Adrian Parr’s Blog

Adobe Developer Week 2008 Screencasts Available

May 9th, 2008 by Adrian Parr

The screencasts from the Adobe Developer Week (March 27th - 28th, 2008) are now available to watch online. There are 20 eSeminars in total and they were recorded using Adobe Acrobat Connect. The topics covered include, building AIR applications, ColdFusion 8, Flash Lite 3, Flex, Creative Suite 3 and BlazeDS. If you missed any of these when they were broadcast back in March I reccommend taking a look and watching a couple (though I did find the audio slowly got out of sync with the visuals).

Watch the screencasts here.

Posted in AIR, Adobe, Events, Flash, FlashLite, Flex | No Comments »

Papervision3D cubes x240

April 30th, 2008 by Adrian Parr

I’ve just been having a play with Papervision3D 2.0 (Great White) and here are the results of my first test. I create 240 cubes inside a loop, positioning them in rows across the stage. Each cube uses six movieclips from the library as their materials. Each cube then rotates depending on the cursor position on the stage.

Here is the code for the document class.

package

{

    import flash.display.MovieClip;

    import flash.events.Event;

    import flash.display.StageQuality;

    import org.papervision3d.cameras.Camera3D;

    import org.papervision3d.render.BasicRenderEngine;

    import org.papervision3d.scenes.Scene3D;

    import org.papervision3d.view.Viewport3D;

    import org.papervision3d.materials.*;

    import org.papervision3d.objects.primitives.*;

    import org.papervision3d.materials.utils.*;

    public class Main03 extends MovieClip

    {

        private var face1:MovieClip;

        private var face2:MovieClip;

        private var face3:MovieClip;

        private var face4:MovieClip;

        private var face5:MovieClip;

        private var face6:MovieClip;

        private var viewport:Viewport3D;

        private var renderer:BasicRenderEngine;

        private var scene:Scene3D;

        private var camera:Camera3D;

        private var mm1:MovieMaterial;

        private var mm2:MovieMaterial;

        private var mm3:MovieMaterial;

        private var mm4:MovieMaterial;

        private var mm5:MovieMaterial;

        private var mm6:MovieMaterial;

        private var cube1:Cube;

        private var cube2:Cube;

        private var cube3:Cube;

        private var cube4:Cube;

        private var cube5:Cube;

        private var cube6:Cube;

        private var cube7:Cube;

        private var cube8:Cube;

        private var cube9:Cube;

        private var cube10:Cube;

        private var cube11:Cube;

        private var cube12:Cube;

        private var cube13:Cube;

        private var cube14:Cube;

        private var cube15:Cube;

        private var cube16:Cube;

        private var cube17:Cube;

        private var cube18:Cube;

        private var cube19:Cube;

        private var cube20:Cube;

        private var cube21:Cube;

        private var cube22:Cube;

        private var cube23:Cube;

        private var cube24:Cube;

        private var cube25:Cube;

        private var cube26:Cube;

        private var cube27:Cube;

        private var cube28:Cube;

        private var cube29:Cube;

        private var cube30:Cube;

        private var cube31:Cube;

        private var cube32:Cube;

        private var cube33:Cube;

        private var cube34:Cube;

        private var cube35:Cube;

        private var cube36:Cube;

        private var cube37:Cube;

        private var cube38:Cube;

        private var cube39:Cube;

        private var cube40:Cube;

        private var cube41:Cube;

        private var cube42:Cube;

        private var cube43:Cube;

        private var cube44:Cube;

        private var cube45:Cube;

        private var cube46:Cube;

        private var cube47:Cube;

        private var cube48:Cube;

        private var cube49:Cube;

        private var cube50:Cube;

        private var cube51:Cube;

        private var cube52:Cube;

        private var cube53:Cube;

        private var cube54:Cube;

        private var cube55:Cube;

        private var cube56:Cube;

        private var cube57:Cube;

        private var cube58:Cube;

        private var cube59:Cube;

        private var cube60:Cube;

        private var cube61:Cube;

        private var cube62:Cube;

        private var cube63:Cube;

        private var cube64:Cube;

        private var cube65:Cube;

        private var cube66:Cube;

        private var cube67:Cube;

        private var cube68:Cube;

        private var cube69:Cube;

        private var cube70:Cube;

        private var cube71:Cube;

        private var cube72:Cube;

        private var cube73:Cube;

        private var cube74:Cube;

        private var cube75:Cube;

        private var cube76:Cube;

        private var cube77:Cube;

        private var cube78:Cube;

        private var cube79:Cube;

        private var cube80:Cube;

        private var cube81:Cube;

