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Flash Developer Center
Home
In this video presentation, Todd Perkins shows you what Flash is and what it can do. Learn the Flash interface; create and display animation, video, and sound content; and add interactivity.
Learn from this sample, which demonstrates a simple slideshow that loads images from an external source and transitions them onto the screen with a fade-in effect.
Using Google Analytics to simplify tracking of rich media websites
Nick Mihailovski (Dec. 22, 2008)
Learn about the Google Analytics Tracking for Adobe Flash component, which makes it easy to implement website traffic analysis in your websites and RIAs.
ActionScript 3.0 Quick Reference Guide excerpts: Copy motion, display list, events, and migration
David Stiller, Rich Shupe,
Jen deHaan, Darren Richardson (Dec. 22, 2008)
Read these four book excerpts from O'Reilly Media so you can make the leap from ActionScript 2.0 to ActionScript 3.0 quickly and painlessly.
Introducing Adobe Flash CS4 Professional
Doug Winnie (Oct. 15, 2008)
Learn about some of the biggest features of Flash CS4 Professional and see how they can improve your workflow.
Providing alternative content for SWF files
Bobby van der Sluis (Nov. 10, 2008)
Improve the overall user experience and searchability of your web content by following these simple guidelines.
Generating sounds dynamically in Flash Player 10
Jeff Swartz (Oct. 15, 2008)
Learn about the use of dynamically generated sounds in Flash Player 10, and how to use the new Sound.extract() method and sampleDataEvent.
Creating blends, filters and fills with Adobe Pixel Bender
Charles Ward (Oct. 15, 2008)
Get an overview of the new high-performance graphics programming language, and learn how to apply filters, blends, and area fills to any display object, including images and vector graphics.
Saving Flash graphics as image files at runtime
Clive Goodinson (Sept. 29, 2008)
Learn how to programmatically generate static image files using the graphic content in a Flash project.
Now on iTunes: ADC Presents
Find Adobe software engineers, product managers, and special guests on Apple iTunes as they provide tips and tricks on how to develop first-class digital experiences with Adobe products.
Web video bitrate calculator
Determine the optimal bitrate at which to encode your video files using this online calculator developed by Robert Reinhardt.
Developer Spotlight: Focus on creative agencies
Meet Chester Chipperfield, picked for his use of Flex, Flash, and Adobe AIR to deliver digital projects for creative agencies.
In the Flash community
This content requires Flash
To view this content, JavaScript must be enabled, and you need the latest version of the Adobe Flash Player.
Download the free Flash Player now!
Getting Started
Steps to getting started
Follow these simple steps to start building Flash content and applications:
-
Download and install Flash CS4 Professional.
Get started using the trial version of Flash CS4 Professional. Some tutorials require Flash CS4 Professional, although many apply still to Flash CS3.
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Learn about Flash.
Find out what's new: Doug Winnie, group product manager at Adobe Systems, writes about about some of the biggest features of Flash CS4 Professional and how they can improve your workflow.
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Familiarize yourself with Flash Help.
Select the Help menu in the Flash authoring environment, visit the Flash Support Center, or use Flash LiveDocs. You can find help and documentation in all three areas.
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Build your first Flash project.
Read this article to create a simple Flash document: creating an FLA file, adding a simple animation, and publishing your work using Flash. Learn about the core concepts of Flash: document creation, importing, text, frames, assets, and simple ActionScript.
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Watch and learn with video tutorials.
Watch video tutorials on the Adobe TV Flash channel. See more video presentation links below.
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Develop basic skills with the Flash learning guides.
Get a guided approach to learning integral Flash features. Flash learning guides cover video, graphic effects, ActionScript components, and animation.
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Master the finer points of Flash.
Browse the tutorials and articles in the Flash Developer Center—whether you want to comp an interactive design project, create animation in ActionScript 3.0, skin Flash components, or explore video templates and tutorials.
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Take apart our sample files.
Examine the Flash ActionScript 3.0 sample files, which demonstrate various features common in Flash development. Some samples are complete applications, while others simply introduce a concept that you can use to build your own apps.
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Communicate with other Flash users through our community resources.
Find a Flash user group and connect with Flash resources.
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Get inspired by others.
Find out from Rob Ford what some of the best Flash experiences were in 2007 to help inspire your own projects.
Learn Flash CS4 Professional with video tutorials
Getting started
- Understanding what Flash can do
- Understanding different Flash file types
- Creating a file and exploring the Flash interface
- Setting up workspaces
- Using the drawing tools
- Understanding object and merge drawing
- Understanding symbols
- Working with bitmap graphics
- Working with sound
- Working with video
- Understanding tweens
- Creating shape tweens
- Creating motion tweens
- Using the Motion Editor
- Working with motion presets
- Animating bones
- Introduction to ActionScript 3.0
- Building a simple interactive application
- Creating a Flash movie for the web
Working with Flash CS4 Professional
Submit your feedback about the Developer Center.
