ActionScriptBridge

Folks.. Good news to Actionscript developer.Here after we can communicate from AS2.0 into AS3.0 as well as AS3.0 into AS2.0 Using ASB(ActionScriptBridge).

Here is how jumpeye describes the ASB:

With the launch of the new Flash CS3 and ActionScript 3.0, Adobe created a gap, in terms of compatibility, between applications created using ActionScript 2.0 and ActionScript 3.0. This means that a Flash clip created using ActionScript 3.0 can load and play a clip created using ActionScript 2.0, but it will not have access to anything (variables, functions, objects) inside the AS2 clip.

ActionScriptBridge is a project that aims to fill the gap between AS2 and AS3. It gives the possibility for two Flash movies, one created using AS2 and the other using AS3, to communicate with one another (at least regarding function calls). This means that the AS3 clip will be able to call functions found in the AS2 clip loaded in it, and the AS2 clip will be able to call functions found in its’ parent, the AS3 clip. All this, by using two components: ASBContainer, for Flash CS3 and AS3, and ASBTerminal, for Flash MX 2004 or later and AS2.

You can see demo below.

AS3 namespace

The AS3 namespace provides a convenient mechanism for choosing between the two sets of properties and methods. If you do not use the AS3 namespace, an instance of a core class inherits the properties and methods defined on the core class's prototype object. If you decide to use the AS3 namespace, an instance of a core class inherits the AS3 versions because fixed properties are always preferred over prototype properties. In other words, whenever a fixed property is available, it is always used instead of an identically named prototype property.

You can selectively use the AS3 namespace version of a property or method by qualifying it with the AS3 namespace. For example, the following code uses the AS3 version of the Array.pop() method:

var nums:Array = new Array(1, 2, 3);
nums.AS3::pop();
trace(nums); // output: 1,2

Alternatively, you can use the use namespace directive to open the AS3 namespace for all the definitions within a block of code. For example, the following code uses the use namespace directive to open the AS3 namespace for both the pop() and push() methods:

use namespace AS3;

var nums:Array = new Array(1, 2, 3);
nums.pop();
nums.push(5);
trace(nums) // output: 1,2,5

ActionScript 3.0 also provides compiler options for each set of properties so that you can apply the AS3 namespace to your entire program. The -as3 compiler option represents the AS3 namespace, and the -es compiler option represents the prototype inheritance option (es stands for ECMAScript). To open the AS3 namespace for your entire program, set the -as3 compiler option to true, and the -es compiler option to false. To use the prototype versions, set the compiler options to the opposite values. The default compiler settings for Adobe Flex Builder 2 are -as3 = true and -es = false.

Google Gears: Enabling Offline Web Applications

Google Gears is an open source browser extension that lets developers create web applications that can run off-line.

Google Gears consists of three modules that address the core challenges in making web applications work off-line.

LocalServer
Cache and serve application resources (HTML, JavaScript, images, etc.) locally

Database
Store data locally in a fully-search able relational database

WorkerPool
Make your web applications more responsive by performing resource-intensive operations asynchronously

Applications that are more than just static files have data that is typically stored on the server. For the application to be useful off-line, this data must be accessible locally. The Database module provides a relational database for storing data. On the Architecture page you will find a discussion of strategies for designing the local storage that your application needs.

When an offline application reconnects, you will need to synchronize any changes made in the local database with the server. There are many different approaches to synchronizing data, and there is no single perfect approach. The Architecture page describes some strategies for synching.

More about Google Gears.

Hey folks!..Do you know what happening under the class?!

Class definition is represented by a special class object that stores information about class. Among the constituents of the object class are follows:

Two traits objects:
One traits object used to store information about static properties of the class
Another traits object used to store information about instance properties of the class and serves as primary mechanism for inheritence.

prototype object:
It is a special object that used to share state among all instances of the class.

Flex 2.0.1 ComboBox with icon support.

Sometimes a ComboBox with icons in the list as well as in the text display area can be useful. However the out of the box Flex ComboBox component dosn’t support this. Here is one way of doing it.


