Simple Transparent AIR desktop ... thing

I read all those news about Adobe AIR and I check out new applications, even use few of them right now, but I haven't done much AIR coding myself. I wanted to change this sad fact and make my own 'hello world' AIR app, something very basic.

My reference was Adobe AIR for JavaScript developers, pocket guide. In this book, there is an example for hello world app using html page as content, but instead I wanted to include one of my previously made SWF files as main content, Windmill Simulation. Just as a test I'll take transparent background, so I need to modify my file a little bit, to remove gradient background and put new background behind controls.

AirWindmillSimulation.xml code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<application xmlns="http://ns.adobe.com/air/application/1.0">
 <id>com.blogspot.flanture.AirWindmill</id>
 <filename>WindmillSimulation</filename>
 <name>Windmill Simulation</name>
 <description>Desktop Windmill Simulation</description>
 <version>1.0</version>
 
 <initialWindow>
  <content>AirWindmillSimulation.swf</content>
  <title>Windmill Simulation</title>
  <systemChrome>none</systemChrome>
  <transparent>true</transparent>
  <visible>true</visible>
  <minimizable>false</minimizable>
  <maximizable>false</maximizable>
  <resizable>false</resizable>
 </initialWindow>
</application>

I have SDK installed a long time ago and now all I have to do is type: adl airwindmillsimulation.xml within shell. Here is how it looks on my desktop, above Milky Way Center background.

I need to change few more things so I can use this code in other projects, like drag and drop functionality and rezise feature. For 'hello world' - it's great!

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AS3.0 preloader part II : adding transparency

It occurred to me how it would be much better if loading bar and text field in as3.0 preloader from previous post change alpha during loading process. This is what I wanted to do: both elements (loading bar and text field) start with alpha zero, then it grows constantly to alpha 1 in a moment when 'percent' variable is 0.2 (which means loading bar is loaded 20%). After that alpha remains 1.0 until 'percent' is 0.8 and then starts to fade away so it has alpha 0.0 in a moment when loading is finished. Image explains this idea.

Code for this effect is simple one. Inside ProgressFunction add just few lines:

 if (percent < 0.2) {
  loadedTF.alpha = percent*5;
  lBar.alpha = percent*5;
 }
 if (percent > 0.8) {
  loadedTF.alpha = 1-(percent-0.8)*5;
  lBar.alpha = 1-(percent-0.8)*5;
 }

I'm not some math wizard, but this was really easy to conclude, I only had to draw the numbers on paper. So, it would be great if this works, but it doesn't. It needs one simple hack. Reason is this : as3.0 dynamic text field alpha hack . After I added blur filter to my text field everything worked, although I'm not quite OK with TF rendering quality.

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AS3.0 Flash Preloader With Moving TextField

This simple ActionScript3.0 preloader has two graphic elements, gradient filled loading bar and text field 'loadedTF'. Code contains two functions, progressFunction and completeFunction. Variable named 'percent' inside progressFunction can have values between 0.0 and 1.0. Since loading bar graphic width = 300 we use single line code:

loadedTF.x = percent * 300;

to move our text field along with loading bar, which we animate using scaleX property.

Dummy page.swf which this preloader uses is small only 22kb, so in order to see preloader working you will have to use view - simulate download when you test preloader movie.

If you have any questions, leave comment.

download source files

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p.s. this is post number 200 !!!

Level Timer code explained

It seems like my code in How To Create Flash Game Level Timer post is not as straightforward as I thought, because it was rejected as Tutorial on one of the directories, so I decided to give detailed explanation of it.

var count:Number = 0;
// this is a counter variable

var maxCount:Number = 75;
// maxCounter is duration of level in seconds

var intervalID:Number;
// Identification variable for repeating interval function

var timerStarted = false;
// variable which tells us if timer has started or not

var temp:Number;
// variable for shortening code writing

// next, we format and display seconds left
if(maxCount < 60) {
// if we have less then 60 seconds,

timeleft.text = "0 : "+maxCount;
// we display '0 minutes' in our Text Field 'timeleft' and concatenate maxCount seconds

