If you¿re ready to begin integrating video, text, audio, and graphics into dynamic, interactive Web sites using Macromedia¿s Flash MX 2004, this is the place to start. As the official Macromedia guide to its motion-graphics and animation powerhouse, this volume uses a series of hands-on projects to provide a firm foundation in every aspect of Flash MX 2004 use: from graphics, animation, video, and text to ActionScript fundamentals and dynamic data integration. Simple step-by-step instructions peppered with plenty of visuals and a CD that includes lesson files and a trial version of Flash MX 2004 leave you with a solid understanding of basic Flash development and design. In the process you¿ll learn about all that¿s new in Flash MX 2004¿from its redesigned interface to its improved scripting language, better text tools, native support for PDF and EPS formats, first-ever third-party extensions, and more. You¿ll even learn how to build movies that integrate with dynamic data, stream video, and include forms that ask for user input.

If you’re ready to begin integrating video, text, audio, and graphics into dynamic, interactive Web sites using Macromedia’s Flash MX 2004, this is the place to start. As the official Macromedia guide to its motion-graphics and animation powerhouse, this volume uses a series of hands-on projects to provide a firm foundation in every aspect of Flash MX 2004 use: from graphics, animation, video, and text to ActionScript fundamentals and dynamic data integration. Simple step-by-step instructions peppered with plenty of visuals and a CD that includes lesson files and a trial version of Flash MX 2004 leave you with a solid understanding of basic Flash development and design. In the process you’ll learn about all that’s new in Flash MX 2004—from its redesigned interface to its improved scripting language, better text tools, native support for PDF and EPS formats, first-ever third-party extensions, and more. You’ll even learn how to build movies that integrate with dynamic data, stream video, and include forms that ask for user input.

I did learn a few things from this book.....
I cant give this book 1 star because I did learn a few things from it, however having said that I learnt a lot more by ’customising’ the exercises and playing with the various tools myself as I went through.

The other reviewers are quite correct in that there has been no proof-reading or technical editing of this book whatsoever.The mistakes are plentiful and unless you have enough knowledge of Flash, are complete showstoppers.One example I can think of is that you are instructed to create a folder for the catalog swf’s and call it catalog.Yet when you are instructed to set the source swf in the catalog page to load into the loader, you are told to type in catalog.fla Having put all of those files in a subfolder (as instructed), it wont work unless the path you type is catalog/catalog.fla. Simple example I know but there are enough of these things going on through the book to make it really frustrating. I had some actionscript that wouldnt work so I had a look at the completed file on the CD...well knock me down if there isnt actionscript missing from the book!!

The funny thing is that even when I tried to preview the books completed example files off of the CD, I STILL got error messages that required debugging which means that you are on your own if you want to complete the book from start to finish.

Anyway, this book was a majorly flawed disappointment and waste of a nights drinking money. The framework is there and with great content correctly proof read, with consistency applied throughout, it could have been excellent. I have used other TFS books and they have been excellent, the Fireworks one in particular was a great starting point for me. This book has tarnished the perception I had of the series and having read the reviews for the Actionscript TFS I am loathe to buy another one....

Lacking, but ok
This book has some good information, but is poorly written and fails to explain much about what is going on in the tutorials. With Macromedia’s commitment to quality products, I’d expect something much better to bear the name "Training From the Source."

There are MANY typos and grammatical errors. Did anyone proofread this thing?

The book is not all bad, however. I learned a lot from it, but felt like too much was left out. Simple, basic concepts were explained repeatedly, but some of the more important stuff had little to no explanation. Tutorials instruct you to do or write certain important things, without explaining why, or what is going on.

Overall, I think the book is worth about half the cover price. For more in-depth explanation, check out any of the Russell Chun Flash books. His "Flash Advanced" goes together well with this book.

I want my money back!
I have used the Adobe "Classroom in a Book" series to learn Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. and found the texts to be fairly interesting, useful, and easy to follow. I bought "Macromedia Flash MX 2004 : Training from the Source" expecting something similar, and could not have been more disappointed.

It’s extremely dull, POORLY edited, and most importantly, nearly impossible to follow. I gave up in the second chapter.

According to the credits, this book did have an editor and a technical editor, but I find that difficult to believe.