Jason Hawryluk made good component. you can get here

eval API for Flex™ 2

The D.eval() (read DEE-val) API is a SWC library for Flex™ 2 applications to execute text strings of dynamic ActionScript expressions and programs. The language used in D.eval() is Deval, a subset of the ActionScript 3 (AS3). It supports all the AS3 expressions (including E4X) and most flow control statements; it can access any AS3 classes and functions; it does not define functions and classes. D.eval() opens a whole new world to Flex™ 2 applications and application development.

download here

Create Custom ContextMenu

The following example hides all the built-in objects in the Context menu. (However, the Settings and About items still appear, because they cannot be disabled.)

var newMenu:ContextMenu = new ContextMenu();
newMenu.hideBuiltInItems();
this.menu = newMenu;

In this example, the specified event handler, menuHandler, enables or disables a custom menu item (using the ContextMenu.customItems array) based on the value of a Boolean variable named showItem. If false, the custom menu item is disabled; otherwise, it's enabled.

var showItem = true; // Change this to false to remove
var my_cm:ContextMenu = new ContextMenu(menuHandler);
my_cm.customItems.push(new ContextMenuItem("Hello", itemHandler));
function menuHandler(obj, menuObj) {
if (showItem == false) {
menuObj.customItems[0].enabled = false;
} else {
menuObj.customItems[0].enabled = true;
}
}
function itemHandler(obj, item) {
//...put code here...
trace("selected!");
}
this.menu = my_cm;

When the user right-clicks or Control-clicks the Stage, the custom menu is displayed.

Artemis

Artemis is a community focused project aimed at bringing external libraries
to the Flex / Flash environment. The goal of Artemis is to provide features in the
Flex / Flash desktop application domain that are not currently available. The Artemis
framework allows a developer to create their own custom libraries (currently written
in java with plans to support other languages) that integrate with a Flex / Flash
Apollo application. Developers will be encouraged to share Artemis libraries they’ve
built and discuss new features through this web site.

For Flex Developers:

Artemis provides a way for developers to collaborate on building extension to
theApollo framework. Nearly any java API can be encapsulated in an Artemis Library and
exposed to an Apollo application through the Artemis framework.

The Java Artemis Bridge developers have the capability of interfacing with
hardware on Bluetooth and other communication ports, are able to off load expensive
tasks like XSLT to the java process, and in the end let Flex do what Flex does
best: present an engaging and interactive user interface. No more hang ups in having
the Flash player fight for processing resource, an Artemis developer can tap into a
multi-threaded environment provided using java.

"Joyent Slingshot " beer to ruby on rails community

The joyent slingshot is lightweight framework, which is customizable and allows ruby on rails application to run offline with simple and transparent data synchronization.

Joyent Slingshot enables Rails to break free of the browser. It breaks down the wall between a Web application and a desktop application without losing what makes a Web application great: the ability to rapidly develop, deploy and update, now for desktop applications.

And for more details visit: official web site

Do you want prevent flex loader from start up your application?

Here's a really simple trick you can use to prevent the Flex loader from showing when you start up your application. All you have to do is hide the window, and show it when the Application is ready.

In MyApplication-app.xml:

"<"rootContent systemChrome="standard" transparent="false" visible="false">[SWF reference is generated]


"</"rootContent">"

This sets your application manifest to make the root window invisible. Then, you just make it visible when everything's ready:

In MyApplication.mxml:

"<"mx:MyApplication xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml" layout="absolute" creationComplete="window.visible = true" ">"



Can you specify data types of the elements of the array?!

Hey don't worry, actually you con't specify the data types of the elements of the array.But you can able to do using by [META DATA] .Look into following syntax

[ArrayElementType("String")]
public var stringArray:Array = new Array();
......

[ArrayElementType("Number")]
public var numberArray:Array = new Array();
....

You have foure options to specify as a data type of [ArrayElementType("-- ")].There are String,Number,Class and Interface.I hope that it would be helpful.You may get more useful tips often.. who knows...

What is Metadata How can use on FLEX 2.0 ?

The Flex compiler recognizes component metadata statements in your ActionScript class files and MXML files. The metadata tags define component attributes, data binding properties, events, and other properties of the component. Flex interprets these statements during compilation; they are never interpreted during run time.

Metadata statements are associated with a class declaration, an individual data field, or a method. They are bound to the next line in the file. When you define a component property or method, add the metadata tag on the line before the property or method declaration.

In an ActionScript file, when you define component events or other aspects of a component that affect more than a single property, you add the metadata tag outside the class definition so that the metadata is bound to the entire class, as the following example shows:

// Add the [Event] metadata tag outside of the class file.
[Event(name="enableChange", type=flash.events.Event)]
public class ModalText extends TextArea
{
...
// Define class properties/methods
private var _enableTA:Boolean;
// Add the [Inspectable] metadata tag before the individual property.
[Inspectable(defaultValue="false")]
public function set enableTA(val:Boolean):void
{
_enableTA = val;
this.enabled = val;

// Define event object, initialize it, then dispatch it.
var eventObj:Event = new Event("enableChange");
dispatchEvent(eventObj);
}
}

GoogleTalk Gadget Added to Personal Pages

Google just announced integration of their instant messaging service, Google Talk, with Google IG, their personalized home page. The flash-based widget plugs into your Google Personal Home Page as an integrated buddy list and IM window. The new widget can be added to your page here.

