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ActionScript is the language written for Macromedia's Flash software. Flash was originally created as web animation software and ActionScript is integrated into a timeline representation. ActionScript is based on JavaScript and Processing is built on Java, so there are many similarities between these two languages. Below is a list pointing out defining comparisons and contrasts between the two systems:

Drawing
The ActionScript code for drawing is highly optimized and shapes are drawn to the screen faster than in Processing. This allows Flash applications to be large in pixel dimensions and make heavy use of transparency and antialiased graphics.

Calculations
ActionScript is very slow making calculations and Processing is therefore much better for applications containing large numbers of elements.

Pixel Operations
ActionScript was developed for vector drawing and therefore ignores the possibility of directly manipulating pixels. Processing provides functions and data structures for simply accessing the pixels of an image which creates the potential for writing many interesting programs.

3D
ActionScript does not internally represent spatial structure in three dimensions, while the Processing drawing library is inherently 3-D.

Objects
ActionScript is inherently object-oriented, while Processing programs can be written in both a procedural and object-oriented style. This allows students learning with Processing to understand their initial programs without first understanding the object-oriented metaphor.

A complete ActionScript Reference is available on the Macromedia website.
 
 
  Processing ActionScript
  background(0);
background(255); 		N/A
  background(255, 204, 0); N/A
  stroke(255);
stroke(0); 		lineStyle(x,0xFFFFFF,a)
lineStyle(x,0x000000,a)
  stroke(255, 204, 0); lineStyle(x,0xFFCC00,a)
  fill(0, 102, 153); beginFill (0x006699, alpha);
beginGradientFill(filltype, colors[], alphas, ratios, matrix);
     
 
  Processing ActionScript
  point(30, 20); moveTo(x1,y1);
lineTo(x1,y1);
  line(0, 20, 80, 20); moveTo(x1,y1);
lineTo(x2,y2);
  rect(10, 20, 30, 30); moveTo(10,20);
lineTo(30,20);
lineTo(30,30);
lineTo(10,30);
     
 
  Processing ActionScript
  set(30, 20, 255); N/A
  a = get((60, 10); N/A
  pixels[y*width+x] N/A
     
 
  Processing ActionScript
  int x = 70;   // Initialize
x = 30;  // Change value		 var x = 70;  // Initialize
x = 30;  // Change value
  float x = 70.0;   
x = 30.0;		 var x = 70.0;
x = 30.0;
  int[] a = {5, 10, 11};
a[0] = 12;  // Reassign		 a = new Array{5,10,11};
a[0] = 12;  // Reassign
     
 
  Processing ActionScript
  void draw() {
  // Statements
} 		do {
  // Statements
}
  for(int a=45; a<=55; a++) {
  // Statements
} 		for(a=45; a<=55; a++) {
  // Statements
}
  if(c==1) {
  // Statements
} 		if(c==1) {
  // Statements
}
  if(c!=1) {
  // Statements
} 		if(c!=1) {
  // Statements
}
  if(c < 1) {
  // Statements
} 		if(c < 1) {
  // Statements
}
  if(c >= 1) {
  // Statements
} 		if c >= 1:
  // Statements
  if((c >= 1) && (c < 20)) {
  // Statements
}		 if((c >= 1) && (c < 20)) {
  // Statements
}
 

if(c >= 20) {
  // Statements 1
} else if (c == 0) {
  // Statements 2
} else {
  // Statements 3
}

if(c >= 20) {
  // Statements 1
} else if (c == 0) {
  // Statements 2
} else {
  // Statements 3
}
     
 
  Processing ActionScript
  // Comment // Comment
  void doIt(int x) {
  // Statements
}

doIt(x); 		function doIt(int x) {
  // Statements
}

doIt(x);
  int square(int x) {
  return x*x;
}

square(X); 		function square(int x) {
  return x*x;
}

square(x);
     
 
  Processing ActionScript
  mouseX
mouseY
mousePressed
 _Xmouse
_Ymouse
N/A
  void mousePressed() {
  // Statements
} 		mice = new Object();
mice.onMouseDown = function() {
  // Statements
}
  (key=='a') 
(key=='b') 
...
 (chr(key.getAscii()) == 'a')
(chr(key.getAscii()) == 'b')
...
  void keyPressed() {
  // Statements
} 		key = new Object();
key.onKeyDown = function() {
  // Statements
}
  hour()
minute()
second() 		now = new Date();
now.getHours()
now.getMinutes()
now.getSeconds()
     

Processing >> ActionScript by JimQode, Martin, XemonerdX, Dara










 
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