Quick Starts
Flash Quick Starts illustrate some of the key features in Flash CS4 Professional and ActionScript 3.0. Start here to learn how to perform common tasks in ActionScript 3.0 and develop content in Flash CS4 Professional for Flash Player 10.
Building Flash video projects
The Flash video format makes it possible for almost anyone to view video that you put on a web page. To take full advantage of this technology, understand the FLV file format and learn how to put a video player in your Flash application.
Programming with ActionScript 3.0
As the programming language of the Flash Player runtime, ActionScript enables efficient programming of Flash applications. By repackaging commonly used classes and objects as easily accessible APIs, ActionScript 3.0 provides faster, more direct access to the functionality you need for your applications.
Developing content with ActionScript 3.0
After learning ActionScript 3.0 programming fundamentals, start building multimedia and interactive content with ActionScript. Use scripts and classes to generate data-driven content that is flexible, dynamic, and portable.
Using user interface components
These ActionScript 3.0 class objects implement commonly used web page user interface elements. Accelerate website development by using these components that you can easily plug in and customize.
- Using the Button component (Updated for CS4)
- Using the Label component (Updated for CS4)
- Getting started with Flash CS3 user interface components
- Creating, populating, and resizing the DataGrid component (Updated for CS4)
- Customizing and sorting the DataGrid component (Updated for CS4)
- Filtering and formatting data in the DataGrid component (Updated for CS4)
- Displaying images with the TileList component (Updated for CS4)
More getting started content
Getting started with Flash
Follow these simple steps to get started building Flash content and applications, then learn from the pros by watching targeted video tutorials on Adobe TV.
Flash learning guides
New to Adobe Flash? Learn how to use the various features of Flash by drilling down on specific topics:
Samples
One of the quickest ways to learn Adobe Flash is to look at existing sample files to see how they are built. This page contains links to several Flash samples, with instructions on how to use them.
Flash ActionScript 3.0 samples
New Flash ActionScript 3.0 samples
Learn about Flash by doing: These samples demonstrate features common in Flash development. Investigate how each was constructed, explore the graphics and timelines in the FLA files, and examine the ActionScript code in the associated AS files.
Puzzle Game
Start this Flash sample application with eight randomly positioned puzzle pieces, and then solve the puzzle by arranging them so they form an image.
Flash CS4 Professional samples
The samples in this ZIP file demonstrate features of ActionScript 3.0. Each sample is described in detail in the CS4 version of Programming ActionScript 3.0. Download the ZIP file to investigate how each sample was constructed, explore the graphics and timelines in the FLA files, and examine the ActionScript code in the associated AS files.
Flash_ActionScript3.0_samples_CS4.zip (ZIP, 15 MB)
Flash CS3 Professional samples
The samples in this ZIP file demonstrate features of ActionScript 3.0. Each sample is described in detail in the CS3 version of Programming ActionScript 3.0. Download this ZIP file to investigate how each was constructed, explore the graphics and timelines in the FLA files, and examine the ActionScript code in the associated AS files.
Programming_ActionScript3.0_samples.zip (ZIP, 42 MB)
ActionScript 3.0 components samples
The samples in this ZIP file help you learn ActionScript
3.0 components in Flash CS3 Professional and earlier versions of Flash. They demonstrate the use of animation,
arrays, strings, bitmaps, filters, context menus, file upload, text, images, XML, and so on. Many topics in Using Flash and Learning ActionScript 2.0 refer to these samples.
Flash_ActionScript3.0_samples.zip (ZIP, 8.10 MB)
Note: These samples are ActionScript 3.0 versions of the ActionScript 2.0 samples available below in Samples.zip.
Flash video samples
Check out updated Flash video templates
Download and explore these sample files with video clips to learn about the video authoring capabilities of Flash.
Extending Flash, ActionScript 2.0, and ActionScript 2.0 components samples
The samples in this ZIP file help you learn how to use various features in
Flash. Available samples include accessibility, behaviors, data
integration, Flash JavaScript, masking, working with graphics and text,
and various samples that demonstrate ActionScript 2.0 features. Many topics in Using Flash, Extending Flash, and Learning ActionScript 2.0 refer to these samples.
Samples.zip (ZIP, 8.96 MB)
Note: ActionScript 3.0 versions of the ActionScript 2.0 samples in this ZIP are available above in Flash_ActionScript3.0_Samples.zip.
