Obsolete ActionScript 3 API

This article describes the way of the iSpring generated presentations communication with Flash applications written in ActionScript 3 and Flex.

Table of contents:

• ActionScript 3.0 and ActionScript 2.0 communication
• ActionScript 3 bridge communication module API
• Integration with Flex applications
• Samples
  • ActionScript 3 sample source code
  • ActionScript 3 communication demo
  • Adobe Flex communication demo
• References

     
var lc:LocalConnection = new LocalConnection();
lc.sayHello = function(name:String):Void
{
    trace("Hello, " + name + "!");
}

lc.connect("connectionName");
  
   

Another Flash movie calls these methods using send() method:

var lc:LocalConnection = new LocalConnection();
lc.send("connectionName", "sayHello", "John Smith");
   

The first Flash movie will receive and execute commands froth the second. When a two-way interaction is needed, each Flash movie must create 2 LocalConnection objects: one connection to send commands and another one to receive them.

There is one thing which must be taken into account. It is possible to create only 1 LocalConnection with a given name on the same PC. So it is recommended to generate connection name based on some random information such as date. The sending Flash movie needs a connection name of the receiving Flash movie. This connection name can be passed as an URL parameter:

var lc:LocalConnection = new LocalConnection();
lc.sayHello = function(name:String):Void
{
    trace("Hello, " + name + "!");
}

// generate connection name which is most likely unique
var connectionName:String = "conn" + (new Date().getTime());
lc.connect(connectionName);
var childMove:MovieClip = this.createEmptyMovieClip("mc", this.getNextHighestDepth());

// load child movie and pass the connection name in URL parameter
childMovie.loadMovie("someMovie.swf?lcid=" + escape(connectionName));
   

A child Flash movie gets the connection name from URL variables:

var lc:LocalConnection = new LocalConnection();
lc.send(this.lcid, "sayHello", "John Smith");
   

A similar way of Flash movies interaction can be used to establish communication between ActionScript 3 Flash movie and iSpring generated presentations. Flash9 / Flex application loads a special bridge SWF module written in ActionScript 2 which loads the presentation. This bridge module communicates with the presentation using its ActionScript API; from the other hand the bridge communicates with Flash 9 / Flex application using LocalConnection. This process is illustrated in the following diagram.

ActionScript 3 <-> iSpring presentation communication

Class name	Description
AnimationStep	Provides the information about animation step timing
AnimationSteps	Stores a collection of the slide animation steps
BridgeEvent	Stores the information about events occurring duriong presentation loading and playback
BridgeLoader	Loads the presentation using bridge communication module.
PlaybackController	Receives presentation playback event notifications
Player	Provides an access to the presentation playback core
PresentationInfo	Provides an access to the presentation information
PresenterInfo	Provides the information about presenter
ReferenceInfo	Provides the information about the particular presentation reference
ReferencesCollection	Stores a collection of presentation references
SlideInfo	Provides the information about the particular slide
SlidesCollection	Stores a collection of slides
SoundController	Provides sound control facilities

Samples

   import ispring.as3bridge.*;
   import flash.display.*;
   import flash.events.*;

   var player:Player;

   if (flash.system.Capabilities.playerType == "External")
   {
       writeLog("This example will work in browser plugin, ActiveX or Standalone Flash player");
       return;
   }

   // create target sprite
   var target:Sprite = new Sprite();
   addChild(target);

   // load bridge
   var loader:BridgeLoader = new BridgeLoader(target);
   loader.addEventListener(BridgeEvent.PLAYER_INIT, onPlayerInit);
   player = loader.loadPresentation("as3bridge.swf", "presentation.swf");

   function onPlayClick(e:MouseEvent):void
   {
       player.playbackController.play();
   }

   function onPauseClick(e:MouseEvent):void
   {
       player.playbackController.pause();
   }

   function onPlayerInit(e:BridgeEvent):void
   {
       writeLog("Player initialized");
       player.playbackController.addEventListener(BridgeEvent.SLIDE_CHANGE, onSlideChange);

       playButton.buttonMode = true;
       playButton.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, onPlayClick);
       pauseButton.buttonMode = true;
       pauseButton.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, onPauseClick);
   }

   function onSlideChange(e:BridgeEvent):void
   {
       writeLog("current slide: " + e.slideIndex);
   }

   function writeLog(txt:String):void
   {
       log.appendText((log.text.length == 0) ? txt : "\n" + txt);
       log.scrollV = log.maxScrollV;
   }
   

ActionScript 3 communication demo

Adobe Flex communication demo

References