asapframework-support — User support list

Re: [Asapframework-support] Tweening filters and scrollrects

[Stephan B. <be...@xs...>]

Owen van Dijk wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> What's the recommended 'style' of tweening filters and scrollrects?
> Through the AQProperty helper method?
>
>   
Hi Owen,

I wouldn't recommend AQProperty in this case, since it's only useful for 
a single numerical parameter. In general I guess you'd like to animate 
more than one parameter for filters.
I have been using the ActionQueue to animate filters, and have written 
my own custom functions to achieve this. The documentation for the 
ActionQueue class describes how to do this: 
http://asapframework.org/api/org_asapframework_util_actionqueue_ActionQueue.html#addAction 
(see the part of the example that starts with "You can also create a 
custom function ..."). If you like your code clean and nice, you can put 
these functions into your own helper classes.

This is an example for a blur filter:

class com.lostboys.animation.AQFilter {
    /**
    *    Animate the Flash 8 blur filter properties; no other filters 
are expected to be applied.
    *    @param inDestObject: object on which filter has to be applied
    *    @param duration: duration in seconds of the animation
    *    @param fromX: start value of the x-value of the filter
    *    @param fromY: start value of the y-value of the filter
    *    @param fromQ: start value of the quality value of the filter
    *    @param toX: end value of the x-value of the filter
    *    @param toY: end value of the y-value of the filter
    *    @param toQ: end value of the quality value of the filter
    *    @param effect: effect function
    *    @param effectParams: array of parameters for effect function
    *    @return data block for the ActionQueue process
    */
    public static function blur (inDestObject:MovieClip,
                                 duration:Number,
                                 fromX:Number, fromY:Number, fromQ:Number,
                                 toX:Number, toY:Number, toQ:Number,
                                 effect:Function,
                                 effectParams:Array) : 
ActionQueuePerformData
    {
        var performFunction:Function = function (inPerc:Number) : Boolean {
            var newX:Number = toX - (inPerc * (toX - fromX));
            var newY:Number = toY - (inPerc * (toY - fromY));
            var newQ:Number = toQ - (inPerc * (toQ - fromQ));
           
            var f:BlurFilter = new BlurFilter(newX, newY, newQ);
            inDestObject.filters = [f];
           
            return true;
        };
   
        // Set up the data so ActionQueue will perform the function 
performFunction:
        return new ActionQueuePerformData( performFunction, duration, 1, 
0, effect, effectParams);
    }
}

As you can see, the function "blur" assumes that only a blur filter will 
be applied. It often depends on specific project requirements whether 
that's enough (think of stacking of filters), so I think it's a good 
idea if you look closely into this and other examples, and get some 
skill in writing your own ActionQueue custom functions. With some proper 
copy-paste actions you can easily achieve complex effects that apply to 
a single project, without necessarily making them very reusable. It 
often yields more elegant, understandable and maintainable code than if 
you were to use the AQReturnValue or AQProperty functionality.

The same applies to scrollRect. With a custom function, you can animate 
the x- & y-values, and if you wish, the width and height, of a Rectangle 
object that is then set as the scrollRect property of a MovieClip.

Hope this helps!

Stephan

[Asapframework-support] Tweening filters and scrollrects

[Owen v. D. <owe...@gm...>]

Hi all,

What's the recommended 'style' of tweening filters and scrollrects?
Through the AQProperty helper method?

-- 
Owen van Dijk

Re: [Asapframework-support] Problems getting started

[Stephan B. <be...@xs...>]

Hi Stephen!

Stephen Hueners wrote:
>
> Greetings=85I=92ve just downloaded .94 hoping to play around with some=20
> basic operation=85it=92s my first rigorous dive into an AS2 framework.
>
> I=92ve followed the instructions on the verbatim but perhaps ((probably=
)=20
> I=92m missing something drop dead obvious.
>
> At step #8=85that means create a .as file in the ./Scripts folder named=
=20
> AppController.as, right?
>
That's correct.

