ActionScript is an object-oriented programming language originally developed by Macromedia Inc. (now dissolved into Adobe Systems). It is a derivation of HyperTalk, the scripting language for HyperCard.[2] It is a dialect of ECMAScript (meaning it is a superset of the syntax and semantics of the language more widely known as JavaScript).
ActionScript is used primarily for the development of websites and software targeting the Adobe Flash Player platform, used on Web pages in the form of embedded SWF files.
Okay, let's download adobe flex sdk, it is available here then extract the sdk to a file.
Let get into ActionScript hello world. Create a file HelloWorld.as
1: user@localhost:~/Desktop/flex$ cat HelloWorld.as
2: package {
3: import flash.display.*;
4: import flash.text.*;
5:
6: public class HelloWorld extends Sprite {
7: private var greeting:TextField = new TextField();
8:
9: public function HelloWorld() {
10: greeting.text = "Hello World!";
11: greeting.x = 200;
12: greeting.y = 200;
13: addChild(greeting);
14: }
15: }
16: }
Now, let's compile the action script into swf. From where you extract the sdk, then you can follow the following steps. I make them easy as this is my first time doing flash development work. So I just put them into the sdk folder.
1: user@localhost:~/Desktop/flex$ ./bin/mxmlc HelloWorld.as
2: Loading configuration file /home/user/Desktop/flex/frameworks/flex-config.xml
3: /home/user/Desktop/flex/HelloWorld.as: Warning: This compilation unit did not have a factoryClass specified in Frame metadata to load the configured runtime shared libraries. To compile without runtime shared libraries either set the -static-link-runtime-shared-libraries option to true or remove the -runtime-shared-libraries option.
4:
5: /home/user/Desktop/flex/HelloWorld.swf (649 bytes)
6: user@localhost:~/Desktop/flex$ ll HelloWorld.*
7: -rw-r--r-- 1 user user 312 Jul 13 22:20 HelloWorld.as
8: -rw-r--r-- 1 user user 649 Jul 14 00:32 HelloWorld.swf
9:
Apart from the compiler warning, a shockwave flash is generated. Now, you can render this through swf player or using html. A html is just as simple as the following.
1: user@localhost:~/Desktop/flex$ cat index.html 2: <object data="HelloWorld.swf"
3: type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="500" height="500" >
4: <param name="movie" value="HelloWorld.swf" />
5: </object>
and then open this file using your browser.
This is a start to dip your toe into the swf water. You can follow this tutorial and article to better be a flash developer! If you are starter of flash, I suggest you get an IDE which will give you a great learning experience. If you have been following my articles, you should aware eclipse were mentioned many times. As such, you can use this plugin fdt for shockwave development.