        private var cube82:Cube;

        private var cube83:Cube;

        private var cube84:Cube;

        private var cube85:Cube;

        private var cube86:Cube;

        private var cube87:Cube;

        private var cube88:Cube;

        private var cube89:Cube;

        private var cube90:Cube;

        private var cube91:Cube;

        private var cube92:Cube;

        private var cube93:Cube;

        private var cube94:Cube;

        private var cube95:Cube;

        private var cube96:Cube;

        private var cube97:Cube;

        private var cube98:Cube;

        private var cube99:Cube;

        private var cube100:Cube;

        private var cube101:Cube;

        private var cube102:Cube;

        private var cube103:Cube;

        private var cube104:Cube;

        private var cube105:Cube;

        private var cube106:Cube;

        private var cube107:Cube;

        private var cube108:Cube;

        private var cube109:Cube;

        private var cube110:Cube;

        private var cube111:Cube;

        private var cube112:Cube;

        private var cube113:Cube;

        private var cube114:Cube;

        private var cube115:Cube;

        private var cube116:Cube;

        private var cube117:Cube;

        private var cube118:Cube;

        private var cube119:Cube;

        private var cube120:Cube;

        private var cube121:Cube;

        private var cube122:Cube;

        private var cube123:Cube;

        private var cube124:Cube;

        private var cube125:Cube;

        private var cube126:Cube;

        private var cube127:Cube;

        private var cube128:Cube;

        private var cube129:Cube;

        private var cube130:Cube;

        private var cube131:Cube;

        private var cube132:Cube;

        private var cube133:Cube;

        private var cube134:Cube;

        private var cube135:Cube;

        private var cube136:Cube;

        private var cube137:Cube;

        private var cube138:Cube;

        private var cube139:Cube;

        private var cube140:Cube;

        private var cube141:Cube;

        private var cube142:Cube;

        private var cube143:Cube;

        private var cube144:Cube;

        private var cube145:Cube;

        private var cube146:Cube;

        private var cube147:Cube;

        private var cube148:Cube;

        private var cube149:Cube;

        private var cube150:Cube;

        private var cube151:Cube;

        private var cube152:Cube;

        private var cube153:Cube;

        private var cube154:Cube;

        private var cube155:Cube;

        private var cube156:Cube;

        private var cube157:Cube;

        private var cube158:Cube;

        private var cube159:Cube;

        private var cube160:Cube;

        private var cube161:Cube;

        private var cube162:Cube;

        private var cube163:Cube;

        private var cube164:Cube;

        private var cube165:Cube;

        private var cube166:Cube;

        private var cube167:Cube;

        private var cube168:Cube;

        private var cube169:Cube;

        private var cube170:Cube;

        private var cube171:Cube;

        private var cube172:Cube;

        private var cube173:Cube;

        private var cube174:Cube;

        private var cube175:Cube;

        private var cube176:Cube;

        private var cube177:Cube;

        private var cube178:Cube;

        private var cube179:Cube;

        private var cube180:Cube;

        private var cube181:Cube;

        private var cube182:Cube;

        private var cube183:Cube;

        private var cube184:Cube;

        private var cube185:Cube;

        private var cube186:Cube;

        private var cube187:Cube;

        private var cube188:Cube;

        private var cube189:Cube;

        private var cube190:Cube;

        private var cube191:Cube;

        private var cube192:Cube;

        private var cube193:Cube;

        private var cube194:Cube;

        private var cube195:Cube;

        private var cube196:Cube;

        private var cube197:Cube;

        private var cube198:Cube;

        private var cube199:Cube;

        private var cube200:Cube;

        private var cube201:Cube;

        private var cube202:Cube;

        private var cube203:Cube;

        private var cube204:Cube;

        private var cube205:Cube;

        private var cube206:Cube;

        private var cube207:Cube;

        private var cube208:Cube;

        private var cube209:Cube;

        private var cube210:Cube;

        private var cube211:Cube;

        private var cube212:Cube;

        private var cube213:Cube;

        private var cube214:Cube;

        private var cube215:Cube;

        private var cube216:Cube;

        private var cube217:Cube;

        private var cube218:Cube;

        private var cube219:Cube;

        private var cube220:Cube;

        private var cube221:Cube;

        private var cube222:Cube;

        private var cube223:Cube;

        private var cube224:Cube;

        private var cube225:Cube;

        private var cube226:Cube;

        private var cube227:Cube;

        private var cube228:Cube;

        private var cube229:Cube;

        private var cube230:Cube;

        private var cube231:Cube;

        private var cube232:Cube;

        private var cube233:Cube;