> And then the rest of the code down to step 11 belongs in AppController.=
as.
>
Very true.
>
> Compiling this tosses an syntax error pointing to:
>
> org.asapframework.management.movie.LocalController:
>
The problem here is that this is actually part of the whole sentence=20
before that. Sorry about the confusing formulation there.
I've changed point 8 in the HowTo to read as follows:

8. Create a class called AppController that extends the class=20
org.asapframework.management.movie.LocalController as found in the=20
framework:

Hope this clarifies the issue with the colon!
>
>
> class AppController extends LocalController {
>
> }
>
> public static function main (inTimeline:MovieClip) : Void {
>
> var controller:AppController =3D new AppController(inTimeline);
>
> inTimeline.controller =3D controller;
>
> controller.start();
>
> // trace("this " + this);
>
> }
>
> public function AppController (inTimeline:MovieClip) {
>
> super(inTimeline);
>
> }
>
The issue here is that the functions "main" and "AppController" have to=20
be inside the class scope as set by the first { and }. In other words,=20
the complete code for the AppController looks like this:

import org.asapframework.management.movie.LocalController;

class AppController extends LocalController {

public function AppController (inTimeline:MovieClip) {
super(inTimeline);
}

public static function main (inTimeline:MovieClip) : Void {
var controller:AppController =3D new AppController(inTimeline);
inTimeline.controller =3D controller;
controller.start();
}
}

I've adapted the HowTo to show the complete class file for easier=20
copying and pasting.

Hope this helps, and good luck!

Cheers,
Stephan

[Asapframework-support] Problems getting started

[Stephen H. <st...@ju...>]

Greetings.I've just downloaded .94 hoping to play around with some basic
operation.it's my first rigorous dive into an AS2 framework.

 

I've followed the instructions on the verbatim but perhaps ((probably) I'm
missing something drop dead obvious. 

 

At step #8.that means create a .as file in the ./Scripts folder named
AppController.as, right? And then the rest of the code down to step 11
belongs in AppController.as.

 

Compiling this tosses an syntax error pointing to:

    org.asapframework.management.movie.LocalController:

 

I've tried enough variations to know that, at the very least, I have the
ClassPath settings configured correctly but I haven't come to any point
where the line above doesn't produce a syntax error.

.

.

.

Opps.part of the problem is that colon rather than semi. 

 

Now with AppController.as containing:

 

 

 

org.asapframework.management.movie.LocalController;

 

import org.asapframework.management.movie.LocalController;

 

class AppController extends LocalController {

 

}

 

public static function main (inTimeline:MovieClip) : Void {

   var controller:AppController = new AppController(inTimeline);

   inTimeline.controller = controller;

   controller.start();

//   trace("this " + this);

}

 

   public function AppController (inTimeline:MovieClip) {

      super(inTimeline);

   }

 

 

I get this error output:

 

**Error** Q:\web\TTSRoot\Campus\AppController.as: Line 2: ActionScript 2.0
class scripts may only define class or interface constructs.

     org.asapframework.management.movie.LocalController;

 

**Error** Q:\web\TTSRoot\Campus\AppController.as: Line 12: Attribute used
outside class.

     public static function main (inTimeline:MovieClip) : Void {

 

**Error** Q:\web\TTSRoot\Campus\AppController.as: Line 17: ActionScript 2.0
class scripts may only define class or interface constructs.

     }

 

**Error** Q:\web\TTSRoot\Campus\AppController.as: Line 19: Attribute used
outside class.

        public function AppController (inTimeline:MovieClip) {

 

**Error** Q:\web\TTSRoot\Campus\AppController.as: Line 21: ActionScript 2.0
class scripts may only define class or interface constructs.

        }

 

Total ActionScript Errors: 5         Reported Errors: 5

 

 

If I comment out the first line the error output stays the same except for
dropping the first error.may only define class.

