• Adobe believes that Flex is the best solution for enterprise and data-centric application development today, and that moving Flex into a community-driven open source project ensures the continued development and success of Flex for years to come.
• In this new community-driven model, the community will be responsible for the maintenance and evolution of the Flex SDK while Adobe will continue to evolve tooling and runtimes.
• Closed to one decade (2004-12) Flex travels very long journey and released several milestone build Flex 1.0 to Flex 4.6.
• Flex is popular for its data-driven capability that attracts the enterprise level applications.
• Flex is friendlier with other technologies such as J2EE, PHP and .NET for integration.
• Innovation in HTML development model is moving at a very rapid pace that will provide developers with more choices when selecting the appropriate technology. But Flex has some advantage over HTML which makes it the best solution in the enterprise space for years to come. The key USP of Flex are:
• Flex offers complete feature-level consistency across multiple platforms, browsers, and devices.
• The Flex component set and programming model makes it extremely productive when building complex user interfaces.
• ActionScript 3 is a mature object-oriented programming language, suitable for large application development.
• Supporting tools offer a productive development environment with respect to code editing, debugging, profiling, and testing.
• As Flex moves into a community-driven open source project, Adobe will make initial technical contributions and will also continue to provide a team of full-time Flex SDK engineers to contribute to the Apache project. These are the list of contribution from Adobe to Apache Foundation for this movement:
• Flex SDK contributions to Apache
• Falcon compiler contribution to Apache
• Falcon JS compiler contribution to Apache
• Testing contributions to Apache
• BlazeDS contributions to Apache
• Engineering contributions to the Apache Flex Project
• Community support
• Adobe will not be contributing the AIR for Linux SDK, LCDS, or LCCS to Apache. Adobe is still investigating the viability of contributing TLF, BlazeDS.NET, Gravity, FXG, Squiggles, and OSMF.
• Now that Flex is a community-driven project, it is no longer appropriate nor practical for Adobe to sign the resulting Apache Flex RSLs. This means that when using an Apache Flex release, framework RSLs will not be cached globally by Flash Player, but rather per domain in the web browser.
• Adobe is remains committed to Adobe Flash Player for Desktop, Adobe AIR for both Desktop and Mobile and development of Adobe tools for Flex.
• Adobe will no longer develop Flash player for the mobile browser.

Adobe’s are currently in the process of contributing the core Flex SDK, automation libraries, AIR SDK binaries, and documentation to the Apache Flex Project. Adobe will also be contributing Falcon, Falcon JS, Mustella, and BlazeDS.

References:
Adobe White Paper
Apache Flex Project

This year 2012 is the first year of Flex to live outside Adobe and managed by open source Apache Foundation. In the other side Adobe is also planning to renovate the Flex compiler and they are researching on making it possible to convert ActionScript code to JavaScript code. In this way we can develop HTML/HTML5 based application using ActionScript code. The open source movement is very popular and this is strengthen every year. Now onwards Apache is the the future for Flex. Apache Software Foundation was founded and is governed by the common people that really understand open source development model. It is one of the most respected software foundations in the world. To know more about how Apache Software Foundation (ASF) works then visit this link - http://www.apache.org/foundation/how-it-works.html.

For more info on this – http://wiki.apache.org/incubator/FlexProposal

New Flex SDK 4.6 support for the latest Flash player 11 and AIR 3 runtime. Now this new SDK also brings support of iOS5 platform.

For more information on Flex SDK 4.6 features please visit Adobe Flex SDK 4.6 page and you can also check What’s new in Flex 4.6 SDK and Flash Builder 4.6 by Jacob Surber.

Adobe Flash Player

Flash is travelled very long distance in last decade, from Macromedia Flash to Adobe Flash. This Flash word is always in tech buzz. Initially it was popular in animator group then gradually attracted the attention of application developers and became a de-facto for RIA applications.

Flash is always preferable for developing richest content and deployed on browser. This enables consistent look and feel across different browser wherever Flash Player installed. Last year Flash was rejected by Apple’s for their devices and Apple started advocating open source technologies HTML5. This incident started a new thread in tech community over Flash existence.  Now again the same buzz started on Flash and its future after the Adobe’s recent announcement that they will no longer develop the Flash player for mobile browsers. In tech history there were several popular technology rolled out and rolled back depends on market movement, like JavaFX, SilverLight etc. Every technology has their lifecycle and this is manipulated by technology deviations.