        private var cube234:Cube;

        private var cube235:Cube;

        private var cube236:Cube;

        private var cube237:Cube;

        private var cube238:Cube;

        private var cube239:Cube;

        private var cube240:Cube;

        private var cubeSize:Number;

        private var spacing:Number;

        private var polys:Number;

        private var numCubes:Number;

        private var numCols:Number;

        private var numRows:Number;

        public function Main03():void

        {

            var i:Number;

            var j:Number;

            cubeSize = 15;

            spacing = 25;

            polys = 1;

            numCols = 20;

            numRows = 12;

            numCubes = numCols * numRows;

            stage.quality = StageQuality.LOW;

            var offset:Number = spacing/2;

            var startX:Number = ((stage.stageWidth/2) * -1) + offset;

            var startY:Number = ((stage.stageHeight/2)) - offset;

            viewport = new Viewport3D(0, 0, true, true);

            addChild(viewport);

            viewport.buttonMode = false;

            renderer = new BasicRenderEngine();

            scene = new Scene3D();

            camera = new Camera3D();

            camera.zoom = 11;

            camera.focus = 100;                 

            face1 = new Face1();

            face2 = new Face2();

            face3 = new Face3();

            face4 = new Face4();

            face5 = new Face5();

            face6 = new Face6();

            for (i=1; i< =6; i++) {

                addChild(this["face"+i]);

                this["mm"+i] = new MovieMaterial(this["face"+i]);

                this["mm"+i].interactive = false;

                this["mm"+i].smooth = false;

                this["mm"+i].animated = false;

            }

            var counter:Number = 1;

            for (i=1; i<=numCols; i++) {

                for (j=1; j<=numRows; j++) {

                    this["cube"+counter] = new Cube(new MaterialsList({front:mm1, back:mm2, left:mm3, right:mm4,top:mm5, bottom:mm6}), cubeSize, cubeSize, cubeSize, polys, polys, polys);

                    scene.addChild(this["cube"+counter]);

                    this["cube"+counter].x = startX + (spacing * (i - 1));

                    this["cube"+counter].y = startY - (spacing * (j - 1));

                    counter++;

                }

            }

            for (i=1; i<=6; i++) {

                removeChild(this["face"+i]);

            }

            stage.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, stage_ENTER_FRAME);

        }

        private function stage_ENTER_FRAME(event:Event):void

        {

            var xDist:Number = mouseX - stage.stageWidth * 0.5;

            var yDist:Number = mouseY - stage.stageHeight * 0.5;

            for (var i:Number = 1; i <= numCubes; i++) {

                this["cube"+i].rotationY += xDist * 0.05;

                this["cube"+i].rotationX += -yDist * 0.05;

            }

            renderer.renderScene(scene, camera, viewport);

        }

    }

}

If anyone knows how you can declare the private variables for the cubes in a loop then I’d love to know how you do it.

Remember to download and install the Papervision 2.0 (Great White) classes from GoogleCode and modify the class path in the publish settings dialogue box.

You can download the zipped up source files here.

Posted in Flash, Papervision 3D | 4 Comments »

Installing Papervision3D on Flash and Flex

April 24th, 2008 by Adrian Parr

Fabian Vercuiel has posted a useful entry on his blog titled ‘Installing Papervision3D on Flash and Flex‘ which outlines how to get up and running with Papervision3D using Flash and Flex.

He covers, downloading and installing a subversion client such as TortoiseSVN, getting the Great White Papervision3D files from GoogleCode, downloading and installing the Flash Extension (mxp file), adding the Papervision3D class-path, adding the SWC file in Flex Builder.

This is all pretty useful information if you haven’t done it before.

Posted in Flash, Flex, Papervision 3D | 1 Comment »

101 Adobe AIR Resources

April 24th, 2008 by Adrian Parr

Adobe AIR Logo

Jason Bartholme has posted a good list of 101 Adobe AIR Resources on his blog. He has broken the links down in to the following categories …

Getting Started
Application Collections
Articles
Bloggers
Language-Specific Integration
Popular Applications
Resources
Third Party Integration
Tutorials

Posted in AIR | No Comments »

BugZap Game in Flash IDE Panel

April 22nd, 2008 by Adrian Parr

Today I created a little game that can be played in the Flash CS3 IDE. It is an extension for Flash CS3 (mxp file) that adds a new panel to the interface. You can access the panel by going to Window > Other Panels > BugZap.

The game pretty simple but quite addictive. You move the gun at the bottom left and right, the object being to shoot down the alien before he lands. The alien moves around (slowly at first and then getting quicker) and you have to keep track of him. The more you shoot and miss, the lower he gets.

