New timeline effects and behaviors, better run-time performance (which equals faster graphics display and video playback), native support for PDF and EPS forms, a slew of workflow enhancements, an improved programming language, a redesigned interface—these are just a few in the long list of new features that have Web designers salivating over the newest version of their favorite Web tool: Macromedia Flash MX 2004. Whether you’re brand new to the world of Flash development or a veteran chomping at the bit to take advantage of all the latest features, this task-based guide will have you creating high-impact, interactive Web sites with Flash MX 2004 in no time. Best-selling author Katherine Ulrich is at it again here, using simple step-by-step instructions and loads of visual aids to cover every aspect of Flash design—from the basics of vector animation to sophisticated interaction and transition effects. Throughout, you’ll find the direct, friendly language and plethora of tips that have become the hallmark of the popular Visual QuickStart series.

Good compliment to other books.
I’ve recently read six Flash books and this was the only one NOT specifically about coding games. This is for the ’designer’ or non coding-types ^_^ And although initially I didn’t really like it because I knew instead of following step 1, step 2, step 3, etc. I’d be writing events in ActionScript2 to move that movieclip around...I later after reading the other books had to look something up in this book and learned to appreciate it a bit more! :D

Worth the read even for programmers!

Not very quick.
I’m a huge fan of PeachPit’s Visual Quickstart Guides.
They allow me to quickly learn how to use an app.

When Flash MX 2004 came I was supprised.
It is 3-4x times the size of a normal quickstart.
It has almost 700 pages.

It has some good info, but it not a quickstart. I’d have preferred a 150 page option. In my busy life it is just to daunting.

In PeachPit’s defense, I’m sure the product description said it was almost 700 pages, I assume it was quick like the others I’ve purchased.

Thanks.
om

Not very quick.
I’m a huge fan of PeachPit’s Visual Quickstart Guides.

They allow me to quickly learn how to use an app.



When Flash MX 2004 came I was supprised.

It is 3-4x times the size of a normal quickstart.

It has almost 700 pages.



It has some good info, but it not a quickstart. I’d have preferred a 150 page option. In my busy life it is just to daunting.



In PeachPit’s defense, I’m sure the product description said it was almost 700 pages, I assume it was quick like the others I’ve purchased.



Thanks.

om

Great starter but a little thin
This VQS book gives a great high-level of a broad spectrum of functionality of Flash but does not go into much detail. Good starter book.

A good place to start
Adobe and Macromedia both write excellent software but both have two things in common - the lack of being user friendly and intuitive.
This book is a boon to those who are willing to put the time in to learn Flash MX 2004. The explanations are clear and the examples allow a user to actually create Flash projects rather than just reading about them.
Flash, itself, is a monsterous program, and so the book cannot cover everything - Flash scripting for instance is only touched on lightly but if you are looking for a book that will give you a solid beginning, this is a good place to start.

Great Experience
This book arrived on a timely manner and in real good condition. It was exactly what they said it would be in their description. Wouldn’t mind doing business with them again in the future!

Macromedia Flash MX 2004: Visual QuickStart Guide
Straightforward and well written. I like the sidebars that provide tips and extra related items.

Great reference book, crappy design book
Imagine buying a simple electronic device, bringing it home, and then discovering a 600-page step-by-step directional manual for setting it up. This is how the visual quickstart guide explains designing a web site. This book has a full segment on how to use a pen tool. We all know how to use the pen tool- a monkey can use the pen tool. If you can coherently read a scientific manual- have at it, if you’re like me, and you need to put it in practice and have a sample project to work on (I realize I have been spoiled by the Classroom In a Book series), then you cannot use this book. All I wanted to do was to expand my graphics ability, not become a master Flash guru.

Excellent teacher
The lessons are written in plain language with an abundance of illustrations. It is one of the best computer books I have ever read. It takes a very complex program and breaks it down to simple steps.

For Beginners Only - But excellent for them
This book takes you from the *very* basics of Flash, and walks you through what you need to know to get started. It is a very basic, but comprehensive, overview.

I have been using Adobe Photoshop and Macromedia Dreamweaver for years, so I am familiar with graphics/creative software in general. Regardless, I went through this book from page one to the end, which I found helpful to make sure I picked up all the little details, shortcuts, and quirks.

If you are not as experienced, and this is the first graphics software you have ever used, this book is for you. The author holds your hand far enough so that anyone can get started with Flash.

As others have commented, those with even a modicum of Flash experience may want to look elsewhere, as a large portion of the book covers just the basic toolbar tools.

This is a well written, well organized book that will make anyone who’s afraid of learning Flash unscared (if that’s a word).

Tedious as a tutorial, but a good reference book
This book is essentially a REFERENCE book. It can be used to learn Flash, but only if you plan to set aside all of your free time for the next year to work through all of the lessons. It moves too slowly and most novice users will become bored and quit before they even learn how to use all of the drawing tools.

As a reference, it is indispensible. Need to know the difference between an animated graphic symbol and a movie clip? It’s all explained in detail. I use this book as a quick reference whenever I need to know how to do something. I can usually find it in here and implement it within 20 minutes (rather than working through a long tutorial).

My only complaint about this book is that it is basically a revised edition of a book that was written for an early version of Flash. The editors do a pretty good job of updating the sections, but I have found that some eccentricities of Flash are not covered. For example, if you use the color mixer to do a color change (motion) tween, it won’t work. The book does not tell you that you need to change the colors through the property inspector. These sorts of things can occasionally lead to hours of frustration.

I would have to say that this is the best Flash REFERENCE on the market, but it isn’t perfect. I would not recommend working through the chapters sequentially (like a tutorial) because it is too slow.

Very simple approach
This book might be good for people that have never opened flash but for anyone that even knows a bit of flash stay away. It is a real boring read, well for me anyway. It did more of just explaining icons in the program, which is cool, but if you bought flash, you can open the help file for that.

The writer doesn’t seem extremely proficient in Flash which is scary to think. Flash is a complicated program, and for a book being close to 600 pages, it might get you past the toolbars.

I ran through this book in about a day with it really teaching me nothing new or anything for that matter.

"Flash" Made Simple
I’m a graphic design student in college and had to take a course that was heavy in flash programing. I had never really tackled flash, didn’t know what it could, couldn’t make sense of anything really. This was the book for our course and I can say it was well worth the money. This book is written simply, clearly, and for the beginner. It may not tell you how to do every advanced thing you can do with Flash, but it’s a good place to start if you’re a bit put-off by the Flash console and unsure of how to use it to tackle projects and presentations.

It isn’t a book you can read from page one until the last. It’s a guide, a good reference book. It’s divided up into chapters, the first starting with the very basics and the last chapters going through how you can get your flash work uploaded online using various technology and programs. I pretty much learned how to use flash using this book, and in just four or five weeks, I’m making web-site style presentations, animating, making video presentations and all.

Every person that may be a designer or have to take-on Flash should pick up this book. It’s easy to use, gives you little simple tasks you can do and breaks them down into numbered steps. It’s not very wordy, and the chapters often times contains a little extra tip box if there’s a question you’re thinking of or if there’s something a more advanced user may want to take on. Get this book!