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Posted by on 21st June, 2003

XML Tree Component Extension

I have just finished updating one of my flash applications where I needed a better way of displaying a category-items, type of structure. I used to have two dropdown boxes, that an AS parser would populate from XML. After some thought, I decided that a tree structure would be better and started looking at the tree component that is supplied in the 2nd bundle of Macromedia Flash components. I would have had to rewrite a lot of code to make it work with this component. Then I tripped over Greg Burch s tree component, an extension of the Macromedia FTree and FTreeNode classes, as well as some memory leak fixes, with the ability to directly load XML into the tree. A slight modification to my XML objects and voila, there is was almost working perfectly and with little effort. It is over a year old, but a great find. You can see it in action at www.greetingcardbuilder.com/send.asp. A big thank you to Greg If you have used or are...

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Posted by on 16th June, 2003

Did you Patent your Software Application?

I was searching last night the US Patent and Trademark Organization website and left somewhat confused. First, I was amazed at the amount of methods and devices that have been issued a patent for,based on Macromedia Flash. Then, when doing a little further reading, I was caught by the amount of application concepts that are commonly used. For example, there is a patent for a system and method for an interactive, Internet-based videoconferencing multicast operation which utilizes a video production studio with a live instructor giving lectures in real-time to multiple participating students. It would seems to me that any application built with FlashComm to offer real-time video-conferencing, would infringe on this patent. On the other hand, I am just a developer and what do I know? So, should we be concerned about developing an application and later to find out we need to pay royalty fees to someone else, because they thought of it first? In any case, check out the US Patent and Trademark Organization and search...

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Posted by on 11th June, 2003

FlashRC for .NET Framework and Flash

FlashRC is an alternative to the Macromedia Flash Remoting MX product. It is currently available for Microsoft's .NET Framework only, but they expect to have a Java version available soon. FlashRC takes a different approach at the remoting problem by allowing a server side application to control a Flash movie remotely, with little or no ActionScript coding. http://www.simeda.com/flashrc/ I just found this and will play with it over the weekend and see what it...

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Posted by on 10th June, 2003

Rich VideoGame Experience

This is a bit off topic, but I had to post this: How do you make your video gaming experience more interesting? Well, Kevin Rose thought that replacing his Xbox controller vibration feature with a 20.000 volts shock sensation would bring gaming to a new level. So, everytime you get hit, you will feel it….If you are interested here is a detailed tutorial on how to build your own....

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Posted by on 4th June, 2003

The Iceberg Secret, Revealed

Excellent article from Joelonsoftware, pointed out by Flash Voodoo about typical software/web development issues with non-technical clients. If you have done any consulting, I guarantee you will relate…and finally understand....

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Posted by on 3rd June, 2003

SitePoint

Occasionally I trip over a site that catches my attention and I add it to my favorites. This time it is SitePoint: a clean site focused on web development. There are over 1000 articles, forums and even have a Flash section with some decent articles worth mentioning. Check it out: http://www.sitepoint.com/subcat/95. Goto the HomePage for general web...

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