Archive for the 'ACTIONSCRIPT 3.0' Category

Google Analytics Tracking for Adobe Flash

Published
by
swfgeek
on November 19, 2008
in ACTIONSCRIPT 3.0, API, FLASH IDE, FLEX IDE, GENERAL and GOOGLE ANALYTICS
. 2 Comments

A new API for using  Google Analytics Tracking in Flash/Flex projects this API is developed in ActionScript 3.0 and can be used as a component or called in your ActionScript code, Google Analytics Tracking for Adobe Flash seems to solve a lot of troubles and the needed workarounds for making consistent user tracking in your Flash projects, keep reading for a more detailed explanation extracted from the implementation overview.

The Google Analytics Tracking for Adobe Flash component makes it easy for you to implement Google Analytics in your Flash-driven content. This component contains all of the functionality of the Google Analytics Javascript code, and is 100% compatible with the latest ga.js tracking code. The Flash Tracking component is a compiled tracking object native to ActionScript 3, making Analytics implementation intuitive in Flash, and Flex development environments.

You can develop Analytics Tracking for Flash in either Adobe Flash or Adobe Flex environments. Each environment requires a different component, which you can download from http://code.google.com/p/gaforflash/. These components are based on ActionScript 3 and can be set up in one of two ways for each environment:

In Adobe Flash

  • Add and configure a simple component in the component inspector and drag it to the stage.
  • Import the Flash Tracking libraries directly into your library and start coding.

In Adobe Flex

  • Include an MXML component that you configure from am MXML file.
  • Import the Flash Tracking libraries into your script tags/AS3 files.

How to use the Component in Adobe Flash

In order to use the Flash tracking component in your environment, you either use the visual tools inside Flash, or you set up the tracking object directly in your code. Regardless of whether you are setting up the component visually or via code, you provide the following elements:

  • the web property ID—This is also known as the UA number of your tracking code and looks like UA-xxxxx-yy, where the x’s and y’s are replaced with the numbers that correspond to your account and profile information for the object you are tracking. See Web Property for more information.
  • the tracking mode—Choose either bridge mode or AS3 mode. This mode determines how your tracking communicates with the Analytics servers and is described in detail below.
  • the debugging mode—No matter which environment or tracking mode you use, you can turn debugging on to validate and test your tracking.

Installation for Flash CS3

Before you begin to use gaforflash to add Analytics tracking within Flash CS3,
you first need to add the gaforflash SWC to Flash CS3.

To do so:
1. If you have Flash CS3 currently open, quit the application.

2. Navigate to the location where you unzipped the Google Analytics zip
and find the swc (e.g. lib/analytics_flash.swc).

3. Create a “Google” directory in one of the following locations
and copy the SWC file there:
- (Windows) C:\Program Files\Adobe\ Adobe Flash CS3\language\Configuration\Components
- (Mac OS X) Macintosh HD/Applications/Adobe Flash CS3/Configuration/Components

Flash CS3 is now set up to support Google Analytics Tracking For Adobe Flash.

Alternatively if you want to use gaforflash in code-only mode
you can do the same as the above and add the lib/analytics.swc,
you will then need to drag the “AnalyticsLibrary” component in your Library.

Installation for Flex Builder 3

Before you can compile your code, you will need to link it to the gaforflash SWC file.

To do so:
1. select Project->Properties.
A Properties dialog box will appear for your project.
Click on Flex Build Path and then select the Library Path tab:

2. Click Add SWC… within the Library Path pane.
An Add SWC dialog box will appear.
Navigate to the location where you unzipped the Google Analytics zip
and select lib/analytics.swc file and click OK.

or

Just drop the analytics.swc file into your Flex project /libs directory

Here’s the link for the Google code project

The gaforflash direct download

More info on the API

Flint Actionscript 3 Particle System Example

Published
by
swfgeek
on March 10, 2008
in ACTIONSCRIPT 3.0, FLEX IDE, GENERAL and OPEN SOURCE
. 2 Comments

.swfgeek Logo Particles

Richard Lord has recently released the Version 0.9.4 of Flint.

I made this example using Flint particle system is an Actionscript 3.0 Open Source project with the aim of create a library that handles the common functionality for all particle systems. To see it work just click anywhere on stage and it will make a nice Firework out of my “Logo”

I just tried it myself and i must say it’s super easy to use and to extend. You can find Flint source on the google code page of Flint with working examples in the downloads section there’s also some very good examples and tutorials on Flint Particle System Site and you can keep track of Richard on his blog.

