MACROMEDIA FLASH MX 2004-USING FLASH Use Manual page 423

Building custom panels with the Extensibility API
This sample covers how to design and build a panel to control the functions of Flash. The Trace
Bitmap panel was built using the Extensibility API available in Flash. The Extensibility API is a
series of JavaScript methods and properties that correspond to methods and properties inside the
Flash application. You can explore the document to see how the JavaScript commands are used
and to get ideas for building your own panel.
Building a news reader (Flash Professional only)
This sample provides an interface to read the latest news at DevNet on www.macromedia.com.
The addition of the data binding user interface in Flash MX Professional 2004 lets users build
interfaces that connect to, retrieve, and display remote data without writing any code. The new
components have built-in data awareness, which allows several possible scenarios with web
services, XML documents, and more. You can explore this sample to see how these components
are connected to a Rich Site Summary (RSS) feed on www.macromedia.com.
Using scriptable masks
This sample covers how to dynamically mask Flash content at runtime using scriptable masks and
components. Scriptable masking allows precise control over how masks behave at runtime, and
allows the mask and/or the masked content to be dynamically changed at runtime. This sample
shows different types of masks and masked content that are controlled by a user interface built
with components. Explore this sample to learn more about masking and building interfaces with
components.
Using advanced video features (Flash Professional only)
This sample demonstrates some of the more advanced video features available in Flash MX
Professional 2004. Taking you through a computer generated world in FLV video, this
application lets the user set video bookmarks and demonstrates advanced video techniques
featuring non-linear video, executing functions from video cuepoints, and using ActionScript to
pause, rewind, fast forward, restart and reposition video.
Also covered are the use and control of multiple MediaDisplay components, video
synchronization, and skinning components.
Building a population viewer (Flash Professional only)
This sample demonstrates a unique and intuitive method of data visualization. A map of 15
European countries allows the user to drag the "population" of each country to either side of a
scale. Human figures, representing the population of the country selected, are placed on the scale
and automatically increase in size to represent the relative population of the country. Each time a
country's population is placed on the scale, the total population of each side of the scale is
recalculated and the scale tips to the side with the greater total.
Web Services provide the initial country populations. Throughout the sample ActionScript is
used to display, track, and compare data as well as operate the scale.
Using samples 423