Thread: Flash Frontend

flex takes all the quirkyness out of flash (ok not all, but a lot). it designed from the ground up to build full featured applications. they did away with the timeline and most of the actual drawing features of flash. everything is handled in your code. however you can design components in flash and import them into flex to get the look and animations you want. if you use the AIR plugin for flex you get filesystem access and the ability to run your app outside of the browser (less security restrictions). it really is a slick IDE to work in. if nothing else go try it out at adobe. they give you 60 days free trial

Actually, a funny thing is that the timeline is still present in a flex app. You just don't have to deal with it. It's kind of fun to look at the timeline as your application runs....

I am using a technique that is very powerful in Flex. I am using what we call code behind practices. Using this technique, there are two files. The first file, the actionscript class, handles all of the logic of what happens when buttons are pressed, data changes, etc. There is no GUI in there, except for the definitions of the controls on the screen.

The second file is an MXML file that contains ALL of the gui layout, etc. You can changed the appearance completely utilizing a simple drag and drop like format, as long as you keep the same name for the controls.

You do have to recompile it, but that is pretty much brain dead to do.

That is why I am concentrating on the hardcore features of the app, rather than the pretty factor. This works great since you can make an MXML for a small screen in a situation like driving. I can also make an entirely different interface for a larger screen without any real code changes.

Kind of like skins, but a lot more powerful with a GUI builder in an IDE.

Jim

So Flex is like a mix of a downgraded version of Flash and a programming IDE? Sounds sort of cool, I can't see the benefits of using it over anything else though? Ive noticed a few people using Flex, so I guess its because of the simplicity in the MXML GUI changes for skinning. Interesting stuff.

Actually the biggest reason to use it is that Flash has something like an 80% penetration in the market (flash).

It is cross platform as well (even cell phones), and has a very easy to use GUI environment for people who hate to waste time on GUI stuff like myself. The language is ECMA script, so it is very close to JavaScript.

I am developing an enterprise level application at my company that utilizes Flex. Flex also has a remoting technology (BlazeDS) that allows remoting of objects/calls to a Tomcat server (Spring, Hibernate, etc.). It has built in support for web services (SOAP), HTTP Connections, and Binary Socket connections.

Microsoft is answering with Silverlight, which does not have the momentum of Flex.

Flex seems to be taking off in that I get recruiter calls non stop. They just can't higher enough engineers.

That said, having come from a real programming world (Java, C, C++, etc), it is definitely limiting. There are a lot of things that I absolutely hate, the memory management sucks, etc. Switching between developing in both (which I do), can be kind of annoying.

So flex for the front/gui stuff and Java on the back to do the 'real' work is our (and my) approach.

Jim

That sounds like a fantastic idea really, youre basically doing the same thing just in two separate applications. I was just trying to keep mine small and simple with the languages I know. Remind me to learn flex

Anyway, I've noticed a lot of people's frontends look extremely plain in my opinions. In fact I dont like most of them at all due to it. I don't mind simple, but there is beauty in simplicity...
With that said, if anyone can offer critique as to how they feel about the overall look of the application, please, let me hear them

Thanks.

Originally Posted by clifwlkr

I am using a technique that is very powerful in Flex. I am using what we call code behind practices. Using this technique, there are two files. The first file, the actionscript class, handles all of the logic of what happens when buttons are pressed, data changes, etc. There is no GUI in there, except for the definitions of the controls on the screen.

The second file is an MXML file that contains ALL of the gui layout, etc. You can changed the appearance completely utilizing a simple drag and drop like format, as long as you keep the same name for the controls.

You do have to recompile it, but that is pretty much brain dead to do.

That is why I am concentrating on the hardcore features of the app, rather than the pretty factor. This works great since you can make an MXML for a small screen in a situation like driving. I can also make an entirely different interface for a larger screen without any real code changes.

Kind of like skins, but a lot more powerful with a GUI builder in an IDE.

Jim

this is my biggest draw to flex. it is so incredibly easy to switch your gui on the fly. in my app i have a day night mode that switches from a style to a lighter one to make the screen easier to read at different parts of the day. this was just a simple css file to make all the changes.

i do the same thing but different i guess b/c i am a little lazy, i just put all my code into a script tag and then have all the mxml at the bottom. for me it is easier to debug and make changes with everything in one file. when i finish up or the file just becomes to long it will be pretty simple to suck most everything out of the script file and stick it in its own .as file.