} else {
// but if we have more than 60 seconds left

if((maxCount%60)<10) {
// and if we have to display seconds as one cipher number

timeleft.text = Math.floor((maxCount/60))+" : 0"+(maxCount%60);
// we display zero

} else {
// otherways,

timeleft.text = Math.floor((maxCount/60))+" : "+(maxCount%60);
// if we have two cipher number for seconds, we don't display zero

}
}

startlevel.onRelease = function() {
// when click is released on startlevel button

if(!(timerStarted)) {
// if timerStarted variable is false (we don't want to duplicate interval)

intervalID = setInterval(_root, "hronos", 1000);
// we set interval function 'hronos' to repeat once every second to act as counter

timerStarted = true;
// we declare that timer has started

this._alpha = 0;
// and we make invisible startLevel button.
// We chould also remove it from stage!

}
}

function hronos():Void {
// function hronos repeats every second

if(count < maxCount) {
// if counter is still less than maxCounter

count++;
// we increase counter by 1

temp = maxCount - count;
// temp variable holds seconds left until level end

// next piece of code is for formating and displaying purposes,
// same as above except instead maxCount we have temp variable.
if(temp < 60) {
if(temp < 10) {
timeleft.text = "0 : 0"+temp;
} else {
timeleft.text = "0 : "+temp;
}
} else {
if((temp%60)<10) {
timeleft.text = Math.floor((temp/60))+" : 0"+(temp%60);
} else {
timeleft.text = Math.floor((temp/60))+" : "+(temp%60);
}
}
} else {
// if counter is greater than maxCounter

clearInterval(intervalID);
// we clear our interval

timerStarted = false;
// we declare that timer is out of business

count = 0;
// we set counter to 0 so we can use it again

startlevel._alpha = 100;
// and we make startLevel button visible again

}
}

I hope this explanation is clear enough. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

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Protecting The Brand

Few days ago Envato (Australia based startup) announced they have to change one of theirs marketplace's name and URL. They run several websites like ThemeForest, GraphicRiver, AudioJungle, VideoHive, FlashDen and more. Latest one FlashDen is our suspect. What happend is that Adobe Systems Incorporated law firm representative contacted them asking to change their name, as TechCrunch reported. Envato did changed it into ActiveDen to avoid further legal problems.

There are few very strange things here. First, FlashDen is already registered trademark in Australia from August 2008 and therefor Envato should be protected by law, but they decided to change their name and url right away. Second, many websites use similar names like flashcomponents.net, flashloaded.com (to name a few) and a LOT more, but it seems like only Envato is contacted about this issue or at least I'm not aware of others. Idea that this is only first step and that all those websites will be contacted in near future is unlikely because it will be biggest technology suicide of all times!

Community responded and they responded hard. Just check 500+ comments on Envato forum. Some are furious, but many of readers are simply confused. Matthew Craig wrote:

"This is absolutely ridiculous… A community developed around a product to promote that product yet the product thinks it’s harmful to the product having a community promoting it? Makes no sense to me. It’s like mall-cops on a power trip thinking they are real cops."

and Mark wrote:

"I’m pretty annoyed that companies like Apple, and Adobe are so vicious with it’s legal protection of their trademarks. Sad really."

So, how about Adobe? What are their thoughts? Let's see what they say about proper use of the flash trademark:

"Trademarks help protect corporate and product identity, and the Flash® trademark is one of Adobe's most valuable trademarks. By following our guidelines, you can help Adobe protect the Flash brand name. The Flash trademark must never be used as a common verb, as a noun, or as a generic term for animation or video or to describe the output format. The Flash trademark should always be capitalized and should never be used in possessive form or as a slang term. It should be used as an adjective to describe the product and should never be used in abbreviated form."

It seems that Adobe is just trying to protect their brand. There is nothing wrong with it and I think there is no room for talks about 'evil Adobe' (at least not for now). Just imagine what would The Ronald do in same situation. They will sue everyone, right away, until extermination! And after dust comes down, they will sue some more! If you put The Ronald and other big aggressive brands together in same room, Adobe would be like nerd teenager trying to get attention, nothing more. For now.

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