SWFUpload: Nice way of uploading your files

What it is?

Upload files via flash to get the flash-upload dialog goodness.

  • Only display chosen filetypes in dialog
  • Upload multiple files at once by ctrl/shift-selecting in dialog
  • Trigger javascript functions on start, cancel, progress and complete
  • Get file information/size before upload starts
  • Style upload buttons any way you want
  • Do progress-bars/information using valid XHTML and CSS
  • No page reloads, display uploaded files as they are finished
  • Works on all platforms/browsers that has Flash support.
  • Degrades gracefully to a normal html upload form if Flash or javascript isn’t available.

You can check it out more about if from here:
http://labb.dev.mammon.se/swfupload/

Images/Icon In ComboBox

I have noticed that many developer facing problem of how to display icon along with the selected item in combo box. I know there is no proper solution for it. Some how i managed to get it done correctly. Its still not proper way but it can be really good solution for who want to use it.

I have used Jesse Warden’s Example on Dynamic Icons in a ComboBox.

Check it out following working example:

Download: Dynamic Icon in ComboBox.zip

I didn’t tested it much, but let me know or comments here if it makes selected item unstable.

Stream Flv With PHP

There is good thread going in chattyfig mailing list regarding how to do streaming of flv using php. I had came to know that new version Buraks flvmdi flv metadata injector can be easly get the times and poistions of each frames of flv in a array. I am able to create an example video player which can request the flv file and seek, stream & play it from any given location using server side scripting php.

Its very important to insert metadata into flv using flvmdi. If your webserver is windows based then flvmdi is going to be very usefull. You can easly execute following command to insert metadata into flv.

Following PHP Code can be execute any command on shell:

ExecShellCommand("flvmdi27b.exe inputflvfile outputflvfile /k", true);

function ExecShellCommand($command, $hide=true) {
if (!($p=popen(“($command)2>&1″,”r”))) return 126;
while (!feof($p)) {
$l=fgets($p,1000);
if (!$hide) print $l;
}
return pclose($p);
}

I had used Flash Video Player 2.2 done by Jeroen Wijering.

Download an example of all sources.
Download Buraks Flvmdi7b.
Download Flv Player 2.2

The only drawback is that Buraks Flvmdi is only available for windows.

I think if anyone write down for linux then it will be going to be huge. I hope someone can do something about it. :)

You can also check out same efforts by Stefan Richter on his weblog & Brad Murray on his weblog.

I think this will be really good to cut load on fcs for flv streaming and also able to save bandwidth of fcs.

Sending a BitmapObject via Flashcom with use of getPixel & SetPixel Method

I had looking around on www.flashcomguru.com for some other thing. I had found that stoem posted that sending bitmap object via flashcom don’t working. I also tested out by sending as sharedobject using send method on client side. It is always traced as undefined.

There is an alternative method for it to send the bitmap object to all connected client using the getPixel and setPixel method by using new Bitmap API in Flash 8. This method is relatively slow in case of big image beceause it has to pass the large pixel array with the color information to all client. Client will process the pixel array with color information to generate bitmap on client side.

Here is the direct link of example: Screen Test
(Note: This example will take a snapshot from the webcam if you have connected and send it to all clients connected to server.)

Here is the fla link of example: Download Fla

I am also looking for any other solution or to speed up the processing of color information array. This Bitmap object will be very usefull to take a snap of any movie clip that run in flash screen and able to deliver to all client via flash communication server.

Cool Video Tutorials on Flash Application

Flash Extensions

Recently, I was searching on the net and came to know about the flash extensions. Flash Extensions provides quality video tutorials regarding Flash and other related technologies. The content is aimed to help those starting to build applications with Flash, those transitioning from a previous language or platform to Flash (i.e. Java or .NET), and/or those who wish to learn new techniques in programming on the Flash Platform. Many of us are visual learners and therefore can learn more quickly by watching others, especially as it applies to Flash development. Flash does not follow many of the traditional conventions of other languages, which has lead to frustration when programming in Flash. They hope to help ease that frustration with a visual learning environment.

There are more upcoming Flash 8 video tutorials on the site.

They have following video categories on site. I hope it will be more in future.

  1. Design Patterns with Actionscript
  2. Actionscript 2 Fundamentals
  3. Actionscript 2 Intermediate
  4. Flash Applications with Eclipse
  5. Flash Tips

The best thing about the tutorials is that it is free.