Not for beginners - two / three stars maybe for experienced users
I am now editing my earlier review (below). I have revisited this book after completing training in Dreamweaver, and am now therefore more familiar with the look and logic behind these Macromedia applications. Because of my previous training, I am now able to follow the lessons - and am finding the book useful. However - I still feel this book suffers from extremely poor editing. It often directs you to click on menus or select tools that it has not yet introduced. A beginner would have no idea what to do...

Previous review:

I have used the Adobe "Classroom in a Book" series to learn Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. and found the texts to be fairly interesting, useful, and easy to follow. I bought "Macromedia Flash MX 2004 : Training from the Source" expecting something similar, and could not have been more disappointed.

It’s extremely dull, POORLY edited, and most importantly, nearly impossible to follow. I gave up in the second chapter.

According to the credits, this book did have an editor and a technical editor, but I find that difficult to believe.

Macromedia Flash MX 2004 : Training from the Source (Training from the Source)
An excellent beginners guide for non programmers.

fair and mixed
This is a book which leads you through a web design project. Like the TFS books on all the Studio programs this one begins with a single goal, that by the end there will be a whole website. The lessons then cover all that is related to putting together a website. For folks who are not interested in using Flash for website design, this book is definitely not the best.

For folks who are... well, my opinion is mixed. Yes, the examples are clearly written, and there is generally a good order of the lessons which help one to better understand the complexity of Flash. The problem is really related to the project itself.

Instead of focusing on the brilliance and uniqueness of Flash, this project teaches you how to mimic what would really be a better site done in Dreamweaver, or even Fireworks. Such Flash based sites as jkrowling.com are wonderfully creative. This project looks like any other html based site, except it uses Flash. You learn to mimic html and javascript in creating drop down menus, and other things, leaving me with a sense that I learned... but I am still missing on what Flash is really built to do. There’s a complete lack of creativity, and that’s what Flash is made for. I don’t want to spend twenty hours going through a book that makes me think I could better use Dreamweaver for the same effect.

With this is the tendency to jump from all too basic "make a square and resize it" lessons, to doing complex dynamic interaction which goes beyond an introduction to the program.

This book is about making a project rather than building a solid foundation in Flash. The project they choose is rather dull and doesn’t even come close to the creativity found in flash based sites, nor even the fun that the TFS book on Actionscript reveals.

So yes, one does learn and it is well written. But, one is left knowing there are tremendous gaps in foundational knowledge which other books will better cover. When I finished both the books on Fireworks and Dreamweaver I was left thinking I had a good grasp, which could be built through personal practice. With this book I feel like I learned, but am left reaching for different books to really introduce the program in a fuller way.

With so many books on Flash out there, this likely isn’t the best choice. Unless, of course, your interest is in using Flash to make a site which looks just like an html based site. Then, it’s a fine selection.

Excellent Resource!
This is a great book for the beginning to intermediate Flash user. I found this to be one of the best Flash basics books I have read. The topics and projects are targeted at someone who has no Flash expierence.

The tech bookstore project demonstrated throughout this book was well selected. It is a project that would be a practical ’real world’ example. All aspects of this project are covered - from creating the initial graphics, to using ActionScript to make it all work.

Beyond the Flash basics of creating graphics, understanding the timeline and skills that are common to most Flash books, this book goes a step further. It demonstrates how to use audio and video in Flash, basics of ActionScript, using the built in Flash components - and my favorite - incoporating dynamic data.

The CD-ROM that is included with the book contains all the files needed to complete and/or follow along with all of the projects in the book.

If you are a teacher looking for a book to use in teaching Flash, I highly recommend this one. It is well organized and would be ideal for the classroom setting.

In summary, I was very pleased with the organization, content and quality of this book.

Not for the bright eyed beginner.
This was my second book in the Training From the Source series. Although not much of a confidence builder at first, this book turned out to be worth the month it took me to get through all the information and exercises (mostly on my weekends). It goes over the different aspects and program capabilities in an on-the-job-training approach. There were times when I got a bit frustrated but it only lasted until a couple pages later where things would for the most part tie in. Beyond the general tutorials and function definitions, the author did a really good job of providing examples and gave some pretty good ideas on how to continue with Flash into my own websites, which is rare. Flash is a complex program I think, and this book did a great job of taking it apart and putting it back together in a stylish website with movie clips, video and sound.