Welcome to ASPNetFlash

    The ASPNetFlash software package has quickly become the industry standard for ASP.NET Flash embedding and interaction. At its simplest, the ASPNetFlash WebControl allows you to add Adobe Flash media (.swf files) into your ASP.NET web forms.  But, ASPNetFlash is more than that - it has grown to become an essential development tool that allows you to now simply accomplish what was once clumsy or even thought impossible.

    With ASPNetFlash version 2.0, developers are empowered with a built-in runtime Flash debugging console which enables clearer communication between Flash developers and .NET programmers.  ASPNetFlash can now be DataBound to a .NET DataSource, and Flash Variables have become easier to define and modify. Included with our ASP.NET WebControl is a revolutionary ActionScript library that can be used in concert with our WebControl.  We call it ActionSpeak™.

The Basics

• Removes the annoying "Click to activate and use this control" message on Flash Movies.
• Automatically detects the client's Flash plug-in version and appropriately displays alternative HTML content.
• Provides an HTML-alternative template that supports all .NET webform (ASPX) content.
• Produces XHTML compliant code (conventional Flash embedding techniques do not).
• Produces search engine friendly code.
• Allows you to produce WAI compliant, accessible websites with Flash media.
• Automatically detects your Flash Movie's principle properties, so that Flash can be added to your WebPages in just a few clicks.
• Compatible with Microsoft AJAX.
• All script and XHTML markup created by ASPNetFlash is encrypted, creating a blanket of security over your Flash files.

Debug Console

    A common issue with Flash development, and with its incorporation into websites has been that often the Flash designer and the web developer are not the same person.  Furthermore, debugging a live Flash module has always tended to boil down to a sophisticated game of guess and check. With the release of version 2.0 comes the concept of Live Flash Debugging.  

    The ASPNetFlash WebControl can now be run in DebugMode, which in a web browser presents the developer with a Remote Debugging Console.  This console contains all of your Flash movie's real-time objects and variables.  Additionally, it outputs the XHTML Object Code used to display the Flash object and any DataBound data in XML format.  This debugging console is available to you at any point during the development process - from its infancy through live website maintenance.

One-Step DataBinding

1.  Data Sources

    ASPNetFlash is a DataBound WebControl.  When a Data Source is affixed to the ASPNetFlash object, data from that source is read, encoded, and passed into the Flash movie when run.  The following .NET DataSource controls are supported for databinding with Flash:

• XMLDataSource (Passed into Flash as XML)
• SiteMapDataSource (Passed into Flash as XML)
• ObjectDataSource (Passed into Flash as a Record Set)
• AccessDataSource (Passed into Flash as a Record Set)
• SQLDataSource (Passed into Flash as a Record Set)

    Additionally, the DataSource variable can be directly set to any of the following objects:

• XMLReader
• TextReader
• XMLDocument

2.  Flash Variables

    Flash Variables are a Flash staple, and ASPNetFlash handles them beautifully.  They allow variables, which consist of a given name and value, to be injected into an Adobe Flash movie when it is loaded.  These variables are then easily accessible from the Flash movie's ActionScript, allowing you to set textual content, menu links and other settings that are useful to display dynamic Flash content.

    The FlashVariables collection is a public property, which can be edited in three ways.  It can be accessed by writing ASPX tags in the source code, or by directly accessing the variable in the code behind.  Either of these options provide flexibility and the power to dynamically define and modify Flash Variables.  The simplest way, is a Property Editor, accessible from either the Control Designer's Smart Tags, or from the Property Panel is shown below:

JavaScript API

   The new JavaScript API allows developers to completely control and manipulate Flash Movies using JavaScript code.  This includes using JavaScript to set and set flash variable and call ActionScript function.

ActionSpeak™ - Louder than words

1.  Overview

    ActionSpeak™ is an ActionScript API  which, when used in concert with ASPNetFlash's Flash WebControl, allows you to do some very amazing things with Adobe Flash objects.  It expands the world of the Flash developer, by opening pathways for synchronous or asynchronous communication with every technology in its environment.  It lays a concrete web-foundation for your Flash objects with its Persistent ActionScript ViewState and SessionState Variables.  Finally, it functionalizes universally compatible Flash Pop-overs and allows developers to dynamically move, swap and resize Flash Movies on the fly.

2.  Synchronous Communication

    One of the key concepts that ActionSpeak™ brings to the Adobe Flash developer is fluid interoperability between ActionScript, JavaScript, HTML form objects, and other Flash Movies.  Using ActionSpeak™, methods in any of the technologies below can be called, and their return values read synchronously, as though the functions were native to their own language.

i.  HTML Forms

    ActionSpeak™ allows you to get and set the value of any form field that is on the same ASPX page as the embedded Flash Movie.  Addtionally, HTML forms can now be submitted directly from ActionScript.

ii.  JavaScript

    With ActionSpeak™, ActionScript and JavaScript are completely intertwined.  Using ActionSpeak™ protocols, any JavaScript function can be called from ActionScript.

From ActionScript:
var returnValue = ActionSpeak.CallJavaScript("confirm('Hello World');"); 

iii.  Other Flash Movies

    ActionSpeak™ allows remote control of any other Flash Movie, embedded in the same ASPX page.  This includes remotely setting ActionScript variables or calling ActionScript functions.

3.  Asynchronous Communication

i.  ASP.NET Data-Driving Interface

    ActionSpeak™ also aids in simplifying the parsing of data sets that are passed into the Flash Movie.  Using the ASPNetFlash Flash WebControl, you can very simply DataBind the control to a DataSource.  This data comes in the form of either an XML document or a RecordSet, and ActionSpeak™ presents Flash developers with objects that hold this data in a easy to use way.

ii.  ASP.NET Event Wireup

    At any point of a Flash Movie's life, a postback function can now be called to its parent ASPX page.  The event will be handled by a function that can be set in the code-behind, simply by double clicking on the ASPNetFlash Flash control in the Visual Studio Designer for your WebForm, and then filling it in with a custom action.  

    Using this feature causes the web page to postback - which in the past would cause your Flash Movie to lose its memory.  By using the ActionScript ViewState or SessionState Variables (#4 below), these postbacks can occur without your Flash Movie losing its place.

4.  ActionScript ViewState & SessionState Variables

i.  ActionScript ViewState Variables

    By setting and retrieving ActionScript ViewState Variables, Flash developers can make their Flash Movies persist across ASPX page refreshes, including those caused by postbacks.  ViewState variables remain unchanged in the Flash Movie, even after the page reloads.

ii.  ActionScript SessionState Variables

    By setting and retrieving ActionScript SessionState Variables, Flash developers can save data to a site-wide repository - accessible by any Flash Movie on the Website.  This data will persist after page reloads and even in a return visit to the website.  Unlike saving data in the traditional "Shared Object", the user is not prompted to authorize its use.

5.  Advanced Flash Features

i.  Pop-over & Live Movement

    Traditionally used in advertising, floating, movable Flash overlays have in the past been difficult to implement and have worked only in Internet Explorer.  With ActionSpeak™, Flash can be easily deployed as a transparent, floating layer, in all modern web browsers.

ii.   Resizing

    With ActionSpeak™ installed, your Flash Movie can be automatically resized from either ActionScript or JavaScript.

iii.   Dynamic Flash Movie Source Swapping

    With ActionSpeak™ installed, you can change the source URL of your Flash Movie to another Flash Movie on the fly, from either ActionScript or JavaScript.