Nathan 5.x RIA Journey » RIA

Network Monitoring in Flash Builder 4 – makes me cool ;)

Nathan — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 04:39:17 +0000

After a very long time, I’m writing a techie post with some laziness. So here you go ..

I hope some of you might aware about the latest Flex IDE – Flash Builder 4. It has lots of interesting features to increase the productivity. Through this post I want to share my cool experience on one of its excellent feature -Network Monitoring.

Below is the screen shot of Network Monitor panel in Flash Builder 4.

In Flex Builder 3, usually we use Server Side Logs / Console to see the current Remote Methods and Services which are running actively. And we use S.O.Println() method to trace the activities. But if you’re working only at the client side and wants to see the Client’s Request and Server’s Response especially the AMF ( Action Message Format) transactions – to the server side. Then at that time Network Monitor feature of FB4 will help you.

As the screenshot shows, you can easily keep track the current operation’s name and service which invokes that particular operation (method), the time taken for the particular service operation and AMF request and response. Everything from Client to Server side is on the screen , which will help a lot in tracing the Server side’s input and output. The interesting thing is you can export this report into an XML file and you can refer later. The screen shot below shows the sample XML file,

Through this XML file you can refer most of the details of AMF request. This feature also helps to monitor HTTP and Web Service Requests and Responses.

Another interesting feature that you could grab from this panel is the Various Views of the Channel Data. The screenshot below shows the three (Tree, Raw and Hex) views of the data of the particular Remote request.

As you see, the Tree View will give you a complete understanding of the class and its values like we see in the Console panel. Raw and Hex view is a more generic one. Raw view gives you the AMF format data. Hex View displays the hex equivalent of the transferable data.

Through this you can also monitor HTTP, SOAP, XML and JSON data . Hmm.. much needed one ..

This is really a cool feature for most of us during the development stage. I recommend you to use this one. It gives you a lot.

Go and try this you will identify how handy it is ! ! !

My first foot-print in Augmented Reality (FLAR Toolkit experiment)

Nathan — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 06:52:04 +0000

As discussed in my earlier post Augmented Reality from Adobe Flash Platform, I’ve successfully created my first Augmented Reality application with Carousel Effect using Flash 3D framework.

Here is an image of AR application,

If you closely observe the image, you can see the Carousel effect with my image playing on top of the paper( the illusion, you can see this in a Web Camera).

The Application will read the pattern in a paper and draw the Carousel Effect in the target. If you see at the left hand side of Carousel, there is a Red Color arrow button which is used to operate the Carousel.. If you click that Red Color arrow Button it will rotate the images in Clock Wise…

Little confused… ???? … ah ah… Application details and work flow in my next post … Stay tuned for more cool info…

Amazing Technology – ‘Augmented Reality’ from Adobe Flash Platform

Nathan — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 18:27:15 +0000

“Augmented reality (AR) is a field of computer research which deals with the combination of real-world and computer-generated data (virtual reality), where computer graphics objects are blended into real footage in real time.” — Wikipedia

In other words, “Augmented reality (AR) is a field of computer science that involves combining the physical world and an interactive, three-dimensional virtual world.”

My simple and tiny observation of AR, “Using a web camera, the Adobe Flash player, and open-source tools, it is possible to generate animated 3D objects in real-time. This Flash Augmented Reality utilizes the Papervision3D project and the FLAR Toolkit.” These are two tools for generating 3D objects that are free. Hope this will help you to identify the play behind Flash AR.

What is FLARToolKit?

FLash Augmented Reality Toolkit. It is a Flash Actionscript port of ARToolKit, a software library for building Augmented Reality applications. The FLARToolKit will bring all of this to your webbrowser when you have a webcam and a latest Flash Player.

This is one of the most exciting and great Flash Stuffs I’ve ever seen as of now. Saqoosha, a Japanese Flash developer has developed this FLARToolkit with plenty of cool features. You will need a the Flash Player 9, a webcam and you’ll need to print out this marker. This is Flash! My Favourite Flash’s best one .

Augmented Reality @Adobe MAX 2009,

This is the sample widget of Adobe MAX 2009 AR Show.

SmartGrid Augmented Reality by GE

General Electric corporation showcased Augmented Reality in a recent marketing campaign for its Smart Grid, renewable energy program. http://ge.ecomagination.com/smartgrid/#/augmented_reality

Best Sources which I’ve found for you to get the complete idea of Augmented Reality in FlashPlatform,

Step by Step procedure to create AR using Flash CS4 Professional by Samuel Ashe (Flash Designer/Develoepr)

FLARToolkit Details | Start-up guide from Saqoosha (original developer)

Download the sample and Source of FLARToolkit

Some interesting Getting started article (Superb tutorial to implement AR in real-time)

Augmented Reality @ MAX 2009 - Perfect demonstration of AR

Real time play by FLARToolkit

Grid Card | SmartGrid

Videos : Interactive 3D Boating | Topps 3D (good meat for eyes )

Do share your thoughts on this real-time Technology.

MapQuest – Map ActionScript API for Flash and Flex

Nathan — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:04:30 +0000

Hi Flex Bees, we got an interesting API for customizing Maps in our Map based application. This will give more and cool features to our apps.

“MapQuest is committed to providing the best mapping experience in the Flex environment and are continuing to innovate our AS3 and Flex toolkits. MapQuest provides not only mapping, but industry-leading geocoding, routing and spatial search capabilities, all within easy-to-use Flex components that allow for drag and drop creation of your mapping interface.”

Sample screenshot from TourDeFlex

Interesting news is we’ve this API for .NET / JAVA / JavaScript as well. Please checkout the resource page for more details.

