SourEdge

This was a pretty useful tutorial I found while looking to prevent my SWC component to auto-launch within flash when dragged into the stage. I haven’t found an answer yet but, I have a gut feeling it might be due to my update() command on the constructor. Anyway, here is it is, the pretty useful flex to swc tutorial I found.

I am extremely glad this is actually possible! This past week I’ve been working on multiple integrations with endless possibilities like AS2 to AS2, jQuery, etc… One of those possibilities are AS2 to AS3 3rd party projects. Thanks to Adobe I’m able to do this quite easily.

Project: To load our AS2 XSPFPlayer into an AS2 3rd party project through any means necessary. Funny thing, AS3 made some MovieClips within the XSPFPlayer stretch out “xScale” wise randomly compared to my other AS2 to AS2 integrations. It might of been a bug on my end but, adding a dynamic mask sounded like an easy solution through AS3…and it was!

public function onCompleteHandler(loadEvent:Event){
xspfPlayerObject = addChild(loadEvent.currentTarget.content);
xspfPlayerObject.x = xspfPlayerMask.x;
xspfPlayerObject.y = xspfPlayerMask.y;
xspfPlayerObject.mask = xspfPlayerMask;
}

Publishing AS2 project to an AS3 project from an external class

Thats it! a extremely simple yet effective AS3 class loading and masking an AS2 project. I’m not posting the whole integrated class as it is quite long. But, for the user consuming this class, it is short and sweet. For Example:

import com.unityworksmedia.xspfPlayer;
var _xspfPlayer = new xspfPlayer([junk]);
addChild(_xspfPlayer);

You can view some of the additional integrations at the UnityWorks!Media Wiki.

Ok, so SilverLight has been good to me so far. However, if you come across something that isn’t well documented you’ll be hurting for some time. First I received a new computer at work. It is fast and has everything I’ll ever need for the next few months. So, I installed everything I needed for my .NET projects, Expression Blend 2, SilverLight, and Visual Studio SP1. I began working and noticed not till hours later of head banging that Service Pack 1 is required for Expression Blend 2. I know, you would know this, but it took me a while before remembering that SP1 was needed for SilverLight 2.0 development. Things like these are sometime frustrating but I’m sure I wont make this mistake again… till my next computer upgrade!

And just for fun… I’ll post the following picture. This doesn’t mean much, except, it does tell me that there will be a percentage of individuals who will be experiencing this message from time to time.

So, I decided to continue playing with this WP CSS. It’s coming along. In the next few weeks, I’ll apply the new template design I have in mind but for now, let’s stick with this and add my work.

In other news, I’ve been working lately on not just one but two players. Why? Let’s just say, the code behind logic can cause alternative user experiences. The one I show below is using nothing but old fashioned AS2 linear code. The player on my last post uses Object Oriented Programming AS2.

See a difference? Probably not. (Except for a few effects here and there) Sadly, after intense and extreme testing (traveling from Caribu to Caribu ), strangely, the AS2 linear player above won! Why? How? Who knows… But, the OOP version will most likely slumber till I can steal some of its logic to use with AS3. (Due to the fact that not everyone can support AS3 projects into their AS2 projects, I didn’t even bother building one yet… someday… )

My latest creation: UWM XSPF Player 3.0!
This has been in the works for quite sometime. Created using AS2 OOP together with Soap Web Services delivering a XSPF Playlist for a smooth playback experience.

The player does just about everything and anything. It even contains CarFax information fed through UWM services. The only ability missing is to be able to skin the player itself. But, soon that will come into play.

Single Track Playback

Anyway, for my next version I am in the hopes of recreating it using AS3 as a true OOP application. Why isn’t this a AS3 application? Well, for one, AS3 does not support SOAP web services without an external library that can parse it or through the Flex framework to my knowledge. The problem with an external libraries available (Example: http://alducente.wordpress.com/2007/10/27/web-service-in-as3-release-10/) did not parse 2 of the 5 soap services that the player needed to consume. Why? I didn’t bother looking. :)  Flex? I had no time to try.

The web service library I posted above is by far the best one I’ve seen.  I have infact tried a few others, but this one seems to be well documented.

http://alducente.wordpress.com/2007/10/27/web-service-in-as3-release-10/

Now that the player has been built and bugs have been taken cared of.  I’ll most likely turn the application into a Flash component for partners.  I’ll write a tutorial for that on my next post maybe.  :)  I had done it once about 3 month ago, I have already forgotten the process.  The post will most likely help me aswell in the near future.

Began working on a CSS for WordPress. I’m taking this default CSS apart little by little. Someday, I’ll be happy with the result. For now, live with with it! To be completely honest, this my first attempt to alter a CSS within WordPress. It isn’t all that confusing from what I’ve heard. I’m currently doing it all through the dashboard, it is infact painful, but effective. I actually think, the most complicated part was to find the correct stylesheet instead of the default CSS that it is automatically provided. Cheers!

So, I began the path of designing my new 2009 portfolio!  Hopefully, I’ll be able to finish sometime soon.  I decided to make a coming soon placeholder for now.  Created a quick logo, home page, and icon. The logo might of been a bit more clean than what I was expecting on creating but, it will work nonetheless.  Here is an example…

What about the blog?  The look?  The content?  Why am I doing this?  I’ll change the look when I get around to it.  As for the content, I am planning of posting as much as I can regarding everything that I deal with on a daily basis.  Everything from Flash and jQuary to C# and Silverlight.  I’ll be more than happy to share anything and everything I find interresting.