Now we are entered in handheld device from desktop era. Here in this era everyone is looking for application migration for handheld devices. Here now if anything happens related to mobile or handheld devices then there is big news, but last year Adobe also stopped future development for Linux based AIR then there was silence.

Compare to Flash Player currently HTML5 is now supported on all major mobile devices. HTML5 is now a preferable technology for browser based application on mobile devices. With the latest release of Flash Player 11.1 for mobile browser Adobe will not support further for Flash player of mobile browser. This version of Flash player is still a very advance and powerful, there is still a scope of development Flash based application for mobile browser by taking advantage of new Flash Player 11.1 features.

As per market trends most of the customer want to port there application as a mobile devices apps, not as a browser based application. Here in this segment Flash is still a key player and we can port our Flash based application on Mobile device using AIR. Good news Adobe is still working on Flash Player 12 version so there is no point of worry.HTML5 is a very good technology but it still need time to fulfil the entire RIA requirement. Video/Media content delivery model is still not consistent in HTML5. Here Flash Player is best solution.

I am waiting for the day when Flash Player become an open source product and managed by some open source community. Then after we can say that we as Flash developers are using non-proprietary technology like HTML5. In this area Adobe has already taken initiative by planning to contribute the Flex SDK to an open source foundation.  This step will really give a high momentum in Flex SDK area.

Flash journey start from FutureWave to Macromedia and from Macromedia to Adobe, now Flash is ready to open source community in future. There is one thing for sure wherever Flash will go it will rock, it will not going to die soon like others.

By this article I am going to share the basic and essential part of this API that helps to understand the integration process. In this example I am going to use Spring+BlazeDS integration API for integrating backend Spring based J2EE layer into client layer Flex application.

What I am going to cover here:
# Creating Spring based J2EE backend layer
# Implementing Spring BlazeDS Integration API
# Creating Flex application for client layer

List of software used for this implementation:
# FlashBuilder 4.5
# Flex Framework SDK 4
# Apache Tomcat 7.0
# Spring BlazeDS Integration 1.5.0
# Spring framework library
# BlazeDS library
# Eclipse with WTP for creating dynamic web application
Note – we can use compatible preceding version of these software also.

Creating Spring based J2EE backend layer

In this step first create a dynamic web application using Eclipse IDE by File->New->Project->Web- Dynamic Web Project options and enter the basic project details and settings.

In the above steps cross check the context root name for this application. This context root name will be use for client layer integration. After this steps this project will look like below in project explorer of Eclipse IDE.

Now put all the jar files of downloaded library in WebContent->WEB-INF->lib folder. Total number of jar files in lib folder are 36.

Tips : If you unable to find any of these listed jar files then you can manually download this from http://grepcode.com by entering the full name of zar file. Make sure you have all the respective library jar files of Spring Framework, BlazeDS and Spring+BlazeDS integration API.

Now after this initial project setup steps move to J2EE layer development. In this example I am fetching the list of country for Flex client layer.

Creating Spring based J2EE backend layer

First modify ‘web.xml’ in the ‘WEB-INF’ directory. Go to the WebContent->WEB-INF->web.xml directory. Here I define a DispatcherServlet (also known as a ‘Front Controller’. It is going to control all the requests. This servlet definition also has an attendant <servlet-mapping/> entry that maps to the URL patterns that will be used for making request. Here I am defining url pattern as /messageBroker/*, that means all request url containing this pattern will be routed to the ‘blazeds’ servlet (the DispatcherServlet).

Now I have created blazeds-servlet.xml file in WebContent->WEB-INF-> directory. This file contains the bean definitions used by the DispatcherServlet. It is the WebApplicationContext where all web-related components go. The name of this file is determined by the value of the <servlet-name/> element from the 'web.xml', with '-servlet' appended to it (hence 'blazeds-servlet.xml'). In this I am configuring spring annotation framework and providing a base package location of J2EE interface layer classes for Flex communication. And most important thing is configuring message-broker of Spring+BlazeDS integration API for object serialization.

After this we have to define blazeDS communication channel in services-config.xml file at WebContent->WEB-INF->flex-> (this is a default location of services config file).

Now all the configuration lavel part is done and move to Class lavel coding. Just have a look on this class.