Useful Resources,

Developer Documentation

AS3 Flex – Samples and Tutorials

The MapQuest Platform is available to everyone for free (Free Edition). The Enterprise Edition includes everything available for free, plus account management, live support, service level commitments and enhanced data offerings. If you wish to try the full power of the Enterprise Edition before buying, A Developer License is also freely available and can be accessed here.

Premium Data Sets are also available with MapQuest Platform Enterprise Edition, for both display and search. Datasets in North America include business listings, neighborhoods, parcels, zip codes, counties, demographics, school districts and school points. See more at http://platform.mapquest.com.

Hope this will be useful .

Great showz @ Adobe Online Creative Festivals

Nathan — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:07:10 +0000

Once again Adobe has shown and opened it’s awesome products demonstration with cool tips and tricks among the regions like India, South East Asia, China, Japan, and … some…

This Festivals held on Feb 23, 2010 in Online through Adobe Acrobat Connect with huge number of Audience across the regions. There were two Seminar rooms, a Chat Room, a Gallery and a Adobe Store had created to make the festival in a great and much interactive way.

Room I for Photoshop and other related suites (Design Premium Suites).
Room II for Flash, Web2.0, Flex, Action Script and Photography.

Since it was the parallel tracks, I have attended only the Seminar Room II sessions.

A Chat Room to chat with Adobe Experts for instant doubts and queries from the sessions.
Gallery – You can upload your own creativity stuffs created with the help of Adobe Products. It can be an Audio, Image or SWF. Great way to promote yourself..
Adobe Store – good opportunity to become a Ambassador of Adobe India. I simply subscribed since I’m a great fan of Adobe. If god wishes, I will become a Ambassador of Adobe India, not an easy task but have to work hard.. Let’s see..

This is the Adobe Online Screen on Creative Festival

Home Screen

Sessions @ Seminar Room II

Vyshak Venugopal sessions

AS2.0 and As3.0

Web 2.0 Session

These two above sessions are my favourite one .. So I simply taken screen-shots. Oh ! oh !..Other sessions were also great .. But I’ve already had some experience with other session demos, so I didn’t concentrate much on that.
1. Flash CS4 essential Tips and Tricks

2. Fireworks CS4 and Dreamweaver CS4 for Web2.0

3. AS2.0 and AS3.0 comparison coverage

He spoke a lot about Dreamweaver CS4 , Fireworks CS4 and Flash CS4 for creating Web 2.o apps. I had a great time by knowing some cool tips and tricks from these two sessions. He also shared some clear and confined details on Action Script 2.0 (AS2.0) and Action Script 3.0(As3.0), some doubts were cleared from my popping mind .. If you would have attend these sessions, definitely you would have been enjoyed on these products ..

Harish Sivaramakrishnan session

I. Flash Catalyst

Oh! Oh! .. Coming to Harish’s session, I had attended many sessions of Flash Catalyst by him.. All are pretty unique and clear demos.. Keen to watch his space for the upcoming secrets from Adobe. He said we may expect a full version of Flash Catalyst and Flash Builder in this year. How great ! ! ! Can’t wait Adobe..

Bhende session (I forgot the full name )

I. Tools for Photography

This is the cool and nice session for Photographer, if you would have attend this session, you would definitely try to become a Photographer .. not joking guys.. He has shown some cool tips/tricks and work flow of Photoshop, LightRoom and Bridge CS4. LighRoom is the much needed product for Photographers.

I knew you’re gonna start using Adobe Suites. See you with another awesome suite experience..

AS3DModLib – Effects Library for Flash / Flex

Nathan — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 07:19:59 +0000

We have an interesting 3D effects library for playing 3D animations in Flash and Flex. This library has four interesting effects namely Perlin, Bend, Twist and Noise. Here is the snapshot of different effects.

Source: UV Blog

Read the complete details with demo | Download Samples

Adobe DEV Summit – Back with the Passion- This time @ Chennai & Hyd, India

Nathan — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:25:50 +0000

Hope you guys already had an experience with Adobe DEV Summit – Bangalore

: DevSummit Chennai & Hyderabad , India

But this time in Chennai with the powerful passion of cool tracks.

Check out : Adobe DEV Summit – Chennai and Hyderabad.

Watch out this space for upcoming events and Summit Experience.

Meet you there.

FlexMonkey – Flex UI Testing tool

Nathan — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:24:42 +0000

We’ve got an interesting tool for testing Flex UI parts…. FlexMonkey developed by Gorilla Logic.. FlexMonkey is an Adobe AIR application used for testing Flex- and AIR-based applications. Providing the functionality to record, playback and verify Flex UI interactions, FlexMonkey also generates ActionScript-based testing scripts that you can easily include within a continuous integration environment.

Snap shots from FlexMonkey tool,

Snapshot1

Snappshot2

Some of its features are,

* Records and plays back Flex UI interactions
* UI Interactions can be edited and replayed
* Generates FlexUnit TestCases, and can also be used with non-FlexUnit-based testing frameworks
* Works with Flex and AIR apps
* Apps can be tested running standalone or in a browser
* Tests can be run from build systems such as Ant
* Handles all Flex UI events
* Uses Flex Automation API to provide native control over your flex app. Requires no javascript or browser plug-ins to use.
* Unit tests are written entirely in ActionScript. No other programming or special purpose scripting languages are needed to develop comprehensive UI test suites.
* Non-invasive. Requires no modifications to your application source.

I’m also new to this.. Have to play soon… Let see how it works.. I will try to post my experience on this tool very soon…

Resources and sources :

Gorilla Logic | Google Code Project – Flex Monkey | Interesting Article of FlexMonkey | Download Page