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Issue With Exporting Flex Mobile App

Well I have learned a lot recently with building a mobile app using Flex 4.6, don’t panic Flex will be around for a long time. The most recent issue I have found when exporting my app was using the new, “Export application with captive runtime” feature. This is a nice idea and I wish it worked better.

Captive Runtime

Captive Runtime

The idea here is that you can export AIR along with your application so the user doesn’t have to install it, but the issue is that it increases your file size about 25 mb, yes that is right 25mb. That is a lot when you’re talking about a mobile app.

So the lesson learned is until it is fixed don’t use this feature if you are trying to keep your application small. I went from 25.9 mb to just 900 kb after changing this setting.

Hope this helps you and if you have any ideas how to fix this please let me know.

Todd
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Posted in Flex, Flex 4.6 Mobile.

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By Todd – January 23, 2012

Local Company Needing Senior Developer

I got a request today looking for Flex Developers. If you have great Flex skill please read the following and contact the person.

I hope this helps someone.

Todd

Senior Interactive Developer
The Ideal Candidate Has These Chops…

Senior Interactive Developers work closely with project managers, creative directors, content developers and web designers to plan and create compelling and cutting-edge web sites and web applications. Senior Interactive Developers should be experts in tools such as standards-compliant XHTML/CSS, JavaScript and AJAX frameworks, as well as PHP. Aside from their technical expertise, they should also be experts in regard to layout, usability, and business/technical logic and will often be called on to act as experts in client and concept meetings. Senior Interactive Developers will also oversee the growth and development of other web developers. They plan the road-map for programming paths for the company and are leaders for new technology expansions.
Accountability:

  • Completes assignments within prescribed deadlines.
  • Completes projects within the hours estimated and authorized for the work.
  • Works with the assigned account team to generate the highest quality of work.
  • Follows the work guidelines outlined in the MediaSauce Employee handbook.
  • Uses the prescribed company project management software to record all work hours, and as a source for
    storing all project documents.
  • Works on projects as assigned that may be out of the current job scope but is work that can be competently
    completed.

Responsibilities:

  • Lead and mentor other interactive developers to help them grow their skill.
  • Research and implement new technologies.
  • Collaborates in concept development with project team. Scopes out jobs for accurate cost estimates, and
    ensures final product meets creative vision.
  • Interfaces with client as required by projects or project team leader.
  • Work with a team (designers, project manager, and other developers) to create compelling and cutting-edge
    web sites and web applications.
  • Responsible for turning design and user interface mockups into functional web sites.
  • Custom programming and web application development.
  • Assist creative directors and content developers in organizing web site and web application content and flow.
  • Testing, maintenance, and troubleshooting of existing client web sites.
  • Involvement in the early discussions of a website/web applications design and development.

Experience/Skills:

  • MUST HAVE a passion for interactivity and providing the user the best experience for the budget.
  • 5+ years experience of frontend/backend web development using PHP
  • Flex 4.5 production experience
  • Passion for standards-based development.
  • Familiarity with both MySQL and SQL Server 2000/2005.
  • Independence, willingness to learn and problem solving skills are a must.
  • Must be able to handle a fast paced work environment, deadlines, and new challenges.
  • Ability to communicate ideas effectively and work as part of a team.
  • Strong leadership skills for assisting other developers.
  • Knowledge of writing custom/editing custom WordPress themes.
  • Expression Engine and/or CodeIgniter experience a major plus.
  • Familiarity with using JavaScript frameworks, primarily jQueryn
  • Familiarity with Adobe Flash AS2 and AS3 is a bonus but not required.

If you are interested, please send your resume and electronic portfolio to changetheworld@mediasauce.com

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Posted in Flex, Postings, Uncategorized.

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By Todd – January 18, 2012

Flex 4.6 Mobile Issues with Home & Back Key Press

I have been working on a mobile application using Flex 4.6 and ran into a few issues when pressing the Home and Back keys on an Android device. I researched the issue and everyone says that you should be able to use,

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addEventListener("keyDown", backKeyPressedHandler, false, 1);
 
private function backKeyPressedHandler(e:KeyboardEvent):void
	{
		if (e.keyCode == Keyboard.BACK)
		{
			e.preventDefault();
		}
 
		if (e.keyCode == Keyboard.HOME)
		{
			e.preventDefault();
			NativeApplication.nativeApplication.exit();
		}
	}

but that doesn’t always work. The Back button listener worked sometimes but not all the time. So this is what I had to do to get both to work. The listener stays the same.

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addEventListener("keyDown", backKeyPressedHandler, false, 1);

but I had to change what the keyboard event.keycode compared too. Here is what I created and works like a charm

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private function backKeyPressedHandler(e:KeyboardEvent):void
{
	if (e.keyCode == 16777234)
	{
	     e.preventDefault();
	}
 
	if (e.keyCode == 16777238)
	{
	     e.preventDefault();
	     NativeApplication.nativeApplication.exit();
	}
}

I hope this helps someone else that is having the same issue. Oh course you would probably want to create a global variable for the numbers to make it easier to understand. This is only for display purposes.

Todd

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Posted in ActioinScript 3, Flex, Flex 4.6 Mobile, Mobile Deveopment.

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By Todd – January 8, 2012

Developers: Game On!

http://blogs.adobe.com/flashplatform/2011/12/developers-game-on.html

This is a great blot post that should help you realize that Flash isn’t dead.

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Posted in Flash Games.

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By Todd – December 23, 2011

The way I see Flash/Flex Developing

By now I am sure everyone has heard about Adobe not supporting Flash Player on mobile devices and even going as far as to say HTML 5/JS is the new way to develop for the web. If you haven’t then you are not really a Flash Developer or have waaaaay too much going on.

I agree that HTML 5 has made faster progress then most of us would have thought, but the Flash Developer is long from being gone. I mean just look at how much Flash content is out there on the web and if you think clients are going to pay extra money to just flip the script, get it lol, on all those projects your wrong. They still need supporting.

I truly expected Flash Player would be leaving mobile since we publish to AIR and it makes more sense to publish an app then make a web app, that discussion is coming in another post and is my opinion, with that being said the Flash Developers that are making apps weather it is desktop or mobile are still secure. Adobe has even said that they are going to continue to support AIR and the development of AIR. Maybe the entire Flash web site as we know it will soon be a thing of the past, but then again I didn’t think an entire site needed to be all Flash anyway, in most instances.

On the issue of Flex moving to Apache, I think this move is going to be great for a few different reasons. 1. Apache has proven itself in organizing an open source project and they have been around for a while now. 2. Flex has always been open source but there were a lot of fights between what the community wanted and what Abobe wanted and I think this will fix a lot of those issues and maybe add features that will enhance Flex even more then we can hope. 3. I would rather see it move to open source then have Adobe sell it off to a company that would just trash it anyway.

Now onto games. If you are a Flash game developer I think you have nothing to worry about. With the features that Adobe has added into AIR and the Flash Player you should feel more comfort then the rest of us. You can now access the GPU, and the enhancements to Flashes 3D help a developer that wants to create the console style game a reality. Sure you can do the same with Unity and a few others, but why when you have the tools right here.

So to stop my rambling and after saying all of this I think it is always good to keep your skills polished as a programmer and learn new languages. You should never ever box yourself into a corner with just one skill or toolset. HMTL 5 is easy to learn and JS is not bad either so learn it while you can, but don’t leave Flash. It isn’t going anywhere.

Just my two cents.

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By Todd – November 25, 2011