Flash Lite samples and tutorials
Download these samples to help you learn Flash Lite 2.0 and 2.1. Available
samples demonstrate navigation, soft keys, menus, input text, sound,
video, and shared objects. The Café Townsend tutorial files are
included also.
Flash_Lite_2x.zip (ZIP, 2.63 MB)
Download samples to help you learn Flash Lite 1.0 and 1.1. Available
samples demonstrate navigation, soft keys, menus, input text, and
sound. The Cafe Townsend tutorial files, an animated cartoon, a news
reader, and a strategy game are included also.
Flash_Lite_1x.zip (ZIP, 807K)
Downloads
Download the trial of, and software updates to, Flash CS4 Professional.
Adobe Flash Player 10 Update for Flash CS4 Professional
Adobe (Oct. 15, 2008)
This update of Adobe Flash Player 10 contains additional bug fixes. The update replaces the Debug and Release versions of Flash Player 10 browser plugins, standalone players, and Test Movie players that are included in the initial release of Flash CS4 Professional (player version 10,0,2,54). All users are encouraged to apply this update. The new players are version 10,0,12,36.
Adobe AIR 1.1 Update for Flash CS3 Professional
Adobe (Jun. 16, 2008)
This update for Flash CS3 Professional contains the latest release of Adobe AIR, the Adobe cross-operating system runtime that allows you to leverage local desktop resources and data to deliver even more personal, engaging experiences.
Updates
Flash updates
Get the latest updates and additions to Flash CS4 Professional, Flash CS3 Professional, Flash Professional 8, and Flash Basic.
Flash Exchange
Browse and download extensions for Flash, or create and post your own.
Trial downloads
- Download the trial of Flash CS4 Professional
- Learn more about trial downloads
- See all Adobe downloads
Community
Share your development knowledge, see what other developers are creating, and ask your coding questions in the Flash development community.
Find a Flash user group
| Location | Name | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta, Canada | Calgary Adobe Flash User Group (CAFUG) | http://www.flashcalgary.org/ |
| Alberta, Canada | Edmonton Flash User Group (eFUG) | http://efug.org/ |
| Arizona | Flash and Multimedia User Group (FMUG) | http://gotoandstop.org/ |
| Brazil | Adobe User Group Rio Grande do Sul |
http://www.augrs.com |
| Brighton, UK | FlashBrighton | http://www.flashbrighton.org/ |
| British Columbia, Canada | Vancouver Flash User Group |
http://www.flashinvan.com/ |
| California | Los Angeles Flash Industry Professionals |
http://www.laflash.org |
| Denmark | Danish Flash User Group (DFUG) | http://www.flashforum.dk/ |
| Indiana | Indianapolis Flash Adobe User Group | http://www.in2flash.com/ |
| Indiana | Indiana University Flash User Group |
http://www.indiana.edu/~iufug/ |
| Manitoba, Canada | Flash in the Peg |
http://www.flashinthepeg.org/ |
| Minnesota | Minnesota Flash User Group |
http://www.flashmn.com |
| New York | FlashCodersNY |
http://flashcodersny.org/ |
| Online only | Sierra Flash Adobe User Group | http://www.flashusersgroup.org/ |
| Ontario, Canada | Toronto's Flash User Group (FlashinTo) |
http://www.flashinTO.com |
| Pennsylvania | Pittsburg Adobe Flash User Group (PittMFUG) | http://pittmfug.blogspot.com/ |
| San Francisco | San Francisco Flash User Group | http://sanflashcisco.com/ |
| Switzerland | Swiss Flash User Group (SFUG) |
http://www.sfug.ch |
| Texas | Houston Adobe User Group (HoustonAUG) | http://www.houstonaug.org/ |
| Washington | Seattle Flash User Group | http://www.seattleflashusergroup.com/ |
Find a Flash user group
Get involved with like-minded Flash developers in your local area.
Don't see a Flash user group in your area? Apply to start one! The requirements for starting an official Adobe Flash user group are very basic: you must have an active website dedicated to the group and you must hold a monthly user group meeting. That's all!
If you are interested in applying to start a Flash user group in your area:
- Fill out an application.
- Start building your user group site and start planning your first meeting.
- E-mail the program contact, Rachel Luxemburg, for more information.
Connect with Flash resources
Engage with the Flash community using the following resources.
Flash support forums
Looking for the answer to a specific question you have about Flash? Post your question to the forums to get help from Adobe Community Experts and others in the Flash community.
Flash Adobe Community Experts
Get to know the Community Experts for Flash, or converse with them on the Flash forums.
Flash Developer Center RSS feed
Subscribe to a feed of recently published Flash articles in the Developer Center.
Learn from the Flash community
Find or become an Adobe Community Expert
Find a Flash event
Attend a conference in person, or take one of our online seminars to learn more about Flash.
