其中一堂講 Flash player 10 最新既 text engine 同 text layout framework
Text layout framework 可以話係現有 text controls o既加強版
可以 support 到更加多o既文字效果

- multiple column
(重點係 support 自動換 column
仲有 multiple column selection
仲可以 self define irregular shape columns)

- support 打直寫某 d 字~ 例如中文同日文
(大家以後可以唔駛靠 enter 靠行黎打中文喇)

詳細可以參考 Adobe Labs
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/textlayout/

其他時間就同 Way 作最後衝刺
Adobe MAX 有個傳統
就係要行攤位儲印仔換禮物
外國人比較得意… 佢地會直接行去人地個檔度要人印… 然後即走…
我就覺得起碼都要聽下人地個檔講 d 乜會比較有禮貌…

結果終於儲齊~ 換到o既係一副 Adobe MAX 啤牌
A J Q K 係 AIR Flex Photoshop 同 Flash
Joker o係 MAX Explorer

眼見副啤牌咁有紀念價值
好想拎多 d 比 user group members
於是臨走o既時候去 counter 問可唔可以拎多 d 比 user group
原來 counter o個位 staff 都係香港人 @o@
同埋原來 Adobe 已經預左我地會拎比 user community…
於是我都拎左十幾盒 XDD 多謝 Adobe~!
(早知唔駛儲印仔 =.=||)

夜晚又係搵食時間
o係 map 搵到 pizza hut~!!!
睇落好似好近… 於是行過去… 點知… 執左笠…
於是又要打的去第二間…

去到見到 poster 兜意粉好似好正
仲有一個 pizza 加蒜蓉飽~!
廿幾蚊美金超抵~! 即買~!
返到酒店一開…
wa… 碟意粉大到呢… 有香港 party size 咁大…
食完蒜蓉飽同大光兜意粉之後… 我同阿 Way 都投晒降…
早知一早就去食 Pizza Hut…

今次 Adobe MAX 對於我黎講主要都係想見識同埋直接體驗一下新野
雖然… 的確有 d 失望…
不過能夠同咁多位 Adobe o既朋友聚下舊都好難得~!
下次都唔知幾時可以去 MAX lu…
始終依家都係想以盡快建立新o既屋企為首要任務

Related posts:

1. Adobe MAX SF day 2
2. Adobe MAX SF day 1
3. Adobe MAX SF pre day 1

第二日又黎喇~ 精神都算唔錯~
今朝o係 marriot 食早餐
原本諗住會同會場的有 difference
但係都係食o個 d 野…
生果… 硬飽… 奶… 茶… 果汁…
比較好o既係果汁係樽裝~ 可以拎走飲~ 仲要係 tropicana~ 正

朝早上 Flex testing o既 session
之前寫 Flex application 都比較少考慮 testing
呢個 session 對我黎講都幾重要~
不過上完之後就會發覺 testing 唔應該係事後先去做…
而係要由 Day 1 開始每寫一 part 就要寫返相對應o既 testing module…
基本上工作量係 double 或者 triple~ 因為除左 unit test 仲有 function test, etc…
講真… 有幾多 company 會考慮到同埋 afford 得起呢…

下一個 app… 如果我有時間的話我都想認真的做一次…

跟住就係 General Session 2~
一開始由 Flex Builder product manager Tim Buntel 講解 Flex
講講下突然之間部機好似比人 hack 左咁~
之後有一個神秘人 The Chief (Kevin Lynch) 話依家 computer field 有好多問題出現~
要 Tim Buntel 諗辦法去解決~

之後燈光一暗~ 音樂響起~ 開始播片~
感覺係非常超人特攻隊~ 然後進入左秘密基地 The Agency~!

多位 Agent 就位~ 包括 Agent B (Tim Buntel) 同 Agent F (Ben Forta)
之後開始介紹各種 The Agency o既最新科技

包括
- 利用 Adobe AIR 控制家庭電器
- Adobe Photoshop CS4 o既 content aware scaling
- Adobe Photoshop CS4 o既 3d texturing
- Adobe Flash Catalyst
- Cold Fusion 下一代 IDE code name Bolt
- Adobe Flex Builder 4 with Theme Library
- Flash content search engine indexing
- Adobe Flash Media Sever 3.5 with dynamic streaming

而最矚目o既就莫過於 Adobe Alchemy 同埋 RTFMP

Adobe Alchemy 係一個 convertor
能夠將已經存在o既 C / C++ library 直接 convert 做 Flash o既 library
最有機會用到o既地方就一定係 encryption o喇~
ActionScript 一直都無 encryption library~
透過 Alchemy 就可以唔駛 ground up 寫就做到 encryption
同場仲即時示範利用 Alchemy convert o既 Quake 同 Super Mario (emulator)
絕對係令大家感到非常震撼~!!

