Features

Easy configuration
Easily configure the standard functionality of Adobe® Flash® Media Playback. Control capabilities such as autoplay, autohide controls, poster frame definition, control bar positioning, and more — without the use of Adobe Flash authoring tools.

Custom look and feel
Completely replace each of the existing elements of the standard user interface with your own custom artwork.

Streamlined standard functionality
Eliminate duplicate efforts by leveraging the logic built into Flash Media Playback. Enjoy support for standard playback functions such as play/pause/stop, rewind, fast forward, DVR, multibitrate switching, and video navigation.

Integration of latest Adobe Flash Platform features
Enable quick integration of the latest Flash Platform features such as HTTP Dynamic Streaming and DVR functionality.

High-quality, multiprotocol support
Deliver the highest quality playback experience for the given bandwidth, detect and recover from error conditions, and improve overall user experience by working with the latest features of Adobe Flash Player 10.1 and Flash Media Server 3.5 software and HTTP Dynamic Streaming.

Open source file specifications
Achieve a live streaming experience using the MP4 fragment format, the industry standard for adaptive bitrate delivery, including open file format specifications for the media and manifest formats.

Plug-ins for advertising, analytics, and content delivery networks
Enhance your media player to monetize and track your content by utilizing plug-ins for advertising, analytics, and content delivery networks. Flash Media Playback allows you to load plug-ins hosted by partners dynamically, allowing your services to be upgraded without any changes to your website.

Hello there !!!

First of all a big apology to all the readers of this humble blog, the more I want to keep it updated the less time I have to do it.

So where have I been ? Mostly working, doing some of my illustration work experimenting with code when I have the time and teaching a class at Grupo W.

One of the first things on why I started this blog was to share some examples that will help it’s readers to get started with the Flash Platform as well of some of my personal experiments with ActionScript,  but  due to work and my other projects (mainly illustration ones) I’ve paid less attention to the blog than it deserves, and about a month ago I started thinking that the blog  went to a totally different direction than originally intended and started being more and more about Flash ( Adobe ) news and releases, don’t get me wrong I still love the Flash Platform and the effort all the Adobe guys put into it, but it was getting far too much about  ”news” and less and less about experimentation or examples. Besides that, I starting playing with some other visual coding tools such as Processing, OpenFrameworks, CINDER, etc. and thanks to that and to the class that I’m teaching about code experimentation at The Digital Invaders school I remembered why i started with Flash anyways, and it was not about ComboBoxes it was about making experiments and visuals with the aid of ActionScript, so I’m getting to the point where I can no longer only talk about Flash , this blog will still be all about Flash Platform but will be focused on tutorials, experiments and examples and surely will still be posting when something big happens on the Flash Platform. Meanwhile for my explorations with Flash and other code tools, I’m using the domain www.funscript.net ( FunScript is the name of the class that I teach at GrupoW ´s Digital Invaders school) where the students and myself will be posting experiments and things we like that we find on the web.

Thank You and happy coding.

Dave Gamez

One of the first things You want to do when playing with the HYPE framework is to output your creations to a printable file and guess what?  Joshua and Branden have already think on that, hype includes a the class ContextSavePNG that will let you output your hype generated images to a printable .png. Here’s a simple example on how to use the ContextSavePNG class of the hype framework.

For this short example i’m using one of the files included in the hype framework zip that You can download here “\hype-hype-605a391\examples\Flash\SimpleBallistic\02_simpleBallistic.fla”

Here’s the ActionScript code of that file:

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/***********************************************
 
	HYPE
	http://www.hypeframework.org
	developed by Branden Hall and Joshua Davis.
 
************************************************/
 
import hype.extended.behavior.SimpleBallistic;
import hype.extended.color.ColorPool;
import hype.extended.trigger.ExitShapeTrigger;
import hype.extended.trigger.RandomTrigger;
import hype.framework.core.ObjectPool;
import hype.framework.core.TimeType;
import hype.framework.display.BitmapCanvas;
import hype.framework.rhythm.SimpleRhythm;
 
MyExitShape.visible = false;
 
var myWidth = stage.stageWidth;
var myHeight = stage.stageHeight;
 
var bmc:BitmapCanvas = new BitmapCanvas(myWidth, myHeight);
addChild(bmc)
 
var clipContainer:Sprite = new Sprite();
 
var color1:ColorPool = new ColorPool(
	0x587b7C, 0x719b9E, 0x9FC1BE, 0xE0D9BB, 0xDACB94, 0xCABA88, 0xDABD55, 0xC49F32, 0xA97409
);
 
var color2:ColorPool = new ColorPool(
	0xFFFFFF, 0xCCCCCC, 0x999999, 0x666666
);
 
var pool:ObjectPool = new ObjectPool(MyCircle, 800);
 
function addNextClip(r:SimpleRhythm) {
	var clip:MyCircle = pool.request() as MyCircle;
 
	if (clip != null) {
		clip.x = myWidth / 2;
		clip.y = 100;
 
		clip.scaleX = clip.scaleY = 0.05 + (Math.floor(Math.random() * 3) * 0.3);
 
		color1.colorChildren(clip);
 
