Tag Archives: Flex

JavaScript for Flashers Part 1: SWFObject

As fantastic as Flash is, it can’t do everything; sometimes we need to use other technologies to get results. For Flash running in a browser, JavaScript is a useful (and sometimes essential) tool.

I categorise my use of JavaScript into three areas: 1. Essential: embedding Flash in HTML (and providing alternative content), 2. Semi-essential: deep-linking (using browser back/next buttons for Flash navigation) and 3. Optional: everything else. I will cover 2 & 3 in later posts, but first…
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Blatant Plugging

You may have noticed that the frequency of posts on this blog has dropped off recently. Mainly because i have been busy with a client project, but also because i was determined to finally get a personal Flex project finished – i got a sharp reminder to get on with it when i received an email reminding me to renew the domain name for another year.

Its not totally my fault – if Adobe are going to release Spark (Flex 4 SDK) and make it much better than Halo (Flex 3) then i can hardly be blamed for wanting to completely rewrite my app (and get to grips with Spark in the process). Anyway, only one year late on delivery – not bad for an IT project – it’s finally finished.
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Drawing Bezier Curves

For the un-initiated, Bezier Curves are curves defined by a set of (at least 2) points in space (usually defined by x and y coordinates). By setting appropriate sets of points, complex curving paths can easily be defined. These could be simply drawn to the screen or used as paths for visual objects (eg a game character) to follow.

The simplest case is a curve defined by 2 points – which is just a straight line. As more points are added the curvature can become more complex. The curveTo method of the Graphics class uses a Bezier Curve of 3 points (1 point defined by the current drawing position and 2 points passed into the method).

So, if we want to draw a 2 or 3 point Bezier Curve, Flash can do the work for us, but for 4 points or more we need to handle it ourselves. Also, if we are using a Bezier Curve as a path for an object to follow, we need to know the coordinates at all positions along the path and the drawing methods of Flash wont help us with that.
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Beep And Other Sounds Part 1

If you are an old codger like me, you will (fondly?) remember the sounds of early computer games. They were mostly monotone beeps and bips, but there were some real gems that took the audio experience seriously (think Defender) and used the simple audio abilities in more interesting ways.

Now, just 30 years later, Flash can also generate it’s own sound…
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Free Stuff!

I have just added a new ‘stuff‘ page to this blog (see main menu above) where i will be adding assorted bits and pieces that will hopefully be useful to some of you flashers out there.

To get things started, i have added 5 PixelBender filters (when i went through my library of filters i realised that many of them were quite similar or very specific, so once i have discarded the waste i will post some more).

If you’re not familar with PixelBender, i have posted some truly amazing/totally fantastic/incredibly awesome tutorials on the subject, so there’s no excuse not to take my free stuff…