RTFMP (Real Time Media Flow Protocol) o係 Adobe 新既 communication protocol
主要係令到多個 Adobe Flash Player 之間能夠直接做 communication
完全唔需要透過一個 server connection

最直接o既用途就係單靠 Adobe Flash Player + Web cam 就可以做到 video chat
係~!! 完全唔需要 middle server~!! 而且係絕對 smooth~! 開幾十個都無影響~!!

最後由 Ted Patrick 接棒介紹 Adobe Groups
Adobe Groups 係 Adobe 一個 official 而 centralized o既 community network
透過 Adobe Groups 就可以知道全球幾百個 user group / community o既一切動向
香港o既 Flex user group (FxAIR.org) 亦都會搬入 Adobe Groups
但 setting 比較繁複~ 希望能夠趕及農曆新年前完成~ 請見諒

* 關於所有 technology o既 information / URL 已經整理好放左o係呢度

http://vicker.cubeforge.net/blog/adobe-max-sf-summary/

第二個 general session 完左~
食完飯又繼續聽各個 session~

Evening 就到左大家都好期待o既 sneak peak session
不過… 我自己就覺得非常失望…
兩個字去形容就係 “倉促”…
好似趕時間咁~ present d 野又比較亂…

Anyway~ 大致上o既 sneaked items 如下

- RTMFP (上面已經介紹左)
- Nitro (Adobe AIR o既 widget controller)
- Durango (Adobe AIR o既 runtime application component mash up tool)
- Photoshop Image Compositing (自動將 imported image 去底)
- Content Intelligent Toolkit (Media library 包括 video 同 image o既 analysis)
- Dreamweaver Web Widgets (直接o係 Dreamweaver insert web widget~ 而且可以直接 live preview~ 完全唔需要開 browser)
- Infinite Images (利用一 set photo 去做出無限 zoom in 同無限 zoom out effect)
- Live Cycle and Creative Services (利用 Live Cycle 去 streamline collaborative Premiere Pro workflow)
- Meer Meer (Online service~ 自動 detect 一個 Dreamweaver web site o係唔同 browser 之下有無 display differences~ 仲可以用 onion skin o黎直接 compare
- Server-side ActionScript

o係 Adobe 正式 post video 之前
大家不妨去 YouTube search 下~ 好似有 HD version tim…

夜晚同 Way 行左去 Japan Town 諗住食返 d 好o既日本野…
饑寒交逼~ 行左成粒鐘去到~ 點知…
奉勸各位… 去到美國食 hurger, salad, 西餐算喇…

Related posts:

1. Adobe MAX SF day 1
2. Adobe MAX SF day 3
3. Adobe MAX SF pre day 1

之後即刻上二樓食早餐
同之前一樣… 硬飽… 果汁… 咖啡… 奶…
Somehow 我總係覺得唔會夠飽…

食飽見未夠鐘就去左 community lounge
一入到去就見到熟識既面孔~
John, Sumi, Craig 同 JD 都o係到
總係覺得見到佢地就 = 見到 Adobe community~ 哈哈

打完招呼傾左一陣就要趕去聽野
第一場係 Flex testing~ 都 ok~
之後就係精采o既 general session~!

一如以往~ 未入到門就聽到好激昂o既音樂~!
一入到去真係好震撼~ 3 個 main screen 加兩組 side screen
main screen 係山峰藍天白雲~ 一堆 Adobe product logos o係天度飛~ 好型~
跟住所有 screen 會好似老虎機咁轉 d product logos
然後中間加插 30onMAX o既 video~
好彩無拍者… 唔係比人 post 出黎好攪笑~

開場~ 有 DJ Mike Relm 用 30onMAX 既 video 表演捽碟~
(事後睇返 wikipedia 知道 Mike 係 VJ – video performance artists~ 曾經同 blue man group 合作 LOL)

跟住係 MAX explorer o既一段 animation~
MAX explorer 攀山登上 Adobe AIR blimp~
然後飛越冰海~ 到達沙漠~ 啟動 Adobe 火箭~ 最後… 失敗 XD
感覺好似 Indianna Jones~ 主要係想帶出主題 – Connect, Discover 同 Inspire
有機會希望可以 get 到 source distribute 比大家睇
絕對值得珍藏~~!!

