Slow Flex Builder compile and refresh solution - Modules

"Apparently embedding graphics causes a performance hit in compiling, refreshing directories, and even just before launching."

"The easiest solution is to move those embed calls into your style sheet and then compile your style sheet as a module."

http://www.rogue-development.com/blog/index.html

Resumable Downloads with AIR

Here is how a sample Request looks like:

GET /files/richflv/help/ExportOptions.flv HTTP/1.1
Referer: app-resource:/LoadingTest.swf
x-flash-version: 9,0,60,153
Range: bytes=1200000-1300000
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; en) AppleWebKit/420+ (KHTML, like Gecko) AdobeAIR/1.0
Host: www.richapps.de

In Actionscript we can write a custom header like this:

var header1:URLRequestHeader = new URLRequestHeader("range","bytes="+currentBytesPosition+"-"+toRange);
var re:URLRequest = new URLRequest(downLoadURL);
re.requestHeaders.push(header1);
currentBytesPosition = toRange;
urlStream.load(re);

http://www.richapps.de/?p=113

Async APIs and Callback Functions

"Making the FileStream a member variable is also essential. If the FileStream were instead declared inside someFunction(), it would go out of scope when someFunction() returned and could be garbage collected before the file is read or events are delivered. Many people are surprised by this, but note that the only reference to the FileStream object is the member variable. The FileStream object has references on event listeners, etc. but only references to an object will protect it from collection."

Now, this will almost never happen to you because (a) the garbage collector runs incrementally and it'll take it a while to collect the FileStream object and (b) most file reads will finish and dispatch a complete event long before then. But it can happen, which of course means it'll probably only show up when doing big important demos.

http://blogs.adobe.com/simplicity

"It turns out I was incorrect about this and that some related objects, such as URLStream, are guaranteed to remain live until after they have dispatched a completion event. This behavior is both more useful and more intuitive; after all, it only makes sense that there would be a reference to the URLStream somewhere in the system while it's hanging around receiving data."

http://blogs.adobe.com/simplicity

adobe flex Job Trends @ indeed.com

Using Local Shared Object to store a serialized class instance

Using RemoteClass metadata triggers code gen in in the compilter to ensure that the class is registered with the VM before the application can use it, this includes receiving it from a network request.

private function getLSO() :void {
    so = SharedObject.getLocal("testData", "/");
    var b:ByteArray = (so.data.test as ByteArray)
    if(b){
        b.position=0;
        var o:Object = b.readObject();
        test = MyClass(o);
        n.text=test.name;
        p.text=test.price.toString();
        ta.text=test.toString();
    }   
    else{
        Alert.show("LSO testData does ot exist!");
    }      
}

private function setLSO():void {
    so = SharedObject.getLocal("testData", "/");
    var b:ByteArray = new ByteArray();
    b.writeObject(test);
    so.data.test=b;
    so.flush();
}

http://blog.739saintlouis.com

Flex Tip - Trigger validation when submitting form

<mx:Array id="validators">
   <mx:StringValidator source="{abbreviations}" property="text" required="true"/>
   <mx:StringValidator source="{subcode}" property="text" required="true"/>
   <mx:StringValidator source="{name}" property="text" required="true"/>
   <mx:StringValidator source="{letterType}" property="text" required="true"/>
   <mx:StringValidator   source="{scheduleType}" property="text" required="true"/>
</mx:Array>

<mx:Button
   label="Save"
   click="if( Validator.validateAll(validators).length==0 ){ doSave() }"/>

http://www.mikenimer.com

Using the flash.* classes in MXML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!-- http://blog.flexexamples.com/2007/09/26/using-the-flash-classes-in-mxml/ -->
<mx:Application xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml"
        xmlns:flash.filters="flash.filters.*"
        layout="vertical"
        verticalAlign="middle"
        backgroundColor="white">

    <mx:Array id="filterArray">
        <flash.filters:DropShadowFilter id="dropShadowFilter"
                angle="90"
                blurX="5"
                blurY="5"
                  distance="2"
                  alpha="0.9"
                  color="0xFF0000" />
          <flash.filters:BlurFilter id="blurFilter"
                  blurX="3"
                  blurY="3"
                  quality="3" />
    </mx:Array>

    <mx:Label text="{flash.system.Capabilities.version}"
            fontSize="32"
            filters="{filterArray}" />