If you shoot him, you move on to the next level, where he starts from the top again but he moves quicker. There is a maximum of 30 levels. The game is over either when he lands or you get to the end of level 30 (which ever comes first).

The lower he is when you kill him, the more points you get. The level number act as a score multiplyer, so more points are awarded the further you get through the levels (and the faster he becomes in both directions).

Your highest score is recorded and maintained between sessions, giving you a personal best to beat. My current high score is 25,628.

You can download the Flash CS3 Extension here.

Posted in ActionScript 3.0, Flash, Game | No Comments »

XHTML Video Embed - WordPress Plugin

April 21st, 2008 by Adrian Parr

I have just installed the XHTML Video Embed plugin for WordPress, written by SaltwaterC.

It allows you to embed Flash videos from sites like YouTube and Google Video in to your WordPress blog easily, and the resulting HTML code will be XHTML compliant.The syntax is as follows …

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVm5NW__sxk[/youtube]

Here is a test, using Philip Kerman’s Why ActionScript 3.0? video.

Posted in WordPress | No Comments »

ActionScript 3.0 Quiz

April 21st, 2008 by Adrian Parr

I’ve just come across a little online quiz where you can test your ActionScript 3.0 knowledge. It’s a site that accompanies the Learning ActionScript 3.0 book from O’Reilly. It’s not a particulary comprehensive quiz, more of a bit of fun.

I managed to get full marks on most sections, but it looks like I need to gem up a bit on Sound and Design Patterns …

Give it a whirl and see how you get on.

Posted in ActionScript 3.0, Flash | 1 Comment »

Flash on the Beach 08

April 21st, 2008 by Adrian Parr

Yipee! Ordered my Flash on the Beach 08 ticket this morning. The tickets went on sale this weekend (just gone) and already 150 tickets have been sold. The first 250 tickets can be purchased at the reduced Super Early Bird price of £199 for the 3-day conference pass. They are also holding two pre-conference workshops on the Sunday (28th Sept), I have booked for the Papervision3D session.

Currently, there are 94 Super Early Bird tickets left. So get in there quick if you want to save some money.

At the time of writing, the confirmed speaker list (with links to their personal websites) includes …

I’m really looking forward to it. I went to both the 2006 and the 2007 conference and it is a fantastic event. We’re so lucky to have an event like this held in the UK. I always come away from it inspired, fired up and wanting to learn more. Many thanks to John Davey for organising this awesome event every year.

If you haven’t been before, get your tickets and see for yourself. I’ll see you there …

Posted in AIR, ActionScript 3.0, Adobe, Events, Flash, Flex, Papervision 3D | No Comments »

Amazing Physics Game - Gymnast (not in Flash)

April 18th, 2008 by Adrian Parr

I just had to blog about this freeware game I have come across. It is called Gymnast, and it is built my a guy called Walaber who does this in his spare time. He has a blog here. I haven’t played it yet, just watching the trailer was enough to make me want to tell people about it. He’s actually got some pretty awesome stuff on his site.

Anyway, here is the trailer for Gymnast.

I used to do gymnastics, many years ago, so this game has special appeal for me. It’s a shame I haven’t got any Xbox360 controllers.

Posted in Game | 2 Comments »

Flash Media Encoder 2.5 Released with H.264 Encoding

April 18th, 2008 by Adrian Parr

Adobe have released version 2.5 of Flash Media Encoder. They have added support for the H.264 video codec and the Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) audio codec. The AAC support is via a plug-in which can be purchased from MainConcept ($249).

It’s great to see support for H.264 being rolled out across the Adobe product range.

H.264 codec selected

Posted in Adobe, Flash | No Comments »

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Adobe Developer Week 2008 Screencasts Available

May 9th, 2008 by Adrian Parr

Papervision3D cubes x240

April 30th, 2008 by Adrian Parr

Installing Papervision3D on Flash and Flex

April 24th, 2008 by Adrian Parr

101 Adobe AIR Resources

April 24th, 2008 by Adrian Parr

BugZap Game in Flash IDE Panel

April 22nd, 2008 by Adrian Parr

XHTML Video Embed - WordPress Plugin

April 21st, 2008 by Adrian Parr

ActionScript 3.0 Quiz

April 21st, 2008 by Adrian Parr

Flash on the Beach 08

April 21st, 2008 by Adrian Parr

Amazing Physics Game - Gymnast (not in Flash)

April 18th, 2008 by Adrian Parr

Flash Media Encoder 2.5 Released with H.264 Encoding

April 18th, 2008 by Adrian Parr