inner workings of ActionScript 3.0 then you'll need a separate book for that. For everything else, this is the place to start.

Highly recommended.

Nowhere near as good as Dreamweaver CS3 Missing Manual
I ordered this book after being totally impressed by the Dreamweaver Missing Manual which was excellent, hoping this book would be the same. I was sorely disappointed as it doesn't flow at all like it's counterpart. I am not a beginner in Flash but found the book tried to explain too much too soon and I kept waiting for the walk you through tutorials but none came. I didn't get past the first 3 chapters as I was put off by the confusing flow.

I have given up on it and sent it back and am awaiting a Visual QuickStart Guide and How to Cheat in Flash CS3 so let's hope they are better!

For newbies and freshers, not for pros
I was totally new to Flash. I knew Photoshop and Illustrator, but when I started Flash and tried to do anything I was lost like a drunken child in a mist.

I have spent at least 4-6 hours looking for a book for me. I bought this one and that wasn't bad choice. I bet there are better books, I'm sure there are books that cover more subjects. But this one is pretty good if you want to start form the scratch.

After reading it from cover to cover (and it was an easy reading, book is written quite well) I was actually ready to make some animations, some basic web page interactions (buttons, links). And most important of it all I was able to pick up (basic) scripts and .fla's from the web, and I knew what's going on. There are some inconsistencies in the text, but they are minor, and don't really matter.

Just a word of advice - this is NOT a book for people that are able to do their own animations and write their own scripts. You may find some interesting things in that book, but it will be just a waste of money.
This IS a book for beginners.

Why only four stars? - because I wish they had cover more action script, but hey, you can't get everything!