O’Reilly: Inside RIA

Flash Player's display API offers three different tools for hiding display objects from the screen: the visible variable, the alpha variable, and the removeChild() method. All three tools achieve the same end result—hiding a graphic—but each tool serves a different structural need. Hence, there is no single answer to the question "Should I hide graphics with visible, alpha, or removeChild()?" Instead, developers must choose the approach that suits the task at hand based on a variety of factors. Before we consider those factors, let's take a look at visible, alpha, and removeChild() in action.

More than a year has passed since Flash CS3 was released to widely positive reviews, but many Flash users are still frustrated by some of the workflow changes introduced by ActionScript 3.0. The truly problematic changes are relatively few, but together they have a deep effect on the typical Flash user's daily job. In the spirit of working toward solutions, and of giving a formal voice to the collective grumbling of everyday Flashers, this article provides a guide to The Charges Against ActionScript 3.0. The list of accusations follows...