Book Review: XML in Flash

Before I read XML in Flash, I had a minimal knowledge of XML. I'd skimmed the surface of it, and knew that this new technology is revolutionizing content structure. I knew that XML allows you to custom-design your own markup language and write your own tags. But that was about it. Pretty pathetic, huh?

Luckily for me, XML in Flash eases into the heart of its subject -- XML combined with Flash. The book opens with a brief history of XML, as well as some of the key aspects of XML. The next chapter lays the foundation for the rest of the book, teaching the reader the basics of XML. Once I've learned the basics of XML, I'm ready to start building applications with XML and Flash, right? Wrong.

While I was able to follow along with most of the examples, I was still fairly confused with XML, not to mention using it in Flash. I'm sure the same will go for most people who read this book with a minimal knowledge of XML.

This is by no means at any fault of the writers (Craig Swann & Gregg Caines). They did an excellent job in writing this book, and gave detailed explanations and breakdowns of the code used in the book. One flaw I noticed, though, is that the code used in the book doesn't match with the code and files that I got from their website. Because they reference files that are supposedly available on the website, this did get frustrating at times. I eventually found files that were essentially similar (but still with different file names and naming conventions) on the publisher's website (www.quepublishing.com).

Because of my lack of knowledge of XML as well as a lack of experience in Flash ActionScripting, I missed out gaining the full benefit of this book. XML in Flash contains hands-on projects such as
a Flash message board and a stock market ticker. Also, the appendices
provide invaluable reference information on XML, XMLNode objects,
and XMLSocket objects, as well as Frequently Asked Questions.

Even with all this superb information, I still feel that I need
more knowledge in XML.

My recommendation is that anyone that is not yet comfortable enough with XML should definitely consider looking for an information source that focuses solely on learning XML before delving into the deeper parts of this book. The same goes for ActionScripting.

As for anyone who is comfortable with XML and Flash ActionScripting, I have no doubt that XML in Flash will prove to be a more than valuable tool in combining these two remarkable technologies.

Here is a list of websites that I encourage you to use as an information source for the book and the subjects covered in it.

XML in Flash website (http://www.xmlinflash.com)

Ultrashock (http://www.ultrashock.com)

- A Flash community site with resources for all levels of developers.

Flashkit (http://www.flashkit.com)

- A must-have for everything Flash. Flashkit includes tutorials, expansive forums, downloadable FLAs, and a wide variety of resources like sound files, loops and fonts.

CNet - Ready, Set, ActionScript Tips! (http://builder.cnet.com/webbuilding/pages/Graphics/ActionScript)
- A good resource for ActionScript newbies.

ProjectCool XML Zone (http://ww.projectcool.com/developer/xmlz/index.html)

- A great XML resource for those in the beginner to intermediate levels.

What is XML? (http://www.builder.com/Authoring/Xml20)

- Another great site for the beginning XML developer.

A List Apart - What the Hell is XML? (http://www.alistapart.com/stories/hellxml)

- A List Apart is an incredible source of information for designers and developers. This article tells you what the hell XML is. 'Nuff said.

New York Public Library: Style Guide: XHTML (http://www.nypl.org/styleguide/xhtml/index.html)

- There are some excellent guidelines about the rules of XHTML and XML, the benefits of them, as well as tips and tools to help you out.

Buy The Book!