The latest version comes packed with all kind of particles goodies like:

* Access all properties in Actions, Initializers, Counters and Activities so they can be modified while the emitter is running.
* AlphaInit initializer sets the initial alpha value for all particles
* ImageClasses and SharedImages initializers set the particle image to one selected from a group, with weighting to adjust the selection
* MouseExplosion action pushes particles away from the mouse
* MouseGravity action pulls particles towards the mouse
* TurnAwayFromMouse action causes particles to turn away from the mouse
* GreyscaleZone uses a greyscale image to define a zone, with weighting based on the luminence of each pixel
* Pulse counter emits particles in regular bursts
* PerformanceAdjusted counter adjusts the rate of particle emission if the frame-rate drops
* TwoWay energyEasing functions have an energy peak half-way through the particle’s lifetime

Heres the link to my example using Flint, and Flex 3 as much as I would love to add the code right below my post the IG Syntax HighLighter seems to not be getting very well with the latest update of wordpress so to get the code just right click on my example and it will take you there.

Update you can now view the code right here:

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package {
 
    import flash.display.Bitmap;
    import flash.display.Sprite;
    import flash.events.MouseEvent;
    import flash.filters.BlurFilter;
    import flash.filters.ColorMatrixFilter;
    import flash.geom.Point;
 
    import org.flintparticles.actions.*;
    import org.flintparticles.counters.*;
    import org.flintparticles.emitters.*;
    import org.flintparticles.energyEasing.Quadratic;
    import org.flintparticles.events.FlintEvent;
    import org.flintparticles.initializers.*;
    import org.flintparticles.zones.*;
 
    [SWF( frameRate='61', backgroundColor='#000000')]
 
    public class LogoFireworks extends Sprite
    {
        [Embed(source="assets/sgw.png")]
 
        public var Logo:Class;
        public var bitmap:Bitmap = new Logo();
        public var ev:FlintEvent;
        private var emitter:PixelEmitter = new PixelEmitter();
 
        public function LogoFireworks()
        {
            ViewSource.addMenuItem(this, "srcview/index.html");
            stage.scaleMode = "noScale";
            stage.align ="TL";
            init();    
        }
 
        public function init():void
        {
            stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN,startFlint);
            stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP,stopFlint) 
        }
        public function prepareToFlint(event:MouseEvent):void
         {
          stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN,startFlint);
          stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP,stopFlint) 
 
         }
 
        public function startFlint(Event:MouseEvent):void
        {
            emitter.addFilter( new BlurFilter( 2, 2, 1 ) );
            emitter.addFilter( new ColorMatrixFilter( [ 1,0,0,0,0,
                                                        0,1,0,0,0,
                                                        0,0,1,0,0,
                                                        0,0,0,0.96,0 ] ) );
            emitter.setCounter( new Blast( 1500 ) );
            emitter.addInitializer( new ColorInit(Math.random()* 0xFFFF3300,Math.random()* 0xFFFFFF00 ) );
            emitter.addInitializer( new Lifetime( 7) );
            emitter.addInitializer( new Position( new DiscZone( new Point( 0, 0 ), 10 ) ) );
            emitter.addInitializer( new Velocity( new BitmapDataZone( bitmap.bitmapData,-211, -550 ) ) );
            emitter.addAction( new Age( Quadratic.easeIn ) );
            emitter.addAction( new Fade( 1.0, 0 ) );
            emitter.addAction( new Move() );
            emitter.addAction( new LinearDrag( 0.5 ) );
            emitter.addAction( new Accelerate( 0, 70 ) );
            addChild( emitter );
            emitter.x = stage.stageWidth/2;
            emitter.y = stage.stageHeight -(5);
            emitter.start( );
            emitter.addEventListener( FlintEvent.EMITTER_EMPTY, restart);
        }
 
        public function stopFlint(Event:MouseEvent):void
        {
            stage.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN,startFlint)
        }
 
        public function restart( ev:FlintEvent ):void
        {
            mouseEn();
        }
 
        public function mouseEn():void
        {
            stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN,startFlint);
        }
    }
}

Drawing API and Mouse Events

Published
by
swfgeek
on February 25, 2008
in ACTIONSCRIPT 3.0, FLASH CS3, FLASH IDE, FLEX IDE and GENERAL
. 0 Comments

DrawingAPI
Click on the image to see the example and get the code.

A pair of days ago I found the blog of Sorin Haidan in wish he post some very useful tutorials on Flash and Actionscript 3.0 in a very understandable way, I found one that caught my attention called Draw Custom shapes with ActionScript 3.0. In this tutorial he explains how to make a “Ball” appear on screen every time you click and move your mouse on the screen by using the Drawing API and MouseEvents, the change of the color on the ball was achieved doing a loop in a 10 frame movie clip with a ball of different gradient fill on each frame, so occurred to me to wrap that code on a class on a Flex 3 Actionscript Project and get rid of the Flash assets by drawing the ball in a dynamic way and this let me Change the color of the Ball more than the 10 times of Sorin example, so check the example be sure to check Sorin’s blog .
In my example if you right click on the file you get to see the source that it’s also included below this text here’s what I got: Drawing API Ball Example.