</mx:Application>

http://blog.flexexamples.com/

list-at-a-time in as3

package
{
    import fl.controls.List;
    import fl.data.DataProvider;
    import flash.display.MovieClip;
    public class ArrayFilterTest extends MovieClip
    {
        
        protected var original_ar:Array
        protected var filtered_ar:Array
        protected var mapped_ar:Array
        
        public function ArrayFilterTest()
        {
            trace( "[ArrayFilterTest] - ArrayFilterTest() :: Constructed." )
            
            original_ar = new Array()
            filtered_ar = new Array()
            mapped_ar = new Array()
            
            for( var i:uint = 0; i < 10; i ++ )
            {
                original_ar.push( new ArrayTestItem() )
            }
            
            trace( "[ArrayFilterTest] - ArrayFilterTest() :: Original array: " )
            original_ar.forEach( traceItem )
            
            trace( "[ArrayFilterTest] - ArrayFilterTest() :: Filtered array: " )
            filtered_ar = original_ar.filter( filterItems )
            filtered_ar.forEach( traceItem )
            
            trace( "[ArrayFilterTest] - ArrayFilterTest() :: Mapped array: " )
            mapped_ar = original_ar.map( mapItems )
            mapped_ar.forEach( traceItem )
        }
        
        private function traceItem( element:ArrayTestItem, index:int, arr:Array ):void
        {
            trace( index + "\t\t" + element.ID + "\t\t" + element.test )
        }
        
        private function filterItems( element:ArrayTestItem, index:int, arr:Array ):Boolean
        {
            return element.test
        }
        
        private function mapItems( element:ArrayTestItem, index:int, Array:Array ):ArrayTestItem
        {
            var e:ArrayTestItem = new ArrayTestItem()
            e.ID = element.ID
            e.test = false
            return e
        }
    }
}

class ArrayTestItem
{
    
    public var test:Boolean
    public var ID:Number
    public function ArrayTestItem()
    {
        test = Math.random() > 0.5
        ID = Math.floor( Math.random() * 1000 )
    }
}

http://eokyere.blogspot.com/

Converting XML to objects using the Flex HTTPService MXML tag

"... The following example shows how you can convert an XML file loaded at run-time using the HTTPService tag, into an ActionScript Object by simply setting the resultFormat property to “object”."

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!-- http://blog.flexexamples.com/2007/09/19/converting-xml-to-objects-using-the-flex-httpservice-mxml-tag/ -->
<mx:Application xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml"
        layout="vertical"
        verticalAlign="middle"
        backgroundColor="white"
        creationComplete="serv.send();">

    <mx:Script>
        <![CDATA[
            import mx.rpc.events.FaultEvent;
            import mx.rpc.events.ResultEvent;

            private function serv_result(evt:ResultEvent):void {
                var resultObj:Object = evt.result;
                /* Assign the values... */
                nameText.text = resultObj.album.name;
                img0Text.text = resultObj.album.images.image[0];
                img1Text.text = resultObj.album.images.image[1];
                img2Text.text = resultObj.album.images.image[2];
            }

            private function serv_fault(evt:FaultEvent):void {
                /* Show the error label. */
                error.text += evt.fault.faultString;
                error.visible = true;
                /* Hide the form. */
                form.visible = false;
            }
        ]]>
    </mx:Script>

    <mx:String id="XML_URL">album.xml</mx:String>

    <mx:HTTPService id="serv"
            url="{XML_URL}"
            resultFormat="object"
            result="serv_result(event);"
            fault="serv_fault(event);" />

    <mx:ApplicationControlBar dock="true">
        <mx:Label text="{XML_URL}" />
    </mx:ApplicationControlBar>

    <mx:Label id="error"
            color="red"
            fontSize="36"
            fontWeight="bold"
            visible="false"
            includeInLayout="{error.visible}"/>

    <mx:Form id="form"
            includeInLayout="{form.visible}">
        <mx:FormItem label="resultObj.album.name:">
            <mx:Label id="nameText" />
        </mx:FormItem>
        <mx:FormItem label="resultObj.album.images.image[0]:">
            <mx:Label id="img0Text" />
        </mx:FormItem>
        <mx:FormItem label="resultObj.album.images.image[1]:">
            <mx:Label id="img1Text" />
        </mx:FormItem>
        <mx:FormItem label="resultObj.album.images.image[2]:">
            <mx:Label id="img2Text" />
        </mx:FormItem>
    </mx:Form>

