Flex and Flash : Are Two Heads Better Than One?

Flex and Flash:Are Two Heads Better Than One?

Speaker Information • Windows-based Developer - Since ‘85 • Senior ColdFusion MX Developer - Since ‘99 • Technical Instructor - Since ‘85 • Flash Developer - Since ’99 • Flex Developer – Since ’05 theo@teratech.com http://therush.wordpress.com

Presentation Agenda • Advantages of Flash and Flex • Flash and Flex Audience • Producing the Same Results (kinda) • Everything Old is New Again • Using LocalConnection • Using ExternalInterface • Other Considerations

AdvantagesFlash • Longevity • Thousands of Flash related resources • Thousands of community created components and samples • Great authoring tool for designers • Visual drawing environment

AdvantagesFlex • Improved ASv3 architecture • Improved components • Developer-centric Eclipse based development environment • Predefined effects and transitions

The Flash Audience Timelines Layers Stage Designer Canvas MovieClip

The Flex Audience Actionscript Tags Data Services Developer Perspectives Source View

Working Together

Producing the Same Results (kinda) Version 9 only Version 8 and below

In the “Bad Ol’e Days” … • Used getUrl() and fscommand() to communicate from Flash to JavaScript. • Used setVariable() to communicate from JavaScript to Flash. • fscommand() used VBScript that could conflict with other VBScript on the page and can only pass one string parameter.

Everything Old is New Again LocalConnection • Invoke methods between Flash apps/movies • Pass data between Flash apps/movies ExternalInterface

Using LocalConnectionWhy use LocalConnection? • Supported by Flash Player version 6 and above • Uses a one-way “Channel” to communicate • Supports asynchronous communication • Pass multiple variables

Using LocalConnectionHow does it work? Step 1 SENDER: • Create a new LocalConnection object (1) • Use send() method of the localconnection object (2) 1) myLC:LocalConnection = new LocalConnection(); 2) myLC.send(swf1, myName, name_txt.text);

Using LocalConnectionHow does it work? Step 2 RECIEVER: • Create a new LocalConnection object (1) • Prepare to receive commands (2) • Define function that will be called by SENDER (3) 1) myLC:LocalConnection = new LocalConnection(); 2) myLC.connect(swf1); 3) myLC.myName = function(param) { reciever_txt.text = param; }

Using LocalConnectionHow does it work? setClock clockStopped Provides direct one-way communication between swfs

Using LocalConnectionCan you show us an example? The Resort Tracker 2000 v.5

Using ExteranalInterfaceWhy use ExternalInterface? • Supports synchronous communication • Easier to implement • Uses JavaScript as a “proxy” between • Pass multiple variables • Supports multiple data types Note: Only supported by Flash Player version 8 above

Using ExternalInterfaceHow does this work? Step 1 SEND TO JS: • Import ExternalInterface class • Use call() method of ExternalInterface object Import flash.external.ExternalInterface ExternalInterface .call(“alert”, “Hello from Flash”);

Using ExternalInterfaceHow does this work? Step 2 RECIEVE FROM JS: • Import ExternalInterface class • Use addCallBack() method of ExternalInterface object Import flash.external.ExternalInterface ExternalInterface.addCallBack(“tweenMe”, this, tweenMe);

Using ExternalInterfaceHow does this work? Step 3 SEND TO FLASH: • Get reference to Flash object • Use object reference to call Flash function // for IE use myFlash = window[“flashmovie”]; // otherwise use myFlash = document[“flashmovie”]; myFlash.tweenMe(“Hello from JS”)

Using ExternalInterfaceHow does this work? setClock clockStopped

Using ExternalInterface Got another example? The African Country Guide ver .5

Other Considerations • Flash 8 Security Model • Frame Rate

Other ConsiderationsFlash 8 Security Model • By default, local SWFs can no longer contact the Internet, perform HTTP communication, or communicate with local HTML files. • SWF and HTML content from non-local URLs may no longer load any content (SWF, HTML, PNG, and so on) from local paths. • Use localConnection.allowDomain to permit cross-domain scripting. • Use a crossdomain.xml policy file to permit cross-scripting operations.

Other ConsiderationsFlash 8 Security Model (cont.) • Use allowScriptAccess to handle communication with Javascript. • allowScriptAccess • Never: outbound scripting fails • Always: outbound scripting succeeds (default) • sameDomain: outbound scripting allowed only if swf resides in same domain (default in FP 8+)

Other ConsiderationsFrame Rate • Flex’s default frame rate is 24 • Adjust your Flash movie accordingly • You can reset the default Flex frame rate • Open Project Properties >> Flex Compiler • Add the following into "Additional compiler arguments:" in single line: -default-frame-rate int Note: The maximum frame rate is limited to machine performance, if this value is set too high the player will simply run at the fastest rate that it can on the given machine.

Additional Resources • http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=tn_16243 • http://livedocs.macromedia.com/flex/2/langref/flash/net/LocalConnection.html • http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/articles/external_interface_05.html • http://livedocs.macromedia.com/flex/2/langref/flash/external/ExternalInterface.html • http://therush.wordpress.com

Additional Resources Flash / JavaScript Integration Kit (Beta) http://weblogs.macromedia.com/flashjavascript/ Flex-Ajax Bridge http://labs.adobe.com/wiki/index.php/Flex_Framework:FABridge

Flex and Flash : Are Two Heads Better Than One?