Thanks Sorin for letting me mess around with his code keep up with those good tutorials.

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/* 
/////---- Class by Dave Ga?mez (.swfgeek) 24-February-2008 http://www.swfgeek.net----\\\\\\
///---- Original Example by: Sorin Haidan in his  Draw Custom shapes with ActionScript 3.0. Tutorial ----\\\
///---- Found on his blog http://biochimistu.blogspot.com/ ---- \\\
*/
 
package {
 
    import flash.display.GradientType;
    import flash.display.SpreadMethod;
    import flash.display.Sprite;
    import flash.display.StageScaleMode;
    import flash.display.StageAlign;
    import flash.events.MouseEvent;
    import flash.geom.Matrix;
    import com.adobe.viewsource.ViewSource;
 
    [SWF(backgroundColor="0x000000",frameRate="31")]
 
    public class DrawingAPI extends Sprite
    {
        private var sprite:Sprite;
        private var holder:Sprite;
        private var myCircle:Sprite;
        private var fillType:String;
        private var colors:Array;
        private var alphas:Array;
        private var ratios:Array;
        private var matr:Matrix;
        private var spreadMethod:String;
        private var focalPointRatio:Number;
 
        public function DrawingAPI()
        {
            init();
        }
 
        private function init():void
        {
            ViewSource.addMenuItem(this, "srcview/index.html");
            stage.scaleMode = StageScaleMode.NO_SCALE;
            stage.align = StageAlign.TOP_LEFT;
            stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN,prepareToDraw);
 
        }
 
        public function prepareToDraw(event:MouseEvent):void
         {
          stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_MOVE,drawGraphics);
          stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP,stopDrawing);
 
         }
 
        public function drawGraphics(event:MouseEvent):void
        {
         fillType = GradientType.RADIAL;
         colors = [0xFFFFFF, Math.random()*0xFFFFFF];
         alphas = [1, 1];
         ratios = [0x37, 0xFF];
         matr= new Matrix();
         matr.createGradientBox(100, 100, Math.random()*360, -40, 0);
         spreadMethod = SpreadMethod.PAD;
         focalPointRatio = 1;
         holder = new Sprite();
         addChild(holder);
         myCircle = new Sprite();
         myCircle.graphics.beginGradientFill(fillType, colors, alphas, ratios, matr,spreadMethod);  
         myCircle.graphics.drawCircle(0,0,40);
         myCircle.graphics.endFill();
         holder.addChild(myCircle);
         holder.x = mouseX;
         holder.y = mouseY;
         holder.scaleX = holder.scaleY = Math.random()*2+0.5;
         holder.rotation = Math.random()*360;
         holder.alpha = Math.random()+0.7;
       }
 
        public function stopDrawing(event:MouseEvent):void
       {
        stage.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_MOVE,drawGraphics)
       }
    }
}

Adobe Flex 3 and AIR 1 are here

Published
by
swfgeek
on February 25, 2008
in ACTIONSCRIPT 3.0, AIR, FLEX IDE and GENERAL
. 2 Comments

Adobe Flex 3 and AIR 1

That’s it the new version of Adobe Flex is here and with it the new AIR 1 runtime, for details visit Mike Potter’s post. Congrats to all the people involved in this release Adobe is really pushing its open source side by making the Flex compilers source available.
Be sure to check Flex SDK page on Adobe Open Source and the product pages of Flex 3 and AIR 1.

ColorMatrixFilter Fun in Actionscript 3.0

Published
by
swfgeek
on January 29, 2008
in ACTIONSCRIPT 3.0, FLASH IDE and GENERAL
. 0 Comments

ColorMatrixFilter

Based on the great tutorial of Lee Brimelow, called Advanced Filter Effects I started messing around with the ColorMatrixFilter(); an Actionscript 3.0 Class that lets you apply a 4×5 matrix transformation in the RGB color and alpha values to the pixels of an image, and produce a new RGBA alpha value this can be applied to any display object.
So it’s quite addicting messing around with those values and get different results, this example is not at all finished it’s quite buggy still you can get some nice waving effects anyway check it out here:
ColorMatrixFilterExample and be sure to stop by www.gotoandlearn.com Lee has an unique way of explaining things very good and make difficult things look like is a piece of cake.