Category: Flash

Tony MacDonell @ teknision.com solved a problem he had in his company’s production environment by using a different paradigm for the JSAPI. He gives an example of allowing designers to update FLA’s that contain different versions of video, but I don’t think that effectively conveys how useful it is.

Certain Commands can be used in a wide-array of situations. His “Open Source Folder” for instance applies to every FLA file I work on that doesn’t already have the folder open in Explorer (or Finder). However, some files have certain JSFL actions that are really only needed for that file, but if those changes could be automated, it would streamline production; in his case, allowing the designers to click a button have both the High and Low quality video’s automatically re-imported without having to manually do it. The other benefits:
– JSFL saved with file. This makes the code portable; goes with the file. Someone else doesn’t needed the Command installed.
– JSFL command does not populate the Commands window. Even though the Command window can have sub-menu’s, the content is where it should be; with the file.

Those are intrinsic. The ones that aren’t so immediately apparent are:
– code is associated with the file, therefore easier to create and associate with that one file
– because relationships are created when multiple tasks need to be done on just one file, all scripts can be run together as one

One I wanted to add is some scripts only apply to one file’s unique situation. Making a full blown command is over kill.

You’ll still need his “File Actions” tool installed, but it’s an extension, and therefore is easy to install.

He wants feedback, btw. Remove anti-spam.

NO-FarFigN00tin|||tony|||SPizz-NAm@teknision.com

It is one of many examples for his Flash in the Can presentation. If you get a few:

File Actions – MXP | Examples

There are help files with the extension, but I couldn’t get them to work in the Panel; they are at the bottom of my Help panel.

Couldn’t find this in my archives, so putting it there now.

Tony MacDonell @ Teknision built this JSAPI + XUL + Window SWF extension that opens up the source folder of the FLA your currently working on. Don’t know if it works on Mac, but on windows, it only works if you don’t have IE open.

Anyway, I use it all the time. …course, if Chafic could put this feature in his Flash Tray Tools… but I’ve already asked for a feature.

Open Source Folder

Chafic made this phat tool that quickly opens things most Flash developers constantly utilize. Certain deeply rooted folders, and searching common sites, all from an unobtrusive tooltray menu. I used to have a Windows XP custom toolbar, but his is soo much more un-obtrusive.

BTW, I begged that he add the big 3 for Flaschom: Apps, Scripts, and Config. Let us hope they make it in a new version.

Via Navneet @ onClipEvent.com/enterframe.

Dude, it’s so funny reading that article that Navneet just posted. It’s like reading “The Geeks’ Version of Flash & Director Compositing”. Course, Director comes a close second. Mainly because the article discusses the off-screen buffering of screen drawing, Flash does not give you direct access to the screen, but rather limited control of objects that utilize commands that can happen faster than such a screen refresh via updateAfterEvent(). Director on the other hand gives you direct control to the on-screen drawing via updateStage(), which you call wayyyy more than once a frame.

All the stuff I learned in art school, they are breaking it down technically so programmers realize what they can do with Avalon’s graphic compositing engine. For someone like me, I go, “Duh, I already have that.” Course, this is an OS we’re talking about with about 1 step away from a hardware call. That’s where the fear comes in. You pray for the Japanime ‘esque cocoon Central is currently in to be infused with mad optimizations, hax, and mods to the Flash 7 Player, so when it emerges, it is the faster Flash Player to date.

The real problem is Avalon, or whatever the heck Visual Studio will morph into, doesn’t sound like it’ll have a timeline. Just as the thought of developing Flash Appz via MXML (Flex) is sickening, so to is using XAML to do the same thing in Avalon. The same Ravenloft horror check programmers experienced and (some failed) because of Flash’s timeline is reversed in this case for someone like me. I respect those people who are comfortable and dig tweening engines, like Robert Penner’s DynTween, and all of what is built into the Flash MX 2004 AS2 component framework. But that’s not for me. Suddenly, although I feel compelled to dive into a C# sharp book, at the same time, I’m praying that Microsoft realizes I, as well as many other animation-talented Flash Developers, are a valuable asset to promoting their products, and therefore provide some familiar way for us to contribute.

Maybe there could be a powerful merging, as I explain layering techniques, they explain thread mutagation. Bleh. Come on Central, don’t let me down… :: crosses fingers and prays ::