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The recording from my Flex application architecture webinar is live. In it, I talk about how I used the Presentation Model pattern and dependency injection with Spring ActionScript to build the CodeConference Desktop which is an AIR application and instructional tool. Each time I add a major feature or modify the CodeConference Desktop, you can expect a new webcast or webinar explaining how I did it. The installer badge for the app is in the sidebar.

The next feature I’ll be adding is a chat room using Adobe’s LiveCycle Collaboration Service (LCCS).

I’ll be giving an eSeminar on Flex application architecture on February 18th at 10 AM PST.   I’ll summarize the architecture issues that Flex developers face and then demonstrate how using dependency injection can make your job easier and make your code more reusable, testable, and readable.  I’ll be showing you how I built an application using Spring ActionScript.

For those of you who have attended some of my previous architecture eSeminars for Adobe in years past, I encourage you to attend to see how I do things now.  If you’re not familiar with dependency injection, I think this presentation will change the way you work!

Sign up now!

Hi All,

Just wanted to give everyone a heads up that I’m moving our group’s site from groups.adobe.com to Meetup.com.  If you’re in So Cal, be sure to stop by.  At our meetings we get 3 members to present for 20 minutes each on a variety of topics and then we head over to the local watering hole for drinks and networking.  Join up!

Cheers,

Tom

Don’t miss tonight’s L.A. Flex meeting.  We have 4 presenters giving 20 minute presentations.  Check out the event page for details and to RSVP!  And, yes, there will be pizza!

We’ve got four speakers lined up for the next meeting and they’ll be giving 20 minute presentations on the following topics:  Flex application architecture, using the Flex-Ajax bridge, embedding fonts in Flex, and image manipulation in Flex.  For details and to RSVP, visit the event page on our Adobe Groups site. Hope to see you there!

At our January 13th meeting we’ll be trying out a new format with 4 speakers presenting for 20 minutes each.  Long-time member George McKinney will be talking about using the Flex-Ajax Bridge.  Cory McMahon will be talking about image manipulation in Flex including using PixelBender shaders as filters and HDRI.  Michael Fretz will be talking about the various ways of embedding fonts in Flex with a focus on mojofont.  Michael Allman will be giving his take on Flex application architecture.

After the last presentation, we’ll all head over to Busby’s for drinks and networking.

Check out our Adobe groups site for all the details and don’t forget to RSVP!

Just posted the next Los Angeles Flex User Group event. Spread the word, tell a friend, tell a co-worker!

Spring ActionScript allows you to inject dependencies into your MXML components as they’re added to the stage. By default, it ignores any components whose namespace starts with either ‘flash.*’ or ‘mx.*’, so it only looks at your custom components. Since Flex 4 introduces a new ’spark’ namespace, you’ll need to override the default flexStageObjectSelector, which is as simple as adding this to your application context XML:

<object id=”flexStageObjectSelector” class=”com.classes.objectselectors.MyCustomObjectSelector”/>

I extended the default flexStageObjectSelector and added a few lines so that it also ignores ’spark.*’. The code for that class is below. Just drop it somewhere in your project and update the class attribute in the object tag above and you’ll be good to go. The Spring ActionScript documentation is very helpful and explains how you can extend it even further.

This Wednesday, 8/12, I’ll be giving a talk on Flex application architecture and how Spring ActionScript changes everything. Details here.

Seeing this news, I have to wonder.  Using their own player instead of Flash would allow them to push a new version any time they modify the codec in a way that reduces bandwidth (aka saves them money).  If they continue to rely on Flash Player, they have to wait roughly 18 months for new versions to come out, assuming Adobe continues to license new versions of the On2 codec.

When YouTube requires a new Flash Player version, people download it immediately, so I don’t think there would be much resistance to installing a new Google video plugin.  For embeds, they could still use Flash Player for a while until market penetration of the Google Player was high enough, or they could add a new embed option in addition to the Flash embed.

Is there any reason they wouldn’t build their own player?

[Update] This article may shed more light on their plans.