Archive for the 'GENERAL' 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

Cocomo new social app technology at Adobe Labs

Published
by
swfgeek
on November 17, 2008
in BETAS, COCOMO, FLEX IDE and GENERAL
. 0 Comments

There is a new Technology  available at Adobe Labs Codename “Cocomo” is a Platform as a Service that allows Flex developers to easily add real-time social capabilities into their RIA (rich Internet applications). Comprised of both Flex-based client components and a hosted services infrastructure, Cocomo allows you to build real-time, multi-user applications with Flex in less time than ever before. And because Acrobat.com hosts the service, issues like deployment, maintenance, and scalability are taken care of for you.

Add social features to your existing Flex apps or build totally new ones, such as real-time productivity/collaboration apps, multiplayer games, and audio/video chat.

Features of the Cocomo beta include the following:

  • VoIP Audio
  • Webcam Video
  • Chat
  • Multi-User Whiteboards
  • Real-Time File Sharing
  • User Management
  • Roles and Permissions
  • Robust Data Messaging

The Cocomo Adobe labs page

Sign up for Cocomo

Adobe AIR 1.5

Published
by
swfgeek
on November 17, 2008
in AIR, APOLLO, FLASH PLAYER, FLASH PLAYER 10 and GENERAL
. 0 Comments

Adobe also announced today the availability of Adobe AIR 1.5, a key component of the Adobe Flash Platform, which enables Web developers to deliver rich Internet applications outside the browser. Offering new features and performance improvements to create more expressive AIR applications, Adobe AIR 1.5 incorporates the open source WebKit HTML engine and now accelerates application performance with “SquirrelFish,” the new WebKit JavaScript interpreter. Adobe AIR 1.5 also includes a new, encrypted database that meets enterprise security compliance requirements while storing data securely on customers’ computers. Additionally, AIR 1.5 includes functionality introduced in Adobe Flash Player 10, such as support for custom filters and effects, native 3D transformation and animation, and extensible rich text layout.

Adobe AIR 1.5 developer release notes
Adobe AIR 1.5 user release notes

Download Adobe AIR version 1.5

UPDATE:

A more detailed  explanation by Robert Christensen in the Adobe AIR Team Blog on  the post Introducing Adobe AIR 1.5

Adobe announces Flash Platform at MAX 2008

Published
by
swfgeek
on November 17, 2008
in ADOBE MAX, AIR, FLASH CATALYST, FLASH PLATFORM, FLEX IDE and GENERAL
. 0 Comments

Adobe announced yesterday at Adobe MAX the advancements to the Adobe Flash Platform, a complete system of integrated tools, frameworks, clients and servers to develop Web apps, content and video that runs across various OS  and devices.

Some of the highlights of this announce are the preview of Flash Catalyst( formely code named Thermo in Adobe Labs), a professional interaction design tool for rapidly creating application interfaces and interactive content without coding. Flash Catalyst enables artwork created in Adobe Creative Suite 4 to be imported with full fidelity and quickly converted into dynamic components such as buttons, scrollbars, input fields and more. Finished projects can be published directly to Flash Player or AIR. When combined with the next version of Flex Builder, Adobe Flash Catalyst enables design and development to be done in parallel. This workflow supports iterative development and delivers higher quality results with faster time to market. A preview release of Adobe Flash Catalyst will be available for MAX 2008 attendees. A public beta version is expected to be available on Adobe Labs in early 2009. For more information, please visit www.adobe.com/go/flashcatalyst.

The Flex Builder “Gumbo” preview release, also available yesterday for MAX 2008 attendees, expands the use of Flex to a wider audience of developers, offering new data-centric development capabilities to create rich Internet applications. Gumbo also enhances project productivity through the improved design and development workflow with Adobe Flash Catalyst and improvements to core development capabilities such as the debugger, profiler and code editor. For more information, please visit http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flex/. A new preview release of the open source Flex framework is also available on www.opensource.adobe.com.

Adobe AIR 1.5 is available immediately as a free download for Windows and Mac, and AIR 1.5 for Linux is expected to be available before the end of the year. For more information on Adobe AIR, please visit www.adobe.com/products/air/.

Furthering Adobe’s commitment to the Linux community and as part of ensuring the cross-platform compatibility of Flash Player, a pre-release 64-bit Linux version of Adobe Flash Player 10 is now available on Adobe Labs at www.adobe.com/go/linux64player.This offers easier, native installation on 64-bit Linux systems and removes the need for 32-bit emulation.

UPDATE:

Here’s a link to Adobes Page for The Flash Platform

http://www.adobe.com/flashplatform/

And an image shameless ripped form Keith Peters post on the subject :P

Adobe Flash Platform

Adobe CS4 Launch Broadcast

Published
by
swfgeek
on October 4, 2008
in ADOBE CS4, FLASH CS4 and GENERAL
. 0 Comments

In case that you missed it here’s a link to the Adobe CS4 Launch Broadcast event, or watch it right here.