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   1a) All derivatives of this documentation must mention the author by name and include free access to the original documentation electronically.

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This work is divided up into the following sections

Part 1: Preface and Licensing
An Introduction to Programming With ActionScript
Higher Level Languages

Part 2: Standardized Coding Practices
Comments
White Space

Part 3: Errors and Exceptions
Syntax Errors
Logical Errors
Common Mistakes Resulting In Logical Errors

Part 4: Variables
Creating Variables
Creating Legal Variable Names

Part 5: Strings Data Type
Concatenation Of Strings

Part 6: Numbers Data Type
Mathematical Operators
Number Types In Flash
Augmented Assignment Operators
Random Numbers

Part 7: Conditionals (Controlling the Flow of Execution)
The if Statement
Comparisons And Comparison Operators
The Structure Of The if Statement
The if-else Statement
Compound Conditions

Part 8: Commonly Used Flash Commands
Definitions

Preface

An Introduction To Programming With ActionScript

The oldest programming language is based on combinations of two numbers 0 and 1, this code is known as Binary and at some point computer hardware has to process information in this language. Fortunately we don't have to understand Binary in order to interact with a computer's hardware. Software, applications and operating systems take care of that for us. In Flash we simply deal with, what is known as, a higher level language. JavaScript and Python are also examples of higher level languages. Higher level languages are also sometimes referred to as compiled languages or interpreted languages. The term Higher level is used because the language of Flash, that is ActionScript, has moved away from Lower level interactions with hardware and all of those lower level interactions have been taken care of for us. For example when we tell an object in ActionScript to move across the stage, we don't also need to tell the computer's processor what to do, or tell the computer's screen how to redraw the object that's all taken care of for us. This lower level interaction in Flash's case happens through a language known as C. But C is still a far cry from Binary code!

Next: Standardized Coding Practices