</mx:Application>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<album>
    <name>One</name>
    <images>
        <image>image1.jpg</image>
        <image>image2.jpg</image>
        <image>image3.jpg</image>
    </images>
</album>

http://blog.flexexamples.com

ToolTips for ComboBox Items or List Items

"... I initially thought this should be possible by setting the showDatatips and the dataTipField on the List, but it didn’t work as expected for me."

private var myDropdownFactory:ClassFactory;

private function initApp():void
{
    myDropdownFactory = new ClassFactory( List );
    myDropdownFactory.properties = { showDataTips:true, dataTipFunction:myDataTipFunction }
}

private function myDataTipFunction( value:Object ):String
{
    return ( value.name + "’s blog is " + value.blog );
}

<mx:ComboBox id="myCB" dataProvider="{ myDP }" labelField= name" dropdownFactory="{ myDropdownFactory }" />

http://raghuonflex.wordpress.com/

Your Tweens aren’t finishing.

"Or your URLLoaders won’t load. Or your Timers stop ticking.

function doStuff():void
{
    var x:Object = {};
}

When this method is called, it creates an object and stores a reference to it in the variable x. After the function finishes executing, there are no remaining references to the object, so the Flash Player clears it from memory (as soon as it gets around to it). Of course, this happens no matter what type of object we create.

Unfortunately, there are some situations where this behavior can cause major problems. Objects like Tween, Loader, and Timer are associated with asynchronous processes (animating, loading, etc..) that we expect to complete regardless of whether the objects that originated them are still in the player’s memory. "


http://exanimo.com/actionscript/never-use-tween-or-urlloader/

Building monolithic Flex SWFs that still startup quickly

"...First, I created a simple plain Flex 2 Application. Next, a class called TestFactory which implements mx.core.IFlexModuleFactory was created. This class will later be used to create instances of a Module called Test. The TestFactory class also implements a public static function frame(value:Object):void which is needed later.

To link the TestFactory class onto an additional frame "outside" the default 2 frame section you'll have to add something like

  -frame test TestFactory 

to the mxmlc arguments (either in Flex Builder or on the command line). This creates the 3 frame SWF file.

At runtime when frame 3 is hit, the static frame() method on the TestFactory class is called (this is not documented anywhere) passing in an instance of the active SystemManager implementation. Inside this method you can then register the TestFactory on the ModuleManager:

ModuleManager.getModule("published://myTest").publish(new TestFactory());

Note: Although in the documentation it says to use an URL starting with publish:// it actually has to be published://. After the Module is published you can call

ModuleManager.getModule("published://myTest");

from withinh the application to get a reference to the TestFactory instance and call create() on it to create an instance of whatever is created by the factory class."

http://www.richinternet.de/blog/

How to load external assets from an AS3 file using the Flex SDK

Resource.as:

package
{
   import flash.display.Sprite;

   // This _must_ inherit from Sprite, or the resources can't be attached to
   // the main movie.
   public class Resources extends Sprite
   {
      // List your resources here, as public variables
      [Embed(source="mysource.swf",symbol="AnySymbol")]
      public var SomeSymbol:Class;
   }
}

compile:

mxmlc Resources.as -output resources.swf -sp . -no-network=false

"...load it into your app using a standard flash.display.Loader, without specifying an applicationDomain. Once loaded, get at the assets like this:"

var ResourceClass:Class = loader.contentLoaderInfo.applicationDomain.getDefinition("Resources") as Class;
var resources:Object = new ResourceClass();
var symClass:Class = resources['SomeSymbol'] as Class;
var symbol:MovieClip = new symClass() as MovieClip;

http://wildwinter.blogspot.com/

Making it official: the next major release of Flash Player is codenamed "Astro"

Emmy Huang
Product Manager for Adobe Flash Player

http://weblogs.macromedia.com/emmy


... it's time to start focusing on life after "Moviestar," and we have more bunnies to pull out of our hats.

ActionScript 3.0 - using variables in XML

package {

  import flash.display.Sprite;

  public class XMLExample extends Sprite {

    private var someXML:XML;
    private var myName:String = "Peter";
    private var myEmail:String = "info at peterelst dot com";

    public function XMLExample() {
      someXML =
        <friends>
          <person name={myName}>
        <email>{myEmail}</email>
      </person>
        </friends>;

      trace(someXML.toString());
    }

  }
}

http://www.peterelst.com/