Apache Flex: September 2012

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Napkee - make your mockups come alive, updated

balsamiq mockups exported to png (Photo credit: ZhangYining)

Introduction to Napkee

Napkee is a free mockup creation tool and code generation tool for converting your UI Mockups created in Balsamiq Mockups into HTML, CSS and JavaScript based on Twitter Bootstrap framework at a click of a button. The current version of this tool is Napkee 2.0 alpha.

Start building a complete UI from mock-up build with balsamiq and convert it to an funtioncal application client. Its a great tool for rapid prototyping.

Napkee Legacy

Previous version of this tool now known as Napkee Legacy is still available for download but it won't be updated in the future and is discontinued. It can be downloaded from http://www.napkee.com/legacy/. It included two project natures, Web and Flex.

The first one generated a set of HTML, CSS and Javascript files and the second one generated a Flex Builder 3.x ready project. In Flex nature based on settings in Napkee's preferences you could either choose to export it to a web flex project or to generate an AIR based standalone code.

Napkee - make your mockups come alive

Related articles

Saturday, September 29, 2012

PowerFlasher FDT 5 - Yet Another IDE for Flash/Flex/Air

FDT 5 supports development with ActionScript and MXML The IDE meets the needs of Flash/Flex developers by increasing their coding comfort while at the same time working more efficiently and time-saving on highly creative projects.

BlackBerry SDK for Adobe AIR is now available at https://developer.blackberry.com/air/. Using this applications can be built for BlackBerry 10 devices or the BlackBerry PlayBook.

Adobe Flash Builder integrates the BlackBerry 10 SDK for Adobe AIR, ActionScript and the Adobe Flex framework. It allows development, testing, debug and deployment of Adobe AIR applications for BlackBerry 10 devices.

Adobe Flex Builder 4.6 Extras

Adobe Flash Builder Extras includes:

Flash Catalyst CS 5.5 installer
ActionScript Code Coverage Plug-in for Adobe Flash Builder (Eclipse Plugin)

Note: The Adobe Flash Builder 4.6 Extras are not included in the Electronic Software Distribution (ESD) download. They need to be separately downloaded from the URL http://www.adobe.com/go/fb46_getextras

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Introduction to MVC Architecture of Cairngorm

A simple diagram depicting the relationship between the Model, View, and Controller. Note: the solid lines indicate a direct association, and the dashed line indicate an indirect association (e.g., observer pattern). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: This diagram depicts how the Model View Controller Architecture works. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: The model, view, and controller (MVC) pattern relative to the user. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Cairngorm is based on Model View Controller (MVC) framework, specifically designed to facilitate complex state and data synchronization between the client and the server. Cairngorm separates implementation of the view layer from the Model (data) implementation.

View layer throw events and bind to data stored in the Model.

Components on the View can bind to Value Objects or other properties in the Model (data) layer.

Value Objects (VOs) are used to store related properties, simple variables can be stored as direct properties of the ModelLocator class.

A static reference to the ModelLocator singleton instance is used by the View layers to locate the required data.

he Controller layer is implemented as a singleton class FrontController. The FrontController instance receives every View-generated Event and dispatches the events to the assigned Command class based on the event's declared type.

The Command class processes the event by calling the Command class' execute() method, which is defined in ICommand interface.

The event object may include data if required. The execute() method can update the central Model, as well as invoke a Service class which typically involves communication with a remote server. The IResponder interface is also implemented by the Command class, includes onResult and onFault methods to handle responses returned from the invoked remote service.

Spark Layout & Containers

Spark Layout Classes

Each container has a layout property

BasicLayout - default layout property, it uses absolute position based on x and y properties (origin at top-left corner, x increase towards right & y increases downwards)
HorizontalLayout - ignores x and y property and all content is layed out horizontally and height of the row is height of the tallest child.
Vertical Layout - ignores x and y property and all content is layed out vertically and height of the columns is height of the widest child.
TileLayout - lays out children horizontally and vertically into multiple columns and rows.height and width of the column is there heights and widths are equal to that of the widest and tallest child respectively. use paddingXXX properties to add space between the children.

Code Snippet

<s:Application ...>

<s:layout>

<s:BasicLayout/>

</s:layout>

</s:Application>

Spark containers

Non-skinnable containers -

Group
DataGroup

Skinnable containers -

SkinnableContainer
SkinnableDataContainer
Panel
TitleWindow
NavigatorContent
Application
BorderContainer - border and background styles could be applied by setting the appropriate property using this container

Game Development in Flex

Below is the link to Whitepaper on Adobe's view of Flex and its road map for future:

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flex/whitepapers/roadmap.html

A whitepaper about Flash's runtime is available at url:

http://www.adobe.com/go/flashplayer_roadmap

What is Starling ?

