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This article shows you how to create a dynamic JPEG slide show in Macromedia Flash MX using XML (Extensible Markup Language) and the XML ActionScript object. The sample slide show application shown below uses an external XML file that provides, for each slide, the URL to a JPEG file and a short text description. Each JPEG is loaded dynamically with the loadMovie action, and buttons let the audience navigate between slides. The movie also displays the index of the slide currently displayed, and the total number of slides.

Previously discussed in the other XML tutorials was a brief explanation of what XML was and how it can be manipulated within Flash. What wasn't discussed was how exactly you get existing XML, on the server for example, into Flash in the first place. If you were adept enough to follow through with the whole XML editing brouhaha, then this should be a breeze. Otherwise it should still be fairly easy to understand as it is typically the initial steps taking in learning XML-Flash integration anyway; and the act of loading XML into flash isn't difficult to understand anyway.

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last several years, you've no doubt been bombarded with the hype surrounding a simple, plain text technology named XML - eXtensible Markup Language. But even with the books, magazines, and web sites dedicated to XML, many developers still have no idea what XML really is, or even how they can use XML in their applications.

Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a popular standard developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). XML is an open architecture designed to allow the interchange of data between any platform or language on the Internet. The technology has caught on like wildfire, and you would be hard pressed to find any current application that doesn't use XML in some way or other. The complete XML specifications are available here.

So what's the big deal about XML in Flash? Nothing really. Its just XML...and Flash. Flash allows you to load, interpret and edit XML information. Not only that but Flash can make XML on the fly. There's no real secret hidden goodness to there being XML support in Flash other than that now you have an easy way to pass and use structured information to Flash via a text file.

When Flash 5 came out, I was impressed by a lot of the new features Macromedia had put into their product, but none so much as the addition of the XML ActionScript object.

The ability to parse XML and rely on XML-driven data in MX opens up Flash’s development potential. With this functionality, you can modify menu items by changing an XML file instead of rehashing your ActionScript.

Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a popular standard developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). XML is an open architecture designed to allow the interchange of data between any platform or language on the Internet. The technology has caught on like wildfire, and you would be hard pressed to find any current application that doesn't use XML in some way or other. The complete XML specifications are available here.

Now that you finally know what XML is and how Flash sees XML you can start taking it apart and screwing around with its structure from within Flash.

Flash is particularly suited for creating web service front-ends, because there's a low barrier of entry.

The articles and tutorials list starts out with the basics of XML and progresses to more advanced coverage of Flash and XML the further down the list you go.