Flex | Ryan Campbell

4Apr/089

Updated: PlexiGlass (OpenFlux 3D) Example

Since my previous entry I've made some major speed improvements, added back in the 52 cards and added 2 new 3d layouts similar to the ones in Pavan Podila's Element Flow.

We've still got some work ahead of us before this goes public but I definitely can't wait to see OpenFlux get used and see what new 3D layouts others contribute.

As we get closer to release I'll be posting more examples and howtos on getting started with OpenFlux.

Click the image below to try out the example.

Filed under: Flex, OpenFlux, PlexiGlass 9 Comments

31Mar/084

PlexiGlass (OpenFlux 3D) Example

I've ported over Doug McCune's CoverFlow component as 3D layouts in OpenFlux. You can switch between horizontal, vertical and carousel layout in the same List component along with a few other adjustable properties. It's highly likely there are a few bugs and I had to limit it to 20 cards (52 cards was crazy slow) but this should give you a great idea of where OpenFlux is going.

A regular OpenFlux layout class manages the the x/y positions of the item renderers. PlexiGlass layout classes goes a step further and manage z position, x/y rotations and the camera.

We've still got some cleaning up to do but the code for this example will be included once PlexiGlass goes public. Click the image below to try out the example.

Filed under: Flex, OpenFlux, PlexiGlass 4 Comments

12Mar/083

OpenFlux Example: Deck of Cards

By now I'm sure a lot of you have heard about Ben Stucki's latest project called OpenFlux. If not, check out the blog entry Ben wrote introducing it or listen to the latest The Flex Show episode discussing it.

I'm really excited for OpenFlux, have been contributing to the project quite a bit and I'm hoping to spend a lot more of time over the next while helping get OpenFlux to a stable release and posting examples on my blog so others understand what's possible.

The general difference between an OpenFlux component and the current Flex components is that the logic is separated in to a MVC architecture. This allows you to easily swap out one part of a component while keeping the functionality of the others. A List component goes a step further and separates the layout logic so you can easily invent new ways to layout your list items.

In this example I've created a cool (but possibly not too practical) OpenFlux List component that displays a deck of cards. Although it looks nothing like a standard List component, it is a List and has the same functionality that you would expect a List to have. For example, the cards are selectable and as you select multiple cards their suit/rank is displayed in a separate standard List.

To get the List working how I wanted all I had to do was use the Image component as my item renderer and create a custom layout class (which is now included with OpenFlux, called StackLayout). The StackLayout has gap and selectMode properties that you can play around with. Click the image below to try the working example.

You can checkout the latest OpenFlux source code, including code for the example, at the OpenFlux SVN webpage.

Filed under: Flex, OpenFlux 3 Comments

2Mar/082

My Experience at 360|Flex Atlanta

This is my second time attending 360|Flex and my first time speaking at it. Overall I had an amazing time and can't wait for the next one. I showed up by myself, knowing hardly anyone and left with a ton of new friends (beer helped with that).

The conference is full of brilliant approachable people who are eager to swap knowledge. As an independent developer who works from home, I really enjoyed meeting others face-to-face. Talking to fellow developers about Flex is a lot more rewarding compared to forcing my fiancee to listen to my "cool" programming breakthroughs.

Back at home before the conference, many people asked if I was nervous about speaking. I responded with no (only half lying to them) and that I was more excited than anything. When I previously went to the Seattle conference I got to experience the community vibe and felt that everyone is just appreciative of the knowledge you have to share. Also, as Doug McCune has said, it's ok to say you don't know the answer to something because there is usually someone in the crowd who will gladly answer for you.

Also, I owe my left nut to the guy who let me borrow his Mini-DVI to VGA Adapter. Thanks so much dude! It would have been a fairly pointless session without it.

One of my favorite sessions was building your personal brand that Doug McCune and Juan Sanchez bravely took on in place of Jesse Warden. Although I give huge props to the two of them for being able to whip up a lot of useful tips (in only 20 minutes!), I really enjoyed the input from the crowd. I think this is where 360|Flex shines. Whether or not you are a speaker, everyone brings something to the table and everyone's opinion helps take the discussion further than it would without them.

As the Atlanta conference was ending, I was already getting excited hearing about when/where the next conference will happen. I really hope Tom and John were able to step away from their lovely blue registration table for at least a few moments to see how well their conference turned out.

To all of the great people I met at 360|Flex Atlanta, please keep in touch and I hope we'll be meeting up again at a future conference.

Filed under: 360Flex, Flex 2 Comments

2Mar/0816

Example Code for my 360Flex Session – Accessing Secure APIs within Flex

For those who weren't at my session, I'm providing a link to an example application for integrating the PayPal API into Flex. This includes Express Checkout and Direct Payment.

Download the Example Application

The majority of my presentation was me talking, but since no video is available I'm hoping the provided code is self-explanatory. I am also providing a link to my slides.

View/Download the Slides

Basically, the provided code contains a Flex application and PHP code to proxy PayPal API requests/responses. I tried to keep the amount of code to a minimum so that it's easier to read and understand how it all works.

I ment to get this up sooner but a cold has kept me away from the computer. Enjoy