As a creative professional or interactive developer, you'll be amazed at the exciting possibilities presented to you by the new features available in Flash 8; but as a busy designer, we know you won't have as much time as you'd like to explore these new additions. Never fear--this book wastes no time looking at timeline basics, tweens, or movie-publishing options--it focuses exclusively on the new Flash 8 features, getting you quickly up to speed with a combination of illustrative tutorials, handy references, and inspirational examples. <br /> <br /> In this book, you'll learn how to<br /> <br/><br/><br /> <br/>    Benefit from exciting new pixel-level control with the new BitmapData API <br /> <br/>    Create stunning visual effects with filters and blend modes<br /> <br/>    Add interactive video quickly and easily using cue points, video alpha channel support, and the industry-leading On2 VP6 codec<br /> <br/>    Take advantage of speed enhancements with bitmap caching<br /> <br/>    Communicate easily with browsers using the new ExternalInterface class <br /> <br/>    Add support for uploading images directly from Flash 8 with the new File Reference class <br /> <br/>    Take advantage of the new text field and drawing improvements<br /> <br/><br/><br /> <br /> By the end of the book, you'll know that there's no shortage of new tools to enhance and inspire your Flash development; and since this book is written by some of the community's leading Flash experts, you'll know you're in good hands. If you're looking to master Flash 8 with a minimum of time and effort, then this is the only book for you. <br /> <br /> Summary of Contents:<br /> <br/><br/><br /> <br/>    Flash 8 Overview<br /> <br/>    Blending Modes<br /> <br/>    Filters<br /> <br/>    Drawing and Graphic Improvements<br /> <br/>    Video: Alpha Channels and Other Improvements<br /> <br/>    TextField Improvements<br /> <br/>    Speed Improvements<br /> <br/>    The Wonderful World of BitmapData<br /> <br/>    Getting Creative with Filters, Masks, and Animation<br /> <br/>    External Interface<br /> <br/>    Flash 8 Examples<br /> <br/><br/>