之後係 president Shantanu Narayen o既開埸白~
今次 MAX 主力都係 Adobe Flash Platform~
大家以後要多 d 用呢個 term~
可以唔駛一大堆名同人解釋~

Adobe Flash Platform 包括:
Tools: Flash / Flash Catalyst / Flex
Clients: Flash Player / Adobe AIR
Servers: Flash Media Server / Blaze DS

Shantanu 亦特別提到 Thermo 已經正式命名為 Flash Catalyst
呢個名改得好定唔好真係見仁見智…
本身 Flash 同 Flex 兩個字都已經經常讀錯…
再加埋 Flash Catalyst 真係亂到傻… 成日聽人講錯 Flex Catalyst…
以後都係讀 abbreviation 穩陣 d,,, Fl Fc Fx…

之後提到 (RED)WIRE 利用 Adobe AIR 開發左新o既 application
將 music, subscription 同 charity 帶去另一個 level

http://www.redwire.com/

(已經正式 launched… 大家可以自行 download 體驗下~)

跟住 CTO Kevin Lynch 出場~
佢以 3 個 main title 黎講解 Adobe 黎緊o既方向
- Client + Cloud
- Social Computing
- Devices + Desktop

Client 當然係講 Flash player 同 Adobe AIR 啦
Kevin 簡單示範左 Flash player 10 o既 native 3d performance
然後就宣佈 Adobe AIR 1.5 已經正式 release
(大家有裝 AIR 的話應該已經 auto updated)

為左示範 AIR~ Kevin 請左 New York Times 上台介紹佢地最 latest o既 AIR based news reader
一入 application 睇落其實無乜特別~
但係當佢 resize window o既時候就會發覺 d columns 會自動加或者減黎 fill up spaces
呢個應該係利用到最新o既 Flash player 10 text engine 做的~
感覺非常 smooth 而且 readability 好高~
最得意o既係佢地連一份報紙最重要o既 crossword puzzle 都 implement 左 XDDD
Innovation 同 amazing 有時真係唔一定要 complex~

之後 Kevin 更進一步將同一個 New York Times application 放o係 aigo
(一部裝左 windows o既 mobile internet device)
control 上面雖然無咁方便~ 不過 UI 完全 support 到~
呢個就正正係 Adobe AIR o既優勢~!
(New York Times reader 未正式 release~ 稍後再補上)

跟住開始講 cloud~
cloud 其實即係 services
clients + cloud CM 應該會好有同感
不過 CM 會 focus on 個 cloud 一定要係 XML format~ 哈哈

其實網上面o既 cloud 已經好多~ 多到有 d 散同亂~
於是就帶出左 Adobe 一個新o既 tool~ Tour de Flex~
Tour de Flex 係 AIR application~
佢其實係一個 library~ 裡面有好多常用o既 services
每一個 service 都有相對應o既 sample codes 教你點樣用 Flex 去 connect d services
而且仲有 executable o既 sample application 比你去試~
絕對係 cloud development o既入門 references

Tour de Flex 已經 release~ 可以於 Flex.org download

http://flex.org/tour

進入 Social Computing~
Social Computing 裡面最常出現o既就係 notifications
每一日大家都會收到好多各式各樣o既 notifications… OS… Facebook… Twitter… etc…
問題係當 notifications 愈黎愈多~ 你就會開始亂~
你可能會為左 Twitter 裝 twitterific… 又可能為左 facebook 裝其他 plugin… etc
所以 Adobe 就開發左另一個 Adobe AIR based tool~ Adobe Wave
Adobe Wave 簡單講就係 collection of notifications
你只需要入返每種 service o既 account 就可以 1 stop 收到所有 note
而且仲 support custom applications~

Adobe Wave prerelease program 已經接受 registration~

http://labs.adobe.com/wiki/index.php/Adobe_Wave

(invitation code 稍後於 user group gathering 提供)