		// target Object, drag, minForce, maxForce, gravity, gravityAngle
 
		var ballistic:SimpleBallistic = new SimpleBallistic(clip, 0.97, 2, 3, 0.25, 90);
		ballistic.start();
 
		// exit callback function, target Object, shape, shapeFlag
 
		var onExit:ExitShapeTrigger = new ExitShapeTrigger(onExitShape, clip, MyExitShape, true);
		onExit.start();
 
		var randomSplit:RandomTrigger = new RandomTrigger(onSplit, clip, 50);
		randomSplit.start();
	}
}
 
function onExitShape(clip):void {
	clipContainer.removeChild(clip);
	pool.release(clip);
}
 
function onSplit(parentClip):void {
	var clip:MyCircle = pool.request() as MyCircle;
 
	if (clip) {
		clip.x = parentClip.x;
		clip.y = parentClip.y;
 
		clip.scaleX = clip.scaleY = 0.05 + (Math.floor(Math.random() * 3) * 0.05);
 
		color2.colorChildren(clip);
 
		// target Object, drag, minForce, maxForce, gravity, gravityAngle
 
		var ballistic:SimpleBallistic = new SimpleBallistic(clip, 0.97, 4, 6, 0.2, 90);
		ballistic.start();
 
		// exit callback function, target Object, shape, shapeFlag
 
		var onExit:ExitShapeTrigger = new ExitShapeTrigger(onExitShape, clip, MyExitShape, true);
		onExit.start();
	}
}
 
var rhythm:SimpleRhythm = new SimpleRhythm(addNextClip);
rhythm.start(TimeType.TIME, 1);
 
pool.onRequestObject = function(clip) {
	clipContainer.addChild(clip);
}
 
bmc.startCapture(clipContainer, false);

The first thing you need to save your actionscript generated visuals to an image file is to import the ContextSavePNG class.

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import hype.extended.util.ContextSavePNG;

Then just before the line were you start capturing your clip into the bitmap canvas you call the setupLargeCanvas method of the BitmapCanvas class, by setting the argument to 10 you are telling hype that the output image will be the orginal size of your swf times 10, so in this example the original .fla size is 640 px width x 360 px height the exported .png will be 6400 px width x 3600 px height, pretty cool right ? with a file this size you could print a poster once you export the file to. png that in other form will be very hard to output an image that size.

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bmc.setupLargeCanvas(10);

Next you need to create an instance of the ContextPNG class and pass it the parameter of the BitmapCanvas you want to encode in this case the bmc. Now at the time that you run your .swf and hit the right click you will get the EncodePNG button when you click it your hype animation will pause and a small progress bar will appear in the center of your .swf indicating that the bmc is being encoded after that the button will change to SavePNG and when you hit that button vuala you have an scaled up transparent .png file out of your .swf.

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var savePNG:ContextSavePNG = new ContextSavePNG(bmc);
bmc.startCapture(clipContainer, false);

Don’t forget to check out http://www.hypeframework.org/blog for more information and the latest updates on HYPE.

See You around and happy coding.

So for the third part of this series and I guess the last now that Adobe released the CS5 and You can explore the new Flash CS5 by Your own, in the above video I’m showing you the ActionScript 3.0 code snippets panel  this cool little panel will be loved by designers and new coders alike. Lee Brimelow had  already made one snippets panel and this one is based on that, to use it you simply select your movie clip and drag one snippet from this panel, your timeline will automatically add an ActionScript layer with the code needed. You can also create your own snippets so if you’re new to coding or a designer this panel will help you out a lot.

Download the Flash CS5 trial here and start playing.

Happy Coding !!!

So  the wait it’s over  Adobe Creative Suite 5 it’s out and You can order it here or check out the trial here

Some of the new features are:
Interactive design without writing code
Design sophisticated interactive content and create functional interfaces in new Adobe Flash® Catalyst™ CS5 without writing code. Transform your unique vision into compelling online experiences and deliver perfect project files to developers.

Extraordinary image editing
Use the Mixer Brush and Bristle Tips in Adobe Photoshop® CS5 Extended to explore lifelike, naturally textured painting. Add dimension to your imagery with 3D extrusions using Adobe Repoussé technology, and make precise image selections more quickly and easily with new Truer Edge selection technology.