The best part of Spring+BlazeDS Integration API is we now we don’t need to configure remote-config file for every java class. We just have to write a one single Spring annotation tag in class and need to provide a remoting communication channel information. In the above class I have used these three basic Spring annotation tag:

• @Service(“mapManagerService”) – for giving a destination name of this class for Flex layer remoting.
• @RemotingDestination(channels={“my-amf”}) – for providing a remoting communication channel name.
• @RemotingInclude – using this tag we can include the method of the class for remoting.

Now we are ready to deploy this application on server.

Creating Flex application for client layer

In Flex layer we don’t have to do anything extra just need to create a Remote Object and call the exposed service destination from J2EE layer. For testing we don’t need to deploy this Flex application on server.

Output screen of Flex application

Reference link:

• Spring BlazeDS Integration API Regerence Guide
  http://static.springsource.org/spring-flex/docs/1.5.x/reference/html/index.html
  Download the latest Spring+BlazeDS integration API from http://www.springsource.com/download/community and Unzip the file and copy spring flex core zar file from dist folder.
• Adobe BlazeDS API
  http://opensource.adobe.com/wiki/display/blazeds/BlazeDS/
  You can download the latest BlazeDS library archives and unzip the files and extract the lib files from the blazeds.war (you can rename the .war to .zip for getting libs)
• Spring Framework
  Official website of Spring Framework is http://www.springsource.org/.
  For downloading the latest Spring Framework http://www.springsource.org/download
  Unzip the files and copy all the zar files from dist folder.

Source files of example projet : http://uploading.com/files/f22164bb/GeekTest_01.zip/

We lost a great innovator, great entrepreneur and creative person Steven P. Jobs. Steve Jobs an innovative mind behind the success of iMac, iPod, iTunes, iPhone, iPad and many more products.

Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. – Mr. Cook (CEO Apple).

In more than three decade career, Jobs transformed technology industry’s into the innovation center. The popular “i” series product of Apple are a reflections of Steve’s innovation and the tech world lost his innovative machine.

Mr. Steve Jobs you will be missed for every innvoative and creative idea.

This conversation strike me a lot and I have started thinking on this. Normally we are living just for doing our professional work, we are not working for live life. Basically we are trapped in our professional competition and we don’t have time to live our life in definitive way. Every time we are ready to give an excuse our work is on high priority but we forget to point out that our life is also very important. Ultimately we are here to live life.

When I was in school I was on the principle’s list, an honorary roll awarded only to top students and in every academic year I was there. In that time I was also occupied with my school stuff and I am able to manage and get time for me. I do what I liked including my hobbies, hanging out with friends, painting, singing, participation in school drama, social activity, teenage love, school science exhibition, sports, and so many things.

After jumping into professional competition I forgot everything. I used to working as an engineer and after working a normal 40 hour work in a week and feeling exhausted by the weekend. I was completely drained and I could barely find enough energy for doing anything for me. On every Saturdays I just veg out in front of the TV. I felt like a complete vegetable. I spends my weekends generally for resting and preparing mind-set for next Monday to Friday job.

I did that for several years, sitting idle like a vegetable on the couch wondering to myself, What was I supposed to be doing? Why wasn’t I happy? Why did I feel that I had to pretend when I was at work? And why was everyone else pretending?”. We have only five days working and rest two days we utilized as a getting out from office tiredness. It’s not our problem we taught like that and force to jump into this competition and forgot real meaning of life.

I feel I’m wasting my time doing something that doesn’t even make me happy. It’s like I’m living a lie. In fact there was a part of me that realized that there was more to life than working. There was a real part of me that felt my life had meaning and I was here to do something special.

But you know what’s even harder? Pretending to be something you’re not. Pretending to be happy when you’re not. Pretending to be someone that you’re not. That takes so much more energy and effort

If we want to discover our true meaning of life, then we must first empty our mind of all the false meaning that we have been taught. Now I don’t want to waste my precious life I want to give a meaning of my life. I have started creating the list what I want from my life. I included all my hobbies, my social responsibility, family and the things that make me happy.

I gradually included this things in my lifestyle. Now every day I have something special for me, and my everyday is countable in my life. I started playing tennis, play with colours for paintings, singing for giving inner peace, creating new friends, meet new people, visit new places etc. It’s all gives me an inner satisfaction and true happiness. Now I am happy because my inner soul is happy. I live my life to maintain my own happiness while trying my best to not cause unhappiness to anyone else. If you want to be happy you need to understand that you can be happy and that you should be happy. Happiness is hard to define but most of the people are know whether they are happy or not.