最後到 Devices + Desktop
Desktop 已經有 AIR~ Device 亦都有 Flash Lite~
下一步可以點呢…
之前好多人都認為應該係將 AIR 裝入 mobile devices
但 Adobe 似乎有一個更加好o既答案… Adobe Flash Player 10… natively on mobile devices…

Kevin o係一盤 mobile devices 裡面逐步拎出黎做 demo
佢地全部都係行緊 FP10~
(咁樣唔知係唔係意味住 Flash Lite 要講 bye bye…)
包括… Nokia Symbian… Windows Mobile… Google Phone… 最後係… Apple iPhone…
正當大家都起哄o既時候… sorry… 無…
Kevin 聲稱同 Apple 交涉緊~ 咁係唔係者係話其實已經 run 到呢?!?!?

最後 Kevin 為大家示範 Adobe o既一個 future device prototype~
佢拎住一部 Samsung o既 MID~ 然後對住個 stage screen~
等左幾秒就 connect 左~ 然後 Kevin 手指一 fling 就將佢 device o既相 transfer 左去 stage screen~
而且仲要好靚咁 display 出黎~!!!

同樣o既 transfer 仲可以 between MID~
甚至係一部電視機~! (當然要 compatible la)
感覺幾得意~ 不過有幾多人 afford 得起~ 哈哈~

第一個 general session 到此結束~!

完左 session 食 lunch…
Again… 唔會飽…
於是返去食麵~! 哈哈

下晝繼續聽野~
Design XD… 竟然係講 Adobe CS4 product line design concept… 有 d 失望…
之後好多堂都係早走 or skip…
今年大家都 complain d sessions 無 screening… 質素比較差…

多數時間都係o係 community lounge~
見到 Bing~ 估唔到佢同我地一樣咁遠都黎~
之後識左 Singapore UGM Shunjie~!
大家o既話題竟然係研究下點樣用 d Adobe stickers XDDD
似乎我地亞洲人都係鍾意自己部 laptop 多過 d stickers~ 哈哈

夜晚有雞翼食~ 唔錯唔錯~

之後有 Birds of a Feather 同 Meet the Team~
同阿 Way 去左 Meet the FX / FB / FC Team~
不過佢地變左 open chatting… d 人一堆一堆咁~ 好難埋堆…

大覺訓~ 第二日繼續~

Related posts:

1. Adobe MAX SF day 2
2. Adobe MAX SF day 3
3. Adobe MAX SF pre day 1

同一時間 Adobe 亦o係 Adobe Developer Center 發表左 SWF searchability FAQ
裡面除左有耳熟能詳既 marketing slogan 之外

The openly published SWF specification describes the file format used to deliver rich applications and interactive content via Adobe Flash Player, which is installed on more than 98 percent of Internet-connected computers

亦有提及到背後既原理
以及 Yahoo! 都會於稍後 update search engine

的確~ 咁多年以黎 Flash 都比人彈 SEO
每一次我幫人做 project analysis 既時候
第一句都係問 “application base” 定 “content base”
今次呢個 news 的確幾吸引~
但係問題係唔係就咁就解決呢?!?!
我地係唔係唔再需要寫特登寫 XHTML version / XSL / 一大堆 supportive AS?!?!
言之尚早~!

At least… Munsang Biology web d content 仲未 index 到~ 哈哈

Anyway~ should be a great start!

詳情:

Improved Flash indexing by Google Webmaster Central Blog
http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2008/06/improved-flash-indexing.html

SWF searchability FAQ by Adobe Developer Center
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flashplayer/articles/swf_searchability.html?devcon=f1

Related posts:

1. Adobe MAX SF day 2
2. Adobe MAX SF day 1
3. NEW TECHNOLOGIES KEEP ON COMING…

Well… The title seems stupid but the actual meaning is not. I am going to Adobe MAX to learn more from the conference and from the other participates. (Of course I will share, in case I am not the least knowledgable one in the event) With that knowledge I can develop even more applications (mainly open source~ nah), so that all the users can minimize their effort, their pain, their time in making great works. That is why I am going to MAX to MIN~

Okay~ Is time talking back the application that I have done in previous year. My application is called FLABER (FLAsh-based web BuildER), it is a pure Flash RIA scripted in ActionScript 2 with PHP as server support. In short, this application allows web owners to easily build a website using Flash technology even if they don’t know how to program in Flash. We have done a testing that even a 10 years old girl can make up her own Flash web site.