 

thx

 

 

[Asapframework-support] New version of 0.94 release

[Stephan B. <be...@xs...>]

Hi,

We discovered a compile bug in the ComboBox that had to be fixed in 
order to make this class usable, so we've put a new Release 0.94 on 
SourceForge. Also in this release, a minor bug in the 
StringUtils.replace function was fixed. If you use either of these, make 
sure you download the latest release.

If you'd rather patch your own local version, this is the patch for the 
ComboBox: The first "import" should read as follows:

import mx.transitions.easing.Strong;




Cheers,
Stephan

[Asapframework-support] Syndicated Feed on LiveJournal

[Craig T. <cra...@gm...>]

Hi,

Therei s a problem with the Asap Framework syndicated feed on LiveJournal.

asa...@li...

The CU Boulder Cognitive Science Club used to use TWiki, and we had
the same problem with our syndicated feed.  I don't remember how we
solved it.  I believe we changed the encoding or put the .enc file
some place it could be reached.

- Craig

[Asapframework-support] New Release

[Stephan B. <s.b...@hc...>]

Hi,

We've just put out a (long-awaited!) new release of the ASAP framework. 
Release 0.94 can now be obtained from SourceForge with the following 
url: 
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/asapframework/asap_framework_0.94.zip?download

A summary of changes since the previous release can be found here: 
http://asapframework.org/wiki/bin/view/ASAP/ReleaseVersionZeroDotNineFour

Documentation and demos can be found on the website: 
http://asapframework.org/wiki/bin/view/ASAP/
The documentation can also be downloaded from SourceForge if you wish to 
deploy it at your local machine or web server.

We're still working on the documentation of the demos, plus some new 
demos for new functionality in this release. As soon as those are 
available, the whole package (framework, demos, tests, documentation) 
will be available for download.

Enjoy!

Stephan

<http://asapframework.org/wiki/bin/view/ASAP/>

Re: [Asapframework-support] VO's in ASAPFramework

[Stephan B. <s.b...@hc...>]

Owen van Dijk wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I only see VO's used in the framework when using events to force
> strict type checking. Is it a possible solution to provide a generic
> VO class in the org.asapframework.data package?
>
>   
Hi Owen,

The basic answer is no. A ValueObject class contains only data. 
Therefore, a generic ValueObject class would be empty, since it can only 
be generic if it doesn't already contain data. And in my view, an empty 
class is not very useful. But maybe I understand your question 
differently than you mean it?

The VO classes that I have encountered, are so project-specific that 
they can't be generalised. Only when they are required by a class that 
we want in the framework, we will put a specific VO class into the 
framework. For example: The MovieManager uses the class 
org.asapframework.management.movie.MovieData internally for data storage.

The upcoming release will however provide functionality for easier 
dealing with VO classes in combination with loading data as XML. There 
will be an interface IParsable that VO classes can implement, and that 
will allow them to get their data from a Parser. This Parser class is 
fed with data from XML2Object. There will also be a DataLoader class 
that allows you to load XML with or without POST parameters. This new 
package greatly reduces the number of lines needed to go from XML to 
typed VO classes, and makes the whole process a lot better maintainable.

I hope this answers your question?

Greetings,
Stephan

Re: [Asapframework-support] Some questions

[Stephan B. <s.b...@hc...>]

Hi Owen!

Owen van Dijk wrote:
> I see the Wiki/Websites is getting some much needed updates, great
> stuff there, like the MovieManagement page. Some questions:
>
> - Are localcontrollers only usefull when you have multiple movies or
> does the principle also apply to classes controlling child classes (
> much like the factory pattern ). Ie i have a People class and want to
> write a PeopleController class. Or is there another structure i'm
> missing?
>   
The LocalController class has been specifically designed for use as the 
main controller for a single fla/swf. Combined with the MovieManager, it 
provides functionality for communicating with controllers of other swfs, 
such as the controller of the container swf. Using several 
LocalController extensions in a single fla might therefore be confusing. 
One of the handy features of the LocalController is that any nested 
MovieClip can find its nearest LocalController 
(MovieManager.getInstance().getNearestController(this)) and send events 
to it. When I encounter this code in a class, I expect this to return 
the single LocalController of the fla I'm in, or, if it doesn't have 
one, the one further up the chain.
On the other hand, if it works, who am I to complain :) Especially if 
you're the only one working on the code, it's what gets the job done 
fastest and easiest that counts.

