robert hoekman, jr. / blog
Note: This is the old blog for rhjr.net. The new one is here.
The book is done?
I just burned the final copy of the CD-ROM for my new book, Flash Out of the Box, and am on my way out to ship it to my editor. I also just got my first glance at the pre-print version of the book, which means it's close enough to being done that it should head off to the printer in about a week or so.
Hooray!
Hooray!
Widgets
Free widgets with free source files!
Components
Preloaders
Panels
MXI Editor
JSFL: Commands
Library Organizer
SWFs
MXNA Latest Post Widget
Components
Preloaders
Panels
MXI Editor
JSFL: Commands
Library Organizer
SWFs
MXNA Latest Post Widget
WidgetMaker t-shirts!
That's right - I set up the obligatory CafePress account and created a few WidgetMaker t-shirts. Get 'em while they're hot!
Choosing a Flash certification
I was recently asked about the differences between the Flash MX 2004 Designer certification (available in November 2004) and the Flash MX 2004 Developer certification, so I'm taking the opportunity to shed some light on the subject.
Flash MX 2004 Designer certification:
I know a lot about this exam, as I was recently tapped to work with Macromedia and the Donath Group to write the exam and I went through several rounds of reading, reviewing and verifying for each and every question. While I can't discuss details of the exam, I can tell you what it means to be a Certified Flash MX 2004 Designer, and what it takes to become one.
Arguably, the most important thing to understand is that all Macromedia certification exams are version-specific. As in, if you have been using Flash 5 or Flash MX for a while, and are confident you know all there is to know about it, you will fail the Flash MX 2004 certification exam. If, on the other hand, you've spent some quality time with each and every designer-related feature specific to Flash MX 2004, and have been designing sites, cartoons, simple interactions, and so on with this particular version, and trying to adhere to best practices while doing it, you're in a good position to become certified.
If you don't know the differences between ActionScript 1.0 and 2.0, you should start studying. If you don't know which ActionScript API's are exclusive to Flash Player 7 and how and when to use them, you should start studying. If you have never used at least five of the UI Components included with Flash MX 2004, you should start studying. Are you starting to see my point? It's not about knowing Flash, it's about knowing Flash MX 2004.
Becoming certified puts you in a very small group, and it doesn't hurt to be there. Clients often love to see that you're certified, but you have to be able to back it up with good work. Fortunately, the simple act of studying for the exam makes you better almost by default. So pick up a book or two and dig in. You'll be glad you did - there are many features in Flash MX 2004 that will improve your workflow and help you become a better designer.
Flash MX 2004 Developer certification:
I've seen this test with my own eyes as well, and it's a tough one. People who develop for a living think it's tough. People recognized as being the best in the business think it's tough. In short, if you haven't spent at least a year doing object-oriented development, six months with ActionScript 2.0 and used every feature and component available in Flash MX 2004, you will probably fail this test.
If you can pass this test, you probably don't need it. You probably already have a job as a developer and do nothing but write code all day and develop enterprise-level applications for mission-critical projects. You don't need confidence - you need a raise. So if getting certified as a Flash MX 2004 developer can get you that raise, go for it. Otherwise, just keep doing your job. Your job description will do more for you than this certification will.
In short, if you are a designer, don't take this test. If you can pass this test, you're WAY overqualified for what you do for a living. If you're the boss of a Flash designer, do not push them to take this test unless you want them to quit the very next day.
Thoughts on certification in general:
Now, I want to be honest here. While it can't possibly hurt to have the certification listed on your resume, the portfolio that backs it up is usually much more important.
That said, becoming certified did do one very powerful thing for me: it gave me confidence. Prior to taking the exam, I believed/thought/suspected I knew what I was doing, and I could certainly get through pretty much any project I took on, but validation is a beautiful thing. When I left the testing center after passing the exam, I had two things that I never had before. First, I had absolute confidence that I knew what I was doing. Second, I had proof. At the time, I was the first person in the state of Arizona, and one of only 60 or so people in the entire world, to become certified as a Flash MX Designer.