Originally this project is started as my final year project in City University of Hong Kong. (in other words… homework…) Since the first public release in SourceForge, I received many great feedbacks from the public. That is why I made FLABER now as an open source product so that everyone can benefits from it.

Okay~ too many words… here comes some screenshots.

The following shows a web that I made using FLABER.

Actually it looks like a normal web page but it have on stage controls.

For larger images and details, please do a visit to the FLABER Wiki

Of course a live-demo is also available here.

1. 時光倒流第三集 – Adobe MAX 2006
2. Adobe MAX SF day 2
3. Adobe MAX 2006 Scheduler

The reason that I want to talk about these is that these two little item (seems like little…) troubles me a whole week to work on it. I dont know why, however it seems that Macromedia do have a lot of bugs in these two classes.

First, let me introduce these two classes.

TEXTFORMAT

• A class that is used to apply text formats to a textfield on the stage
• It can be applied to the whole textfield, or a portion of it if specified
• Adv: It is easy to use and flexible because you can apply on anywhere
• Dis: It is hard to maintain and it requires great programming effort

STYLESHEET

• Alternative approach to apply text formats
• Apply to be whole textfield
• Adv: It is surely easy to maintain. Further it can be reused for HTML section
• Dis: The text content need to attach many tags in order to apply stylesheets

Okay, actually coding in both approarch is very simple. However there are tons of bugs came out which makes me crazy within this week. So I better mention in the web somewhere to let others preventing these traps.

If you are using dynamic textfields with embedded character, you CANNOT use STYLESHEET NOR TEXTFORMAT with FONT-FAMILY settings!!

• I put this one so seriously because this bug takes me nights to discover!!!!
• If you violate this, the text will simply not displaying… which you will never know that it is related to FONT-FAMILY until you delete your codes line by line…
• The possible reason probably is that embedded character will only embed for the current font, so… changing it will make the text simply gone…
• For the same reason… If you want to set Bold, Italic, etc. You HAVE to set it in the textfield beforehand. This will make sure that the embeded character will also embed those styles.

* Dynamic textfield means that the content of the textfield is defined by external codings.
* Embedded characters are essential for animations on textfields.And what I can suggest for future development is that…If you use dynamic textfields… try not to put animations… it will drive you crazy…

Related posts:

1. THE SECOND COMPONENT – COLOR SELECTOR
2. NEW TECHNOLOGIES KEEP ON COMING…
3. Google 同 Yahoo! improve Flash indexing

Besides the requirement specification, another new Flash class is in psuedo code stage now. This is another important class / component in my FYP application, the color selector. It is used very widely for the user to choose their favorites when building their web.

A problem is found when designing which is quite interesting.

When I want to change a movieclip’s color inside Flash, I have to say something like setRGB (hex_value). In Flash this hex value have to be written in the form of 0xFFCC66. What if I want to use a loop to generate a set of this color??

A normal solution provided by Macromedia Flash Help

var r:Number = new Number(250);
var g:Number = new Number(128);
var b:Number = new Number(114);
var rgb:String = “0x”+ r.toString(16)+g.toString(16)+b.toString(16);

An intelligent solution provided by O’Reilly ActionScript Cookbook

red = 100;
green = 100;
blue = 100;
rgb = (red << 16) | (green << | (blue);

Where << is a bitshift left operator =.=||

Or course… I am a normal person too… However I will learn (copy XD) the intelligent method~

Related posts:

1. 時光倒流第二集 – Thanks FLABER
2. I am going to Adobe MAX to MIN (Blog Entry for MAXUP)
3. PURE ACTIONSCRIPT vs FLEX vs LASZLO

I have used Flash 8 Trial version for quite a while. The feeling is that there are much enhancement in graphic section. Let say one of it is the Bitmap class. This Bitmap class is capable to export the current Flash’s content pixel by pixel to other application~~!!

This morning I have read the Macromedia Edge Newsletter which announces another two great products – Macromedia Flex 2 and ActionScript 3.0.

Oh my god… Should I try them in my FYP when they release?? Arrr~~~!! Such a hard decision…

Related posts:

1. Google 同 Yahoo! improve Flash indexing
2. Adobe MAX SF day 2
3. Adobe MAX SF day 1