Flex Flash Air Interfaces for Custom Content Types in Drupal Chris Charlton

FLEX/FLASH/AIR INTERFACES FOR CUSTOM CONTENT TYPES IN DRUPAL

as presented by Chris Charlton

N O F L U F F N O M A R K E T I N G J U S T I D E A S

CHRISCHARLTON.US

I.DRUPAL.LA

Co-author, first book with Drupal & Flex.Advanced Flex Application

Development: Building Rich Media X

Co-manage LA Drupal, over 150 strong.

DrupalCampLA, also join us there Sept 16-17.

// What’s possible

WHAT’S THIS R.I.A. BUZZ?Rich Internet Applications (RIA)

WHO DOES THIS NOW?

SPROUTSprout http://sproutbuilder.com

MOLLOMMollom for Drupal http://mollom.com

ADOBEFlex Showcase http://flex.org/showcase

Basics first...

DRUPALPHP - Free.

MySQL/Postgre - Free.CSS/XHTML/JS - Free.

Licensing - Free.Is a Framework? Yes.

http://drupal.org

WE CHOSE DRUPAL FOR:

Ease.Free cost.

Vibrant community.Customization!

CONTENT CREATION KIT (CCK)

Allows quick creation of custom content types.

Community module.

Drupal 5 & 6.

Used a lot... really, a lot.

http://drupal.org/project/cck

CCK Interface (Drupal 5)

Too many choices?

CUSTOM CONTENT... TOO EASY

Make up content types with CCK:

Clients and contacts

Horde clan members

Session proposal forms

Anything!

C C K P O L I C E D O N O T E X I S T.

1. Define content types with CCK.

(Forms to enter, update, and delete content are made auto-magically)

2. Set permissions.

3. Create view(s) of that custom content type.

Rinse and repeat.

NORM CCK WORKFLOW

Put some magic on

SERVICES DRUPAL MODULE

Turns Drupal into a data gateway

Add the AMFPHP module and get Flex’n.

Drupal 5 & 6 (in dev)

http://drupal.org/project/services

FLEXSDK - Free.

Framework - in the SDK.Documentation - Online.

Licensing - Free.

http://adobe.com/flex

Flex Builder is Adobe’s IDE.

Flex applications are programmed with ActionScript, MXML, XML, and CSS.

Flex is easy to code - I’ll me show you! (demo)

FLEX IS A FRAMEWORK

DEMO

HTTP://ADOBE.COM/FLEX

MYTH: You need to install a “Flex Player.” Flex only needs Flash Player 9 or above.

MYTH: Flex costs $$$.Flex compilers, SDK, and framework are all free.

MYTH: Ajax is better.Flex is Ajax/JavaScript friendly so stop hating.

MYTH: Flex only loads XML.Flex has Binary Sockets.

FLEX MYTHS

FLEX VS. FLASH

Flex is a framework, Flash is not.

Flash can use the Flex framework.

Flash is geared towards design and animation.

Flex is for programmers, programmers, programmers.

Flash components can be used in Flex projects.

Computer, show me awesome-ness.

FLEX + DRUPAL SCENARIOS

Photo management for the rest of us.

Fields/Modules:

Image (file)

Image name (optional)

Image Field, Gallery, etc.

Sets or folders (feature)

Tags

SCENARIO: PHOTO MGMT

WHAT CAN THAT LOOK LIKE?

http://www.scalenine.com/themes/darkroom/darkroom.html

OR LOOK LIKE THIS...

http://fleksray.org/skins/scribble/Scribble.html

OR BE PHOTOSHOP EXPRESS!

http://photoshop.com/express

Public web site bug submission

Fields:

E-mail (optional)

Browser (type and version)

Operating System (and version)

Where the error/bug occurred

Send screenshot(s) of the entire Flex area

Notes or issue description

SCENARIO: REPORT-A-BUG

WHAT CAN THAT LOOK LIKE?

Public web site to submit web sites or Flex projects

Fields:

E-mail

Company

Category/Tag(s)

URL link

Screenshot image(s)

Notes or comments

SCENARIO: SHOWCASE

ADOBEFlex Showcase http://flex.org/showcase

WE HAVEN’T SEEN NOTHING(double negative)

ADOBE AIRSDK - Free.

Framework - in the SDK.Documentation - Free.

Publishing Cross Platform Desktop Software - Free.

http://adobe.com/air

Flex applications make easy AIR apps.

Adobe AIR apps are programmed with/in ActionScript, JavaScript, MXML, XML, and CSS.

Make software for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.

ADOBE AIR

Adobe AIR makes your app “Halo status”

ADOBE AIR SCENARIOS

Dashboard desktop app provides visual status about your Drupal sites.

Fields/Features:

Site name (optional)

URL/IP to watch

Site check frequency (seconds, minutes, hours, days)

Save/Export data and reports to PDF, PNG/JPG, or CSV for starters.

SCENARIO: SITE WATCHER

WHAT CAN THAT LOOK LIKE?

http://samples.degrafa.com

WHAT ABOUT FLASH?

“Flash” is a...

1. Technology

2. Platform

3. IDE/Software

4. Flash Player

Conversation:

“You do Flash?”“Yup."“Sweet.”

http://adobe.com/flash

F L A S H I S G O I N G F R O M 2 D . . .

T O 3 D !

Don’t fear robots

Dream well.