Since the test is offered in 65 countries, I was feeling pretty darn confident.
In the two years since taking the exam, I've written two chapters for "Flash MX 2004 Magic", about 20 articles for InformIT.com's Flash Reference Guide, consulted on "Flash MX 2004 Beyond the Basics", tech edited and contributed as a ghost-writer to "Flash MX 2004 Hands on Training", and written my own Flash basics book for O'Reilly (also due out in November 2004), titled "Flash Out of the Box".
Confidence can go a long way.
For more information on Macromedia certifications, see the Macromedia Certified Professional Program section of the Macromedia web site. Information on the Designer certification is not yet available, but I expect it to be up in early November.
Flash MX 2004 Designer certification:
I know a lot about this exam, as I was recently tapped to work with Macromedia and the Donath Group to write the exam and I went through several rounds of reading, reviewing and verifying for each and every question. While I can't discuss details of the exam, I can tell you what it means to be a Certified Flash MX 2004 Designer, and what it takes to become one.
Arguably, the most important thing to understand is that all Macromedia certification exams are version-specific. As in, if you have been using Flash 5 or Flash MX for a while, and are confident you know all there is to know about it, you will fail the Flash MX 2004 certification exam. If, on the other hand, you've spent some quality time with each and every designer-related feature specific to Flash MX 2004, and have been designing sites, cartoons, simple interactions, and so on with this particular version, and trying to adhere to best practices while doing it, you're in a good position to become certified.
If you don't know the differences between ActionScript 1.0 and 2.0, you should start studying. If you don't know which ActionScript API's are exclusive to Flash Player 7 and how and when to use them, you should start studying. If you have never used at least five of the UI Components included with Flash MX 2004, you should start studying. Are you starting to see my point? It's not about knowing Flash, it's about knowing Flash MX 2004.
Becoming certified puts you in a very small group, and it doesn't hurt to be there. Clients often love to see that you're certified, but you have to be able to back it up with good work. Fortunately, the simple act of studying for the exam makes you better almost by default. So pick up a book or two and dig in. You'll be glad you did - there are many features in Flash MX 2004 that will improve your workflow and help you become a better designer.
Flash MX 2004 Developer certification:
I've seen this test with my own eyes as well, and it's a tough one. People who develop for a living think it's tough. People recognized as being the best in the business think it's tough. In short, if you haven't spent at least a year doing object-oriented development, six months with ActionScript 2.0 and used every feature and component available in Flash MX 2004, you will probably fail this test.
If you can pass this test, you probably don't need it. You probably already have a job as a developer and do nothing but write code all day and develop enterprise-level applications for mission-critical projects. You don't need confidence - you need a raise. So if getting certified as a Flash MX 2004 developer can get you that raise, go for it. Otherwise, just keep doing your job. Your job description will do more for you than this certification will.
In short, if you are a designer, don't take this test. If you can pass this test, you're WAY overqualified for what you do for a living. If you're the boss of a Flash designer, do not push them to take this test unless you want them to quit the very next day.
Thoughts on certification in general:
Now, I want to be honest here. While it can't possibly hurt to have the certification listed on your resume, the portfolio that backs it up is usually much more important.
That said, becoming certified did do one very powerful thing for me: it gave me confidence. Prior to taking the exam, I believed/thought/suspected I knew what I was doing, and I could certainly get through pretty much any project I took on, but validation is a beautiful thing. When I left the testing center after passing the exam, I had two things that I never had before. First, I had absolute confidence that I knew what I was doing. Second, I had proof. At the time, I was the first person in the state of Arizona, and one of only 60 or so people in the entire world, to become certified as a Flash MX Designer.
Since the test is offered in 65 countries, I was feeling pretty darn confident.
