Flash CS5: Native iPhone Application Development

The new support for iPhone applications in the Flash Platform tooling will not allow iPhone users to browse web content built with Flash technology on iPhone, but it may allow developers to repackage existing web content as applications for iPhone if they choose to do so.Flash Player uses a just-in-time compiler and virtual machine within a browser plug-in to play back content on websites. Those technologies are not allowed on the iPhone at this time, so a Flash Player for iPhone is not being made available today. Flash Professional CS5 will enable developers to build applications for iPhone that are installed as native applications. Users will be able to access the apps after downloading them from Apple’s App Store and installing them on iPhone or iPod touch. Developers can deliver applications built with Flash Platform tooling just like any other iPhone application. This will require the developer to be a member of the iPhone Developer Program and follow the program guidelines. iPhone applications built with Flash Platform tools are compiled into standard, native iPhone executables, just like any other iPhone applicatio. Applications can be built targeting iPhone OS 3.0 and later.

Update: Apple has bowled out Adobe’s effort to get iPhone application development on Flash platform with introduction of new clause in its iPhone SDK 4.0 license agreement which makes developing iPhone application using tools other than from Apple as illegal. Check more details about whats new in iPhone SDK 4.0 and its implications at http://www.macoscoders.com/2010/04/09/new-features-in-iphone-os-4-0/

After shipping AIR 1.0, many of developers challenged Adobe to open the runtime up even more by, for example, allowing communication with native processes and providing enhanced networking support. With AIR 2, Adobe’s goal from the outset was to remove limitations in the runtime that prevented developers from building their applications.

Some of the capabilities that are coming in AIR 2 include:

• Native process API
  Beginning with AIR 2, developers will have access to a native process API that will enable applications to invoke and communicate with native applications on the local machine. In order to preserve the cross platform nature of the .air file format, applications that take advantage of the native process API must be deployed as native installers such as .exe and .dmg. The AIR runtime SDK will include support for generating basic native installers.
• Support for detecting mass storage devices
  Now your AIR application can detect when a mass storage device is connected or disconnected. An AIR 2 application can listen for when a user plugs in a Flip video camera or USB Flash drive so that it can, for example, automatically synchronize files to the local system or prompt the user to upload photos to Facebook or videos to YouTube.
• Improved support for accessibility
  Runtime dialogs such as the installer dialogs will be readable by supported screen readers such as JAWS. In addition, it will be possible to build accessible Flash-based applications in AIR leveraging the existing accessibility API’s and features available in the Flash Player and Flex SDK.
• Open document API
  Support for opening a document will be possible from an AIR application. With this API, AIR asks the operating system what the default application is associated with the file. For example, specifying a file path to a PDF file will launch Adobe Reader or a .doc file will open Microsoft Word.
• Improved performance
  Applications that run using AIR 2 will consume less memory and use less CPU than AIR 1.5 without recompiling the application. We will share more information about this when we launch the beta.
• Local microphone access API
  Currently, audio must first pass through a server before it can be saved locally. Using the upcoming AIR 2 local microphone API, it will be possible to record audio locally, which can be important if your application is running in a disconnected mode.
• Multi-touch & gesture support
  AIR 2 will include support for multi-touch (Windows 7) and gestures (Windows 7 and Mac OS X 10.6).
• Faster, more powerful WebKit
  An updated version of WebKit that includes a faster JavaScript engine and new HTML5/CSS3 capabilities will be included inside of AIR 2.
• Improved socket support
  It will now be possible to create local servers and lightweight P2P applications with enhancements to AIR’s socket support.

In the coming weeks leading up to the beta, we will begin sharing more information including videos, articles and blog posts about some of these new capabilities. We are extremely eager to get the public beta into your hands so that we can begin incorporating your feedback.

Adobe expects to ship a beta version of Adobe AIR 2 on Adobe Labs by the end of the year. In the first half of 2010, Adobe expects to ship the final version of AIR 2.

Flash And Flex Developer Magazine

FFDMag.com has come up with the new ‘Flash And Flex Developer’ Magazine.

• How to become a Flash/Flex Developer?…
• Data Analytics and Tracking User-Behavior in Flex Applications…
• Animating with ActionScript…
• Create your first ActionScript game in minutes…
• Flash DecalSheet System…
• Flickr in Flash – Creating a portfolio…
• How to use Yahoo! Maps in Flex…
• Flex Application Architecture…
• Google Analytics for Flash…
• Miniblog Part 2…
• Drag and Drop in AIR using Flash CS3…
• FLEXing Your Business Application…
• New 3D Methods of Display Objects in Flash Player 10…
• Blender to Flash workflow…
• How to view PowerPoint on YouTube…

Adobe Flash Builder 4

Adobe has officially announced  re-branding of Flex Builder  to Flash Builder.  Naturally, this change has caused quite a stir among the Flex developer community. The announcement has been received with mixed emotions. I had a feeling that would be the case, considering people involved in Flex development are generally application developers and the word ‘Flash’  does well with designers. In the early days there was a pretty solid line between people working Flex and people doing Flash.  Now Adobe might want to remove this separation to some extent (atleast in the name to begin with) and get both the Flash and Flex community together to further the usage of Flash Player as an application development platform.

Adobe Flash Platform

Adobe is renaming the next version of Flex Builder to Flash Builder 4, it will still be the same Eclipse-based IDE with lots of exciting new features. Adobe is  not renaming the open source Flex Framework or the free Flex SDK.  Adobe will also continue to promote the use of the Flex Framework and Flex development in general.

Also this move to the Flash Builder brand marks the separation between the Flex Framework and the IDE built on Eclipse that can be used for the development of ActionScript as well as Flex projects.

An another interesting development with regard to getting Flash and Flex developer community closer is arrival of Thermo, which basically lets the designers do some part of application development without bothering much about coding.

Adobe is also conducting a pre-release demo of Flash Builder 4 at different locations of the globe. In Bangalore it is slated to be on June 3rd. So if you want to find out more about the upcoming beta releases of  Flash Builder, this would be a great place to start.

1. Auto Car – A client application based on Adobe Flex running on web
2. Auto Admin – A Adobe AIR based administrator application running on desktop

Auto Car and Auto Admin applications together form a work flow enabling administrator to add/remove/edit/view cars in the inventory. The client application allow end user to view and order pre-owned cars listed by the admin application.

The two applications were presented at the Adobe RIAthon 2009 event conducted by Adobe at the Grand Asoka Hotel in Bangalore. Due to some unfortunate turn of events at the contest, these two applications were not able to compete at the event in its full glory. But luck had something else instore for me. At the near end of the event, Adobe was able to recognise the mess up done which had removed the application from the contest. I should really be greatful to Adobe to recognise the efforts that went into making the application and rewarding me with a cool iPod Nano and a laptop bag.

Adobe Riathon 2009 iPod Nano

Luck was showered on me on that day one after the other. It was a moment of sadness then turned to shock , then to surprise and finally it ended with a great note that I got the recognition for my work. Thanks Adobe..!

Some screenshots of Auto Car:-

I have developed a  component extending the functionality  of Grid. In my component, it divides the screen into 4 parts and there is a centeral button which the user can drag to resize any of the four sides. You can see the demo at:-
http://www.macoscoders.com/demo/navgizmo/

But I always think my component can be best done using DividedBox instead of Grid. whats your take on this? (People at Adobe suggested me that Grid would soon see an end or its not recommended to use Grid)

If you need the source do mail me.