Innovative vector drawing and painting
Quickly and accurately represent depth and distance using new perspective tools in Adobe Illustrator® CS5. Precisely control stroke width, arrowheads, and dashes. And use the new Bristle Brush to draw with the expressive quality of watercolors, oils, and pastels, but with the scalability of vectors.

Comprehensive reach of the Flash Platform
Realize your vision online with the capabilities of the Adobe Flash Platform. Use Flash Catalyst CS5 to design interactive content without writing code, Adobe Flash Professional CS5 to create free-form, expressive content, and Adobe Flash Builder™ 4 to develop rich Internet applications.

Interactive documents and presentations
Create memorable documents and presentations complete with interactivity, motion, sound, and video in Adobe InDesign® CS5. Enhance page layouts with rich media using new motion presets for easy animation creation. Take advantage of support for FLV and MP3 audio file import to engage and excite your audiences.

Flash CS5 Features 02 Custom class code hinting and completion. from David Gamez on Vimeo.

Ok  so for the second part of this series I’m showing You a little video of  something you’ll love if you use to code in FlashIDE  ActionScript editor.

The improved editor now let’s  you work with custom code hinting and completition and it works pretty fast it’s as easy as setting your classpaths and the editor will recognize all of your libraries and custom classes.

To be totally honest, I would not leave the ActionScript editor I’m using now for the one that comes with the Flash IDE but it definitely eases up the workflow if you’re using it.

See You around.

As part of  Team – O one of my side projects with Cecy Meade, we were invited to mitosis and gladly accepted, this event is being done and coordinated  entirely by design students ( with 0 founds)  and their main goal is to push the design and creative community in Monterrey to  start doing, creating  and get involved in more socially relevant projects.

We will be speaking and doing  some workshops with the assistants. I’m really looking forward to this weekend and see how it turns out. The event is for free all You have to do is to register at the site to reserve your place.

For more info on the event  visit www.mitosis010.org or follow them on twitter @mitosis010

See You there !!!

.

Ok this will be the first of  a series of post of some of the new features of Adobe Flash CS5, and I say some because the new Flash comes with tons of new and improved features that said lest move on.

Flash CS5 Features 01 XML-Based-Flas (XFL) from David Gamez on Vimeo.

In Flash CS5 there’s a new file format in the house that it’s called .XFL  that is a new  XML based  format that allows You to exchange and work on files more easy, how to use it ?  just save your file  as .xfl in this way all your assets and properties are not packaged in a .fla file instead they will be saved in a folder structure that you can open and modify without the Flash ide, the properties of the document and graphic elements of the library are exported in XML files and  can be edited from any text editor and modify its properties. Even Actionscript code of the frames is exported.

I see this feature as a very neat one that will let us have more control over our Flash work and expands the possibilities for new types of workflow.

Until the next feature,  See You around.

Last Friday ActionScriptHero published an interview with Your friendly neighbor swfgeek, I´m very flattered to give an interview for one of the sites that has helped so much to shape the Flash Platform Community.

Special thanks to Pablo Parrado for the invitation,  and check out the interview at ActionScriptHero.org

Flash Develop 3.1.0 RTM

The  new relase of Flash Develop 3.1.0 RTM is out now it comes as a a major feature  release, with  new things like refactoring and multiproject support,Flash Player 10.1 and Flex 4 support added and Real MXML completion implemented, full list below:

List of Changes

* Real MXML completion implemented
* Flash Player 10.1 and Flex 4 support added
* Initial simple refactoring support added
* Global excluded directories added to Tasks
* Embed generation now added for all filetypes
* Proper file encoding behaviour without BOM added
* HTML ZenCoding implementation added (Control + B)
* Output panel is now searchable (Highlight, F3 and Shift+F3)
* Simple multiproject support with batch compiling added (1*)
* Compiler constants and timestamp added now automaticly
* Code completion is now fed with classes from SDK sources
* Japanese localization added (Settings -> SelectedLocale)
* HaXe on demand completion added (patch from filt3r)
* Additional keyword groups added to the config
* Code completion improvements and bug fixes
* General UI improvements and bug fixes
1*= Right click a project file or project node if you have multiple projects present [sample here]

Important:

* Get the debug Flash Player (You need: Projector and ActiveX)
* Get Adobe Flex SDK. The free Flex SDK (2, 3 or 4) is required for ActionScript 3 development if you don’t use Flash CS*.
* Java 1.6+ is required for the Flex compiler (ActionScript 3).

Download:

Built from rev. 1000 [Updated from 999 to hide the incomplete profiler :]
Download FlashDevelop 3.1.0 RTM