Live and design your life how you want because you are the one who decide how you want to live your life. Listening is okay, but doing what everyone wants is simply bad for you. Execute the good feedback and follow your own vision.

---

My mom always say this to me

A good place to start is to write down a list of your biggest talents, now give a try any of these and enjoy the most. Take these talents and give something of it to someone. For example, if your talent is social cause, volunteer to help someone in social activity. Or if it is to painting, paint a picture for someone and give it away as a gift. Or if you are an energetic individual, bring some energy into someone’s life.

Here I have a list of the point that make our living life meaningful and provide an inner happiness:

• Understand what it is that will make you happy. Make a plan for attaining goals that you believe will make you happy. Spend a few minutes each day thinking about the things that make you happy. These few minutes will give you the opportunity to focus on the positive things in your life and will lead you to continued happiness
• Surrounded yourself with happy people and let go of negative friendships. When something goes wrong try to figure out a solution instead of wallowing in self pity and stop worrying so much. We all are love to criticize everything it create a negative energy so criticize less, appreciate more.
• Create you list of thing that you want to do in your life and expend your boundary limit and always try something new. It will give you a pleasure of happiness and new experience.
• Show love and kindness to all the people around you. Respect everyone they may not react in a kind way immediately, but they will notice and appreciate your kindness.
• Finally, it is important to understand that we all deserve happiness so define a new meaning of our life.
  In our today society there is a common mind-set of “If I can just have, be or achieve this or that, then I would be fulfilled and happy”.

This mind-set flawed because it is a mind-set of finding fulfilment, happiness and purpose outside of yourself. It tells you that you first need to achieve, do or have something in the future before you can be happy.

Thanks for reading this narrated piece of my experience.

Swiz official website stated this as “The brutally simple micro-architecture for Enterprise ActionScript development”. This tagline is very catchy and promise to cater key requirement of any application i.e. simple framework for enterprise level application. While judging this statement I have migrated some of the small apps into Swiz framework and reduced 30-40% of codebase, it is interesting.

Here I am giving you simple steps to give a start Swiz based application:
Create a context file for configuring Swiz framework. In this configuration we are providing the Beans and configure the Swiz framework.

1. Create a Bean factory as repository for Bean classes.
2. Injecting the bean where it needed using [Inject] tag. After injecting the bean you are able access the bean object.
3. Register handle for flash event using [Eventhandler(event=”EventClass.EVENT_NAME”)] for event handling.

Swiz Context Configuration

Swiz Bean factory

Injecting Bean and register event handler

Dispatching event

Now after this simple step we can give a start to Swiz based application development. This is really a very simple as stated in Swiz website. One key point here is all metadata tag related function and properties should marked as public. Swiz framework developer’s team are also ready with Swiz AOP version (Aspect Oriented Programming). Swiz AOP gives you the powerful ability to easily configure new functionality into existing code, instead of muddying up your fundamental business logic. It is an extremely powerful methodology that Swiz makes very easy to work with.

There is an operator named logical OR assignment (||=) , this is not in a frequently use. The use of ||= operator is it assigns expression1 the value of expression1 || expression2. First see the traditional approach with the use of conventional operator. See the below example.

Using logical OR assignment operator (||=) we can optimize this.

In the above example you can see that the complete logical IF statement is shrink into one single line. This operator work like if object is initialized then use the same otherwise assign the newly created object. Enjoy! and give a chance for this operator in your programming.

Adobe’s Edge Tool Interface Preview

Edge Preview Highlights

This version of Edge focuses primarily on adding rich motion design to new or existing HTML projects, that runs beautifully on devices and desktops.

# Create new compositions with Edge’s drawing and text tools.
# Import popular web graphics such as SVG, PNG, JPG or GIF files.
# Easily choreograph animation with the timeline editor. Animate position, size, color, shape, rotation and more at the property level.
# Energize existing HTML files with motion, while preserving the integrity of CSS-based HTML layouts.
# Copy and paste transitions, invert them, and choose from over 25 built-in easing effects for added creativity.

Reference link for Adobe’s Edge

Adobe Lab for Edge – http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/edge/
Download Link – https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/entitlement/index.cfm?e=labs_edge
Sample file for preview – http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/edge/resources/