Here is the documentation for the presentation on July 15. The Adobe group site only allows me to attach one file up to 20MB, so I am posting the PDF.

The zip file containing video files, PSDs, and a PDF explaining the concepts, steps, and screenshots is available if you email me. I will bring it to the meeting on a USB stick. The filesize is 128MB. You can also download it here.

Here is the PDF for part 2 of the green screen presentation.

Here is the support PDF that shows the process step-by-step as shown in our Feb meeting.

Here is the Powerpoint download for the Search Engine Optimization presentation I gave on 2/18/09

Another new feature in AS3 ( actionscript 3 ) is the new method of calling and setting flashvars in your actionscript.  Back in actionscript 2, you just called them after setting them in your html code and magically they appeared.  AS3 is different.  While there are a few methods to do this, the simplest way I’ve found is this:

//the name of my flashvar is myVar

myText.text = root.loaderInfo.parameters.myVar;

Then you can use the Flash AS3 global variable method I use here to set your flashvar in as3 as a global variable.

MyGlobal.myString =  root.loaderInfo.parameters.myVar;

I created this quick tutorial that shows you how to use batch processing to edit multiple photos. View the tutorial

The easiest way to duplicate a movieClip in Flash AS3 that resides in your library is to first create your clip; then, in the library, right click on it and select Linkage…, and finally check the Export for ActionScript check box.

Here’s a step by step in case you got lost while doing the initial steps to duplicate your movieClip using AS3.

1. Create your Clip.  I just made a simple rectangle for an example with a motion tween.

2. Right Click your clip in the library and select “Linkage…” and then check “Export for ActionScript”.

What this does is make a class called “myMC” that we can now call using actionscript 3.

3.  Put the following actionscript on frame one of your main timeline:

addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK,makeABox);

var i:Number = 1; //i will be the total number of boxes

function makeABox(e:Event):void {
trace(”new box #” + i);
var newBox:myMC = new myMC();
addChild(newBox);
newBox.x = stage.mouseX;
newBox.y = stage.mouseY;
i++;
}

So what this all means is, we use addEventListener to listen for a mouse click.  When a mouse click is detected, it runs the function makeABox.  This function calls our new class “myMC” and adds a new child clip using addChild.  We set the X and Y of the clip by detecting the X and Y of the mouse on the stage.

Here’s a screen shot:

Here are the source files, happy flash actionscript 3 - ing:

duplicateMovieAS3.fla

duplicateMovieAS3.swf

Here’s a little helpful Flash AS3 sample that connects two object using Flash Actionscript 3.  Drag either of the objects (the green point or the cloud popUp) and they’ll stay connected.  Something like this might come in handy for a Flash map point sort of a thing or you could even motion tween the green point and have the popUP stay in the same place. This also uses the ENTER_FRAME eventListener method that calls graphics.lineTo and graphics.beginFill on frame enter.

Here’s the actionscript:

import flash.display.Shape;
import flash.display.Sprite;
import flash.display.Graphics;

//drag the two objects on the stage popup and myPoint
popup.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, mouseDown);
function mouseDown(event:MouseEvent):void {
popup.startDrag();
}

popup.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, mouseReleased);
function mouseReleased(event:MouseEvent):void {
popup.stopDrag();
}

myPoint.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, pointMouseDown);
function pointMouseDown(event:MouseEvent):void {
myPoint.startDrag();
}

myPoint.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, pointMouseRelease);
function pointMouseRelease(event:MouseEvent):void {
myPoint.stopDrag();
}

//draw the connecting shage
var triangle_mc = new Shape();
addChild(triangle_mc);

popup.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME,popUPEnter);
function popUPEnter(evt:Event) {

triangle_mc.graphics.clear();
triangle_mc.graphics.beginFill(0xFFFFFF,100);
triangle_mc.graphics.lineStyle(4,0xFFFFFF,100);
triangle_mc.graphics.moveTo(myPoint.x,myPoint.y);

triangle_mc.graphics.lineTo(myPoint.x,myPoint.y);

if (popup.y<myPoint.y) {

triangle_mc.graphics.lineTo((popup.x),(popup.y+40));
triangle_mc.graphics.lineTo((popup.x),(popup.y+80));
triangle_mc.graphics.endFill();
}
if (popup.y>myPoint.y) {

triangle_mc.graphics.lineTo((popup.x),(popup.y));
triangle_mc.graphics.lineTo((popup.x),(popup.y)+30);
triangle_mc.graphics.endFill();
}
}

Here are the source files:
anchorTest - AS3.fla
anchorTest - AS3.swf

Originally posted on my blog

Here’s a little seasonal fun using Flash AS3 to create some falling snow flakes for your holiday enjoyment.

First you need to create the falling flake which will be dynamically duplicated using actionScript 3.  Here’s a little snap of my flake:

The flake is tweened and follows the guide downward.  I also added some rotation to the tween.

Next, you’ll need the duplication script which does all the work:

//number of flakes
var myFlakes = 200;
//size of flakes
var mySize = 2.2;

function dupFlakes(target:DisplayObject, autoAdd:Boolean = false):DisplayObject {

var targetClass:Class = Object(target).constructor;
var duplicate:DisplayObject = new targetClass();

duplicate.transform = target.transform;
duplicate.filters = target.filters;
duplicate.cacheAsBitmap = target.cacheAsBitmap;
duplicate.opaqueBackground = target.opaqueBackground;

if (autoAdd && target.parent) {
target.parent.addChild(duplicate);
}
return duplicate;
}

for (var i=0; i<=myFlakes; i++) {
var r = Math.round(Math.random()*100);
var myCopiedSprite:MovieClip = dupFlakes(flake_mc,true) as MovieClip;
var myNum = Math.round(Math.random()*550);
myCopiedSprite.x = Math.round(Math.random()*1000);
myNum = Math.round(Math.random()*mySize);
myCopiedSprite.scaleX += myNum;
myCopiedSprite.scaleY += myNum;
myCopiedSprite.gotoAndPlay(r);
}

The code duplicates our desired number of flakes and sets the size.  Since we don’t want all the flakes to fall simutaniously, we need to tell them to start at different times. Hence, the gotoAndPlay at a random point in the flakes path.

Here’s a snap of the finished product:

Mess around with it and happy holidays!

the files:
fallingSnowAS3.fla

fallingSnow.swf