In the two years since taking the exam, I've written two chapters for "Flash MX 2004 Magic", about 20 articles for InformIT.com's Flash Reference Guide, consulted on "Flash MX 2004 Beyond the Basics", tech edited and contributed as a ghost-writer to "Flash MX 2004 Hands on Training", and written my own Flash basics book for O'Reilly (also due out in November 2004), titled "Flash Out of the Box".
Confidence can go a long way.
For more information on Macromedia certifications, see the Macromedia Certified Professional Program section of the Macromedia web site. Information on the Designer certification is not yet available, but I expect it to be up in early November.
JSFL: Library Organizer command
WidgetMaker Ron Haberle put this one together, but I'm posting it on his behalf. This custom Flash MX 2004 Command reorganizes your entire .FLA library with a single click. Movie clips go into a "Movie Clips" folder, video goes into a "Video" folder, and on and on. Just like that, you've got a clean, nicely organized library.
// ==================== //
DOWNLOAD THE EXTENSION:
Download the Library Organizer and its source file.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
Flash MX 2004 or Flash MX Professional 2004
INSTALLING THE EXTENSION:
Once downloaded, double-click the .MXP file to install it via the Macromedia Extension Manager.
USING THE EXTENSION:
With a Flash document open, choose Commands > library-organizer.
EXTENSION SOURCE FILE(S):
Once installed, the JSFL source file will be located in your Commands folder in your Flash install directory.
// ==================== //
// ==================== //
DOWNLOAD THE EXTENSION:
Download the Library Organizer and its source file.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
Flash MX 2004 or Flash MX Professional 2004
INSTALLING THE EXTENSION:
Once downloaded, double-click the .MXP file to install it via the Macromedia Extension Manager.
USING THE EXTENSION:
With a Flash document open, choose Commands > library-organizer.
EXTENSION SOURCE FILE(S):
Once installed, the JSFL source file will be located in your Commands folder in your Flash install directory.
// ==================== //
Mike Chambers on DevChat today
And speaking of Central, Mike Chambers is hanging out in Central DevChat today. If you've ever wanted a chance to meet members of Team Macromedia, or some of the other well-known developers in the Flash world, to get some serious question answered, now's the time. They've been in and out of the DevChat all day.
SEPY makes some really green grass
I recently started using SEPY, a free ActionScript editor created by Sephiroth, and I gotta say ... it's awesome. Until Macromedia builds an editor that is as good as SEPY, I refuse to go back to using the Actions panel or integrated script window built into Flash MX Professional 2004.
And fortunately, I don't have to.
I'm doing ActionScript 2.0 development on a daily basis now, and when I need to work with classes, I open SEPY because it has a class browser, snippets panel, auto-completion, syntax-coloring, project panel that works better than the one in Flash Pro, and all kinds of customizable options. When I need to add code to a .FLA, I use SEPY to write it and then save the code as an external .AS file in an "includes" folder. Now, the only code I write inside a .FLA is a single #include statement. When I'm ready to do a test movie, I press Ctrl+Enter, the same as I would in Flash, and SEPY turns focus over to Flash and runs a test movie from there.
I've got SEPY open on my desktop so often these days that I'm starting to wonder how anyone works with ActionScript within Flash.
As they say ... the grass is always greener.
And fortunately, I don't have to.
I'm doing ActionScript 2.0 development on a daily basis now, and when I need to work with classes, I open SEPY because it has a class browser, snippets panel, auto-completion, syntax-coloring, project panel that works better than the one in Flash Pro, and all kinds of customizable options. When I need to add code to a .FLA, I use SEPY to write it and then save the code as an external .AS file in an "includes" folder. Now, the only code I write inside a .FLA is a single #include statement. When I'm ready to do a test movie, I press Ctrl+Enter, the same as I would in Flash, and SEPY turns focus over to Flash and runs a test movie from there.
I've got SEPY open on my desktop so often these days that I'm starting to wonder how anyone works with ActionScript within Flash.
As they say ... the grass is always greener.
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