URL: www.starling-framework.org

Starling is a ActionScript 3.0 framework for building 2D games, based on Stage3D.

It takes advantage of GPU resulting in better performance and faster frame-rate.

It is a port of sparrow framework for iOS.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Windows 8 will support Flash

Microsoft and Adobe are working together closely to ensure great Flash experience in Windows 8. Flash Player is integrated into Metro style IE10. Microsoft aims to support Flash in Windows 8 (Microsoft's forthcoming operating system ) only on trusted sites due to security reasons.

Surface RT tablets would also support Flash.

BlackBerry 10 Operating System also supports Flash making BlackBerry Playbook the only tablet that currently supports Flash.

The Apple iPad does not support Flash and is not likely in future also.

Android has basic level Flash integration in its browser which is being phased out to a mobile version of Chrome that does not support Flash.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Adobe AIR Launchpad

What is Adobe AIR Launchpad ?

Adobe® AIR® Launchpad is a desktop tool for Adobe Flex® developers to generate a basic Flex project that can be used to jump-start application development in Flash Builder.

Adobe AIR Launchpad creates Flex and ActionScript code packaged as a Flex project based on pre-selected options. However, the final output is not intended to be a useful application. Rather, it is intended to be a starting point for a new project.

It can help developers in getting started with building desktop and mobile applications (iOS, Android, BlackBerry PlayBook) for deployment on Adobe AIR.

For more details visit the following website
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/airlaunchpad/

Currently Adobe AIR Launch is in prerelease version and is designed to be used in evaluation purposes only.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Working with XML data in Flex

English: Office Open XML main components (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Prerequisite for this Blog
1. Data Binding
2. Events
3. Network Monitor Requesting and Retrieving XML Data from a Remote Server.

Classes / MXML Components

HTTPService - HTTP GET and POST operations
WebService - SOAP/WSDL operations
RemoteObject - remote object connection using AMF

As per MXML 2009, All non visual components should be declared with the Declaration block as below.

1:  <fx:Declarations>  
2:        <!-- Place non-visual elements (e.g., services, value objects) here -->  
3:  </fx:Declarations>

send() - sends a request to the service dataProvider - this property is used to fill data to UI components.

Flex 4.x Release

About Flex 4 Release

Adobe Flex 4 was code named Gumbo. This version will focus on improving workflow between developers and designers, and will also include an improved component framework model to decouple the visual design of your Flex applications from the underlying code.

What's new in Flash Builder 4 beta | Adobe Developer Connection

About Apache Flex & its Roadmap

About Apache Flex

First public release of Apache Flex is Apache Flex 4.8.0. The initial Apache Flex release would be a "Parity" release. That means no new improvements, features or bug fixes will be in this release, the goal would be to try to match Adobe Flex 4.6. Some features in case dependent on features not donated by Adobe to Apache may be missing or may require separate installation.

Apache Flex Road-map

Apache Flex road-map is available at: https://cwiki.apache.org/FLEX/roadmap.html
the Flash Platform Road Map - http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flashplatform/whitepapers/roadmap.html

Apache Flex Home page

http://incubator.apache.org/flex - contains information about how to checkout the code and submit patches to Apache Flex SDK development.

Apache Flex Mailing Lists

http://incubator.apache.org/flex/mailing-lists.html

References

UI Flex Components: Tested! Supported! Ready! - http://www.flextras.com?c=104
Podcasts on Flex - http://www.theflexshow.com

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Flash Builder 4.7 Beta is now available.. !!

the latest version of Flash Builder is currently in public beta with support for Apache Flex 4.8. The beta is free to all - it will expire when the official version ships. The official version will be a free upgrade for retail 4.5/4.6 customers.

The Flash Builder team is looking for feedback on support for Apache Flex SDKs
(and how it can be made using Apache Flex easier in Flash Builder).

The URL of the download page is

http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flashbuilder4-7/

The key highlight of this release is support for Flash Player 11.4 and AIR 3.4, as well as support for the new Apache Flex 4.8 SDK. Other new features include

New compiler support for ActionScript Projects
Support for creating ActionScript Workers
Support for iOS USB deployment, testing & debugging
Support for iOS simulator

changes from previous release:

FB 4.7 no longer includes design view.

Apache Flex