Originally Posted by colin

So Flex is like a mix of a downgraded version of Flash and a programming IDE? Sounds sort of cool, I can't see the benefits of using it over anything else though? Ive noticed a few people using Flex, so I guess its because of the simplicity in the MXML GUI changes for skinning. Interesting stuff.

i wouldn't say it is downgraded at all. flex just serves a different purpose. what they did is took the programming side of flash and "beefed" (there are still some weaknesses) it up. they made it better for developing full scale applications. you can still do all of the animations and things you do in flash, you just have to do them programmaticly.

Originally Posted by clifwlkr

Actually the biggest reason to use it is that Flash has something like an 80% penetration in the market (flash).

last i had heard it was well into the 90s

So in the last few weeks I dont feel like Ive really accomplished anything on this stupid frontend that takes FOREVER. Im trying to have iPod-like artist scrolling where you can just drag the screen... however, I also want it to scroll along a path. Thats still not done and has taken me like... 5 days to accomplish what I have right now. Anywho, Im working on iPod parsing right now (had it done, lost it due to screwed up backup)... etc.

Uhhh... this takes way too long, I don't think this will be done by the time I leave for school after the summer, unfortunately... that's the problem with summer, its too nice to stay in... friends > programming...

Ah well, going good so far I guess... I have a lot of trouble making the Flash work and stuff since I suck at designing, butttttt Im getting there.

OBD support is gone in Delphi since Im rewriting it to directly use the COM port instead of third party programs...

Lots going at once, I want everything done directly inside my program. Oh god this will take forever. Im thinking Ill start the iPod stuff, then leave it half done so I have a desire to finish it... then Ill do easy things like photo albums (easssyyyyyy) and finish the music and possibly set up the Setup page (haha) so that at least it looks like PART of the program is done

Whoever reads this, thank you. Any source code that could help, thank you again. Any comments or criticism, thanks once more.

For my personal reference, my todo list in this program:

[x] = COMPLETE
[/] = PARTIALLY COMPLETE
[/] = BEING WORKED ON

* Loading
[x] - communication protocol
[x] - load interface (date/time/information)
[x] - load artists for basic music selection
[x] - initialize third-party programs in idle time

* Music
[/] - sort by artists (scrolling list)
[/] - sort by album (album art scroller)
[x] - sort by album w/ artist specified
[/] - sort by song (scrolling list again)
[x] - sort by song w/ artist or album specified
[x] - search artists/albums/songs/any
[ ] - playlists
[ ] - multiple sources
[ ] - AUX input (jack for MP3 players)
[/] - IPOD input (iPod parser class, detect devices)
[ ] - CD input (detect new CDs, get information, copy CD to HD if not found)
[ ] - USB input (hard drives, etc, search for MP3s and art, detect devices)

* Pictures
[/] - load photo albums
[/] - load photos from albums (titles, effects)

* Video
[/] - load videos with previews (effects)
[ ] - play/pause/video controls

* Radio
[x] - interface with device (detect devices)
[x] - tune stations
[\] - interface (saving presets, sound control, etc)

* GPS
[x] - embed iGuidance4 for GPS
[x] - interface with iGuidance4
[x] - read satellite signal strength and heading for other uses

* Car
[ ] - detect custom USB device (detect devices)
[ ] - interface (images of car, link input to control)
[ ] - send and receive commands from device
[ ] - OBD interfacing

* Setup
[ ] - set up directories and drives
[ ] - create hibernation point (quicker load once list in RAM)
[ ] - random settings (continue playing on restart, show ____)

* Misc
[/] - popups
[/] - now playing
[ ] - are you sure
[ ] - OBD
[x] - error
[x] - alert
[/] - browse
[ ] - findFile
[ ] - shutdown

I've spent so much time on hardware that the software has been slacking. The GPS is now fully functional aside from reading NMEA headers.



I'm working on the radio screen now and hopefully soon enough Ill get the artist list component working like I expect it to.