When setting out to do real-world ActionScript, the timeline quite often just doesn’t cut it. Extensive amounts of code can quickly become unorganized and stressful to deal with. Thankfully, with the arrival of Flash CS3 came the introduction of a great new feature in the document class.

By taking advantage of the document class, one can avoid timeline code all together. The document class is initiated automatically when the .swf is played.

Before we start, you’ll need to make sure you are running at least Flash CS3 or later. It is also suggested that you use a specialized ActionScript application such as FlashDevelop or FlexBuilder (though not needed).

Now with that aside, let’s get started!

You will want to begin by creating an .fla (set to run ActionScript 3). Call it whatever you want – I’ll call mine Main.fla.

Now before anything else, you’ll want to create your document class .as file. It is important that you remain consistent with your naming, especially at this step. Using either Flash or another coding application, create a new AS3 document like the following;

Notice every instance of MyClass being identical. This is very important as this is how Flash finds your document class!

Now save it in the same directory as your .fla. Flash also allows you to specify folders, but for this tutorial we’ll keep it simple.

Great! Now all we have to do is connect the two. Go back to your .fla in Flash and check out the Properties tab, under Publish. Here you will see the field for Class. This is where you tell your .swf where to find your document class (the .as file you just created). Since we saved the class file in the same directory, all we need to input is a simple “MyClass“.

Now a simple save and publish of your .fla should trace “I work!” in your output pane.

Congrats! You have successfully set-up your document class!

Having issues? Maybe my source files will help. Click here to download.

1. Masha Sedykh
[www.behance.net/Korphee] [www.flickr.com/photos/korphee]

2. Howard Schatz
[www.howardschatz.com]

3. Tim Navis
[www.navisphotography.com] [www.flickr.com/photos/navisphotography]

4. Mary Robinson
[www.flickr.com/photos/mryrbnsn]

5. Andrea Hübner
[www.flickr.com/photos/quadratiges] (Warning: NSFW)

6. Ville Varumo
[www.villefoto.com]

7. Haley Jane Samuelson
[www.haleyjsamuelson.com]

8. Ben Thomas
[www.ben-thomas.com]

9. Gemma Booth
[www.gemmabooth.com]

10. Joey Lawrence
[www.joeyl.com]

11. Olivia Frølich
[www.oliviafrolich.dk]

12. Marie Hochhaus
[www.mariehochhaus.de]

13. Bruno Dayan
[www.brunodayan.com] (Warning: NSFW)

14. Chris Floyd
[www.chrisfloyd.com]

15. Laurent Nivalle
[www.laurentnivalle.fr] [www.behance.net/Nivalle]

16. David Jordan Williams
[williamsstudio.zenfolio.com] [www.behance.net/WilliamsStudio]

17. Jakob Wagner
[www.jakobwagner.eu] [www.behance.net/JakobWagner]

18. Ibai Acevedo
[www.ibaiacevedo.com] [www.behance.net/Ibai_]

19. Thériault Jean-François
[www.artefakstudio.com] [www.behance.net/Artefakstudio]

20. Emanuele Nardoni
[www.behance.net/illele]

21. Kim Høltermand
[www.holtermand.dk] [www.behance.net/Holtermand]

22. Johnny Lucus
[www.behance.net/aquatictenenbaum]

23. Michael Bodiam
[www.michaelbodiam.com] [www.behance.net/MichaelBodiam]

24. Steffen Schulte-Lippern
[www.book-a-steve.de] [www.behance.net/steve-works]

25. Bagrad Badalian
[www.bagradbadalian.com] [www.behance.net/Bagrad] [bagrad.deviantart.com]

It is that time of year again! The 2009 Fall Tour kick’s off on October 16th in downtown Toronto. For those of you unfamiliar with the event, it is basically an amazing chance for any student in the digital media field to come down with a bunch of their buddies and take part in an entire day of studio-hopping. We get a rare chance to go into some of Toronto’s biggest, baddest and/or most kick-ass studios and agencies on a work day in order to see what its like to work there. Each studio prepares a presentation for the students which is followed by a question period and then a quick walk to the next stop on the tour. This is a great chance to get your name out there, ask questions and learn more about the industry you’re about to walk in to.

Stops on the tour this year include Organic, Blast Radius, Critical Mass, Oddly, Teehan+Lax and Amoebacorp to name a few.

Even with the Fall Tour rapidly expanding each year, there are only a limited number of seats! This year I believe the cut-off is 200 students, so get signed up! It’s free for God’s sake.

Don’t underestimate the Fall Tour. I went last year and not only did it help me network and even land a job at two agencies this past summer that I might not have gotten otherwise!

Sign up HERE!!!

PS. That’s me who Josh Hirsch from Big Spaceship is throwing the T-shirt to at 5:42 of the video. I correctly answered what DUMBO stood for (their location in NY).

PSS. Isn’t that a hot logo? Haha.

Not only does Aerosyn-Lex Mestrovic have one kick-ass name, he has the skills to back it up. I’ve seen the work of thousands of graphic artists and designers and and Aerosyn’s sense of design, art direction and execution are often on a level of their own. He is also a founding member of The Keystone Design Union, a global collective that consistently outputs some of the most stunning work in the industry (which makes sense, looking at their roster of professionals).

I came across the work of Fredrik Melby a few months ago on popular the popular creative professionals community Behance. He combines somewhat dark subject matter with outstanding typography and design sense to deliver crisp, moving imagery. Something everyone must experience.

Check his work out on his Behance or at http://www.anti-ink.com.

Vector illustrations by Hydro74. www.hydro74.com

Hydro74, otherwise known as Joshua M. Smith, is one of the most talented illustrators I’ve ever come across. He combines his excellent drawing hand and artistic vision with his smooth vector skills in order to output some serious work. In fact, I just purchased his Wrath of the Norseman shirt to add to my Hydro74 collection.

Check him out at http://www.hydro74.com

I’ve finally gotten around to redesigning Mediasoldier and relaunching Kojiflak as my personal blog space. I’ve wanted to do this for some time now but was pretty bogged down as I was working at Organic this summer (a digital advertising agency in Toronto).

Organic, Inc. Toronto Exterior. Photo courtesy of Studio-Eleven, Flickr.

As time goes on, my intentions with this blog may change, but as it stands now I intend to use it as my playground and an interface to share inspiring work I find on the net.

In the meantime, please check out my portfolio at http://www.mediasoldier.net. I’ve gone with a nice Royal Green color which, I’m not gonna lie, I am coming quite fond of.

Thanks for dropping by,

- Trevor