Exporting library symbols in ActionScript 3.0

Posted on September 2, 2007 by Nuno Correia

One of the important changes from ActionScript 2.0 to 3.0 is exporting library symbols. Now, when you export a library symbol, you are creating a new class.

This Adobe tutorial provides an interesting insight on this topic:

http://livedocs.adobe.com/flash/9.0/main/00000215.html

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Rich Internet Applications Topic Center

Posted on September 2, 2007 by Nuno Correia

This is Adobe’s Rich Internet Applications page. Very much centered around Flex:

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/ria/

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E4X – ECMAScript for XML

Posted on September 2, 2007 by Nuno Correia

ActionScript 3.0 includes support for E4X – ECMAScript for XML. A reminder: ActionScript is part of the ECMAScript family standard.

“ECMAScript for XML (E4X) offers new ways to retrieve data from XML in Adobe Flash applications. (…) you can use E4X to fetch data out of an XML object within an application in real time—processing only the information required to run the application.” (Adobe)

A link to an Adobe E4X tutorial:
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/articles/filtering_data_e4x.html

ECMA’s E4X page:
http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-357.htm

Wikipedia’s E4X page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E4X

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Rich Internet Applications

Posted on September 2, 2007 by Nuno Correia

Rich Internet Applications (RIA) are “Web applications that have the features and functionality of traditional desktop applications. RIAs typically transfer the processing necessary for the user interface to the Web client but keep the bulk of the data (i.e., maintaining the state of the program, the data etc) back on the application server” (Wikipedia).

The course will focus on: building RIA using ActionScript 3.0; creating classes; using flexible elements such as Flash UI (User Interface) components; connection to a server; and accessing data using XML (Extensible Markup Language), E4X (ECMAScript for XML) and RSS (Really Simple Syndication).

Mon 10.9.2007 9:15-16h
Intruduction to object-oriented programming and ActionScript 3.0
Class definitions
Introduction to components

Tue 11.9.2007 9:15-16h
UI components
Networking and communication

Wed 12.9.2007 9:15-16h
Using XML and E4X, Accessing RSS data, Discussion about projects

Thu 13.9.2007 9:15-16h
Developing projects

Fri 14.9.2007 9:15-16h
Developing and presenting projects

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BMW Pursuit Across Europe

Posted on May 30, 2007 by ddesousa

A game used in advertising for BMW, I think it was related also to a banner that worked asa teaser. I’ts an interesting use of Flash as a game, also it brings a new visual approach for this kind of race games (in my humble opinion!). The only weak point is that the visuals have little to do with the real places they claim to be racing in!

BMW PACE – Pursuit Across Europe

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Essential ActionScript 3.0 by Colin Moock

Posted on May 20, 2007 by Nuno Correia

Colin Moock has been writing excelent ActionScript books for O’Reilly, and Essential ActionScript 3.0, coming out in June, should also be worth buying:

http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596526948/

Colin Moock links:

http://moock.org/
http://www.moock.org/blog/

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Course ended… thank you

Posted on May 14, 2007 by Nuno Correia

Thank you to all that participated in the 2nd part of the Multimedia Authoring course.

We managed to cover all the topics that were in the course programme. Some more deeply than others. I hope that the blog, and the course files uploaded, can be useful, not only as reminders but also as paths for further explorations.

Feedback and constructive criticism on the course are welcome. Feel free to do that by: posting comments to this entry; talking to me personally; or by e-mail to ncorreia [at] uiah.fi.

I am also curious to see the projects that will be developed as part of the course. If you need any help with those, let me know.

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John Maeda

Posted on May 14, 2007 by Nuno Correia

I’m sure that if you are visiting a blog called “media+code”, you already know the work of John Maeda.

Anyway, it might be useful to collect some links to his work in a entry.

About John Maeda:

John Maeda is a world-renowned graphic designer, artist, and computer scientist at the MIT Media Laboratory. He has pioneered the use of the computer for people of all ages and skills to create art, and is a pioneering voice for “simplicity” in the digital age. Maeda (…) is Associate Director of Research at the MIT Media Laboratory.

Maeda’s early work redefined the use of electronic media as a tool for expression by combining skilled computer programming with a sensitivity to traditional artistic concerns. This work helped to pioneer the interactive motion graphics that are prevalent on the Internet today. He also initiated the Design By Numbers project, a global initiative to teach computer programming to visual artists through a freely available, custom software system that he designed. He has displayed his work at numerous exhibitions, lectured extensively worldwide, and has published several books featuring his graphic designs.

(from http://www.media.mit.edu/people/bio_maeda.html)

Maeda Studio site:
http://www.maedastudio.com/

MIT Physical Language Workshop site:
http://plw.media.mit.edu/people/maeda/

MIT Aesthetics + Computation Group site:
http://acg.media.mit.edu/

MIT Simplicity (experimental research program) site:
http://simplicity.media.mit.edu/

Simplicity blog:
http://weblogs.media.mit.edu/SIMPLICITY/

Laws of Simplicity blog:
http://lawsofsimplicity.com/

Design by Numbers software site:
http://dbn.media.mit.edu/

Flickr web page:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/maeda/

Maeda

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Flash Video Encoder

Posted on May 13, 2007 by Nuno Correia

One powerful tool for working with video in Flash is the Flash Video Encoder.

Adobe Flash CS3 Video Encoder is a stand-alone video encoding application that lets you encode video in Adobe Flash video (FLV) format. (…) You can batch-process multiple video clips when you use Flash Video Encoder on a dedicated computer for video encoding.

You can learn more about this tool here:

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/quickstart/video_encoder/

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Flash books

Posted on May 13, 2007 by Nuno Correia

Recommended books for Flash and ActionScript:

Macromedia Flash 8 ActionScript: Training from the Source
by Derek Franklin, Jobe Maker, Erik Bianchi
Macromedia Publishing

(let’s hope the Adobe CS3 version comes out soon)

Flash CS3 Professional Advanced: Visual Quickpro Guide
by Russell Chun
Peachpit Press

(edition delayed to 30/June)

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