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<P>The primary location for all your Flash ActionScript is the Actions
Window.  

<h3>Viewing code</h3>

To view the code associated with a specific object, click on that
object.  The code will appear in the code section of the Actions
Window.  If you make changes to the code in the Actions Window, those
changes are included in the document automatically (there is no
separate saving procedure for code).

<center>
<img src="select_frame.gif" width=262 height=95 alt="Actions window select frame" align=center vspace=5>
</center>

<P>If you create code to be attached to a specific frame instead of to
a specific object, you can do so by selecting the frame and adding
code in the Actions Window.  To select a frame, click on it in the
timeline.  Once you've added code, that frame in the timeline will be
rendered with a small <font color="#990000"><tt>a</tt></font> to
indicate the action programmed there.

<br clear=all>
<h3>Normal vs. Expert modes</h3>

<img src="normal_expert.gif" width=217 height=283 alt="Actions Window arrow menu" align=right>
Flash's Actions Window will allow you to program in two different
modes, <em>Normal</em> and <em>Expert</em>.  Normal mode allows you to
use the ActionScript programming tools in the actions section and to
use the details section to refine your code.  On the other hand,
Normal mode will <em>not</em> allow you to edit your ActionScript code
by hand.

<P>Expert mode, conversely, will allow you to type directly in the
code section, bypassing the actions and details sections of the window.
Alas, when you're using the Expert mode, very few of the options in
the actions section are open to you.  You may find that once you know a
bit more about ActionScript, a mix of the two is the best way to go.

<P>To switch beteen normal and expert mode, simply click the <em>arrow
menu</em> in the upper right of the actions window and select the mode
you'd like to use from the pop-up menu that appears (as shown).

<br clear=all>
<h3>The Window</h3>

The Actions Window is divided into three sections.  Below are
the details about how to use the different sections.

<DL>

<P><DT><strong>Actions</strong></dt>

<table align=right cellpadding=5><tr><th><A
HREF="actions_window.gif"><img src="actions_window_sm.gif" width="299"
height="220" alt="Actions Window w/labels" border=0> <br><small>Click
for enlargement</small></A> </th></tr></table>

<dd>The actions section of the Actions Window allows you to select
different ActionScript functions and actions.  It has a nested set of
menus just like a file display, and contains many of the ActionScript
codes you will need to know.  To add a code element from the actions
section, double-click on it or drag it from the actions section to the
code section.

</dd></P>


<P><DT><strong>Code</strong></dt>

<dd>The code section of the Actions Window shows you the code related
to the selected frame or object in your movie.  To alter a portion of
the code, select it with the mouse and either alter the details of the
code or press delete to remove that code.

</dd>


<P><DT><strong>Details</strong></dt>

<dd>When you select a portion of code, the details for that code
appear in the lower portion of the Actions Window.  To alter that
code, select or type in the boxes that appear in the details section,
and your code will change.

<blockquote><strong><font color="#990000">Note:</font> Occasionally,
when you click on a piece of code, the details section will not
change.  To remedy this, simply click on a different piece of code,
and then click back on the piece of code that failed to appear
before.</strong></blockquote>

</dd>

</DL>

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