More generally speaking, there are several ways to connect classes, 
especially if they're far apart. Usually I find the solution that fits 
the application best, on a per-project basis. Some frameworks provide 
Model, View & Controller base classes to be extended, and communication 
mechanisms between them. Although we usually implement some form of MVC 
in our applications, we simply haven't gotten to the point where we 
needed those base classes, other than what is provided in the framework.

> - Is there a roadmap to rewrite the framework to AS3. Is that in the 
> pipeline?
>   
Yes, it's in the pipeline, no, there's no roadmap right now.
There are several issues that have to be resolved:
- AS3 might need or dictate a different approach for the solutions we've 
used in the current framework
- some classes are heavily language-dependent
- some classes might not be needed as Flash 9 comes with a new, much 
larger set of classes of its own
- it will take roughly half a year before the acceptation rate of Flash 
Player 9 is wide enough to start using it in commercial projects
- in half a year the new Flash IDE comes out, so it might be a bit later 
even before we can expect to use Flash 9 in production

We will need time to resolve these, and as you know we all have a full 
time job at Lost Boys. However, since the transition to AS3 will 
definitely take place, and as soon as is practically possible, we're 
already looking at putting up a roadmap for how to get to that point.
> - What is the current roadmap for a new official release? There is
> much action in the trunk but the latest official release was 6 months
> ago.
>   
Release 0.94 is practically ready. There are some classes that need at 
least basic documentation to be usable by anyone who can't ask us in 
person. Furthermore we're making a few refactorings based on our daily 
use of the framework.
As soon as that's done, we're putting out the new release. My guess is 
that we'll be releasing roughly around the time of the new FDT ;)

> Keep up the good work guys :)
>   
Thanks!

Stephan

[Asapframework-support] VO's in ASAPFramework

[Owen v. D. <owe...@gm...>]

Hi All,

I only see VO's used in the framework when using events to force
strict type checking. Is it a possible solution to provide a generic
VO class in the org.asapframework.data package?

-- 
Owen van Dijk

[Asapframework-support] Some questions

[Owen v. D. <owe...@gm...>]

I see the Wiki/Websites is getting some much needed updates, great
stuff there, like the MovieManagement page. Some questions:

- Are localcontrollers only usefull when you have multiple movies or
does the principle also apply to classes controlling child classes (
much like the factory pattern ). Ie i have a People class and want to
write a PeopleController class. Or is there another structure i'm
missing?
- Is there a roadmap to rewrite the framework to AS3. Is that in the pipeline?
- What is the current roadmap for a new official release? There is
much action in the trunk but the latest official release was 6 months
ago.

Keep up the good work guys :)

-- 
Owen van Dijk

Re: [Asapframework-support] website down?

[Martijn de V. <ma...@ma...>]

>
> I dont seem to be able to contact the ASAPFramework wiki, haven't  
> for a few days, is there something up? Anywhere else I can view the  
> documentation?
>

This link works fine for me:
http://asapframework.org/wiki/bin/view/ASAP/

Cheers, Martijn.

[Asapframework-support] website down?

[Adam R. <old...@gm...>]

Hi,

I dont seem to be able to contact the ASAPFramework wiki, haven't for a few
days, is there something up? Anywhere else I can view the documentation?

Cheers,
Adam

[Asapframework-support] Testing

[Martijn de V. <ma...@ma...>]

Hey list.

M.
-- 
   ::  Martijn de Visser
   ::  www.martijndevisser.com