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That insanely smart Canuck (at least, I think he’s a Canuck; <a href=”http://www.gskinner.com/blog/archives/000065.html”>too cute not to be</a>), <a href=”http://www.gskinner.com/blog/”>Grant Skinner</a>, has <a href=”http://www.gskinner.com/blog/archives/000069.html”>posted</a> a neat way to utilize el activation object to quickly and easily scope your XML objects (LoadVars same way). Nestled in composition ‘esque classes, this is a great way to wire your XML document’s callback to your class so it can call a custom parsing method, etc. Better yet, if you place a var in front of the creation of the XML object, he’ll die when garbage collection comes along (supposedly).

However, I don’t agree this is a best practice. Course, nothing in Flash is really documented as such, most Flashers just generally agree and double check with Java peeps to ensure we can feel good about our decision to do so.

I converted my AS2 to AS1, and saved as MX so my manager in Florida could compile the app. However, he was getting rogue symbols in front of his #include scripts, causing errors and not allowing the FLA to be compiled.

He thought that maybe it was the FLA since he had copied and pasted the text into a new file and saved around the affected area, deleted the actions layer, and recreated, and still no dice. I was worried since if you can’t save as MX, what then?

Turns out, however, from a <a href=”http://www.macromedia.com/support/flash/ts/documents/howto_2004astomx.htm”>Macromedia technote</a>, that it is in fact that text files that are the problem. Flash MX 2004 saves your classes with UTF-8 Encoding. Flash MX does not support that encoding type for #include files. So, just saved them as ANSI, and good to go.

So, if your saving as MX, don’t forget to also save your #include files as non-UTF-8 encoded.

Meeting went good last night. Got to meet a few other peeps that I’ve talked to online, but didn’t get to talk long; guess they’re the responsible type who don’t go drinking after such meetings. This adult stuff blows.

At any rate, I’ve had a few things I wish I could do better. The crowd had a lot of new faces in it, and while coding and writing some notes before the meeting, I listened intently to what the crowd talked about to gauge their expectations. It seemed a few really hadn’t had much experience with Flash, while a ton had jobs like me. I figured it was best to dummy down a lot of what I talked about, and instead focus on overall technologies, and spit out some of the tips I’ve run into. Didn’t really go as planned as I wasn’t getting the reactions I needed out of the crowd; usually, I can use body language from a person to determine how my communication is working with them; same thing with a crowd, but I’m guessing either I was talking way too fast + talking very technical, or it was just a deep subject. It was definately more interactive than my Flashcom talk a year ago, but I feel I need to be more proactive pre-meeting to ensure audience expectations. I didn’t get into the minutae on purpose, but there were a lot of people there I thought maybe could benefit from it.

At any rate, one .NET’r brought up an interesting piont that I didn’t get to finish talking about. He was like, “What does Macromedia expect Central to have that appeals to a .NET’r that already has Smart Client?” My succinct answer to that is: .NET’rs can do what they do best; code their .NET web services, and code them well. Central can do what Flash does best and focus on the Rich GUI consuming those web services.

As always, I learn more about public speaking the more I do this. If Leif get’s it captured (since Flashcom didn’t work out), then I’ll post later in the week.

Thanks for those who came; need to make after hours time next time so we can geek out longer!