The widget isn’t just a copy of the Gmail version, it also has some of its own cool new features. Compared to popup message windows in the Gmail version, the widget’s conversations open up tabs instead. The new widget will also will also intelligently parse Picassa and YouTube links, displaying the content embedded right in the conversation.

Do you want to go to Apollo camp? Register to get free ticket !!!

ApolloCamp is coming. On March 16, 2007 at 5PM-11:30PM Adobe is hosting ApolloCamp in San Francisco. This one night mini conference will have you building Apollo applications.



ApolloCamp Registration ( FREE EVENT )

ApolloCamp is limited to 300 developers. Signup launched yesterday and it is nearly 50% booked. If you want to go to ApolloCamp, stop what you are doing and register now. If you register, make sure to attend, there are some giveaways that you will NOT WANT TO MISS.

Runtime CSS in Flex 2.0.1

We have fabulous features in newly updated flex platform, called runtime CSS .It provides compiler option to directly compile CSS into swf.

To proceed , use MXMLC Stylesheet.css comment in commant line or If you are using Flex 2.0.1 straight away you can right click on CSS file and press on "Compile CSS to SWF".

And If you don't have any idea about css style of flex component, don't worry you have
Flex 2 Style Explorer . The style explorer has facility to generate css style as what you feel components should be.

myFeedz - The social newspaper

Hey folks you have another rss reader like google reader,which is provided by adobe that is myFeedz.It is released for free as a technology preview on Adobe Labs.

myFeedz is a webapplication that finds what is important news from the sea of information on the internet and shows you what you need to read.Here they are providing personalized content, you can customize as what you feel.Realy it's a fabulous application.

You can get into this by click here.keep with updated information of technology...wow enjoy :)

Fullscreen mode in Adobe flash browser player

Now you have option to get fullscreen mode in browser player too.Already stand-alone player has this implementation.now they have added new actionscript that will work in both stand-alone and browser player, and a new HTML parameter allowFullScreen to enable the fullscreenmode

The fullscreen mode initiated through Actionscript and you can terminate through Actionscript or by the user switching focus to another window.

But the problem is that You con't enter the text in textbox while in fullscreen mode.your keyboard input and key-related actionscript would be disabled while in fullscreen,except key borad shortcut that take user out of fullscreen mode.

To enable the fullscreen mode you have to install 9,0,28,0 or greater of Flash Player.

Hey Let's go towards FLEX 3.0

The good news for flex geek is that adobe now starts talking about FLEX 3.0.You can register
your interest to join an advisory panel here.

Flex 3.0 targets the release version of Flash Player 9 and will be widely deployable to over 90% of computers, well over 1 Billion computers, the day it ships.And To sum up what Ted says the main subject is that about Flex 3.0's target. see more here

Im evidently looking the way of coming flex3.0. I belive that you too.........

No more worries about css issues among IE and Firefox

Hai folks still do you worry about css issues between IE and Firefox.so Now it is time to feel free.....


Microsoft announced microsoft firefox 2007 for $30.It provides improved navigation through tabbed browsing, web search right from the toolbar, advanced marginal manipulation, reading & subscription to RSS (Real Simple Sex), and much more.


Microsoft Firefox 2007 provides security through a robust new architecture, security features that help defend against malicious software, and new ways to better protect against the theft of personal data from fraudulent websites, a practice known as Googling.


It has improved support for cascading style sheets and robust tools for deploying and managing images, sounds, video and other interactive content.


CSS Improvement:

Margins and Paddings within Microsoft Firefox now work flawlessly after extensive research by the Microsoft Laboratories in Silicon Valley. Better support for font families and font sizes still pending further research.

Microsoft's RIA Platform

Microsoft makes revolution among the RIA tech.That is WPF/E(windows presentation fountation).“WPF/E” is the Microsoft solution for delivering rich, cross-platform, interactive experiences including vector animation, graphics, audio, and video for the Web and beyond. Utilizing a subset of XAML (eXtensible Application Markup Language)-based on WPF technology.

WPF/E enable you to make creation of content and applications that runs within multiple browser and operating systems(windows and macintosh) using web standards for programmablity.WPF requires lightweight browser plug-in,it freely available you can get it here.

OpenSource

Opensource is a fabulous methodology that promote access to the end's product source materials.We can make changes if you like to change the way of working or whatever,then redistribute without paying royalties or fees.But we have to get license .The classic licenses are GPL, LGPL, BSD, and MIT .When our code goes to live as an opensource, people improve it,adapt it and fix bugs.


The Mozilla and google makes an astonishing trend among the opensource community.Google runs the google code service,In this service google provides bunch of opensource project,APIs ,code search..etc.That's what still google shine.So folks mind it "the future is opensource everthing".