Do you feel corparations like Google are unjustifiable favoring flex over flash

[GFX Complex]

After waiting for ever for yahoo to come out with the flash version of their map API, I was give a false since of hope by google today when I read a title that stated "Google Maps API for Flash" at Google's API site. Come to fined out it's only for flex just as the one is from Yahoo.

I'm sick of every one favoring flex over flash for AS3. Flash is just as capable of using AS3 as flex if not better. ("note: I said Using"). The display API in the Flash version of AS3 is far greater then the one in flex and such a thing as a "graphical map" should capitalize on flash's strengths not write all your code for flex only.

what do you think?

[lordofduct]

I love such discussions, but I'd love some links even more.

And from what I've read, I don't see anything stopping a flash user from using it. I don't see anything unique to Flex itself.

[GFX Complex]

http://code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/flash/

[lucidmedia]

I agree with lordofduct. I see nothing that would stop you from using this API with an AS3 only project. Am I wrong?

There is a lot more documentation for APIs and such that feature flex, but I have yet to run into the problem where it is required.

[GFX Complex]

what are you talking about? you can't use the "flash API" in Flash..............

First: they only give you a swc for the source so theres no native way to get the classes to import in flash. Plus the Display API in flex is incomputable with flas.

Even then it's still an AS3 API at best not a Flash API. :(

[creynders]

what are you talking about? you can't use the "flash API" in Flash..............

First: they only give you a swc for the source so theres no native way to get the classes to import in flash. Plus the Display API in flex is incomputable with flas.

Even then it's still an AS3 API at best not a Flash API. :(

Umm... A swc file is a component file. You can import it in flash and use it.
So, yes it IS a Google maps API for flash (AND flex)

[wvxvw]

Although creynders is 100% right, I wouldn't like to get swc instead of sorces. Favoring Flex over Flash has it reasons. Flex SDK is a free tool and the authoring environment may be installed on all OSes, whence Flash is not/can not. So, giving API for Flex is more logical because, theoreticaly, it may be used by more developers.

[newblack]

It sounds to me like you don't have a good grasp on what differentiates flash and flex...

There is nothing that prevents you from utilizing this in your Flash projects. Flex is JUST a framework written in AS3. I certainly don't resent anyone for not knowing that, but it does irk me when someone feels motivated enough to (incorrectly) post about it.

And I don't get these last 2 sentences of your last post:
Plus the Display API in flex is incomputable with flas.
What do you mean by the Flex Display API, and being incomputable (incompatible?) with .flas?
Even then it's still an AS3 API at best not a Flash API.
What do you mean by this? What is a Flash API?

[GFX Complex]

Umm... A swc file is a component file. You can import it in flash and use it.
So, yes it IS a Google maps API for flash (AND flex)

Prove it and I will take it all back that I have had to say.
but I don't think you can.

I don't want to argue that flex and flash are the same, all I'm saying is that you "CAN'T" use the new google API in flash................

So prove me wrong. Please!

[GFX Complex]

It sounds to me like you don't have a good grasp on what differentiates flash and flex...

There is nothing that prevents you from utilizing this in your Flash projects. Flex is JUST a framework written in AS3. I certainly don't resent anyone for not knowing that, but it does irk me when someone feels motivated enough to (incorrectly) post about it.

And I don't get these last 2 sentences of your last post:

What do you mean by the Flex Display API, and being incomputable (incompatible?) with .flas?

What do you mean by this? What is a Flash API?


sorry that was a type-o the flas is missing an h

Flex Display API, and being incomputable (incompatible?) with "[flash]"

this is true though I don't plan on spelling it all out for you. The bottom line is Flex AS3 is not 100% compatible with Flash AS3 due to some display API's used in flex and flash that differ from each other. For example the UILoader base API in both IDE's are incomputable with each other thats why the Yahoo map won't work right with flash yet.

Now I'm not saying down the road after some work that the google map could not be used in flash, I'm saying you cant right now so they should not call it a flash API nor should they have made it with only flex in mined.

[creynders]

Prove it and I will take it all back that I have had to say.
but I don't think you can.

I don't want to argue that flex and flash are the same, all I'm saying is that you "CAN'T" use the new google API in flash................

So prove me wrong. Please!

here's how (http://livedocs.adobe.com/flash/9.0/main/00000387.html)
Put the file in the right place and from then on you can use the Google classes by importing whatever classes you need.

[GFX Complex]

here's how (http://livedocs.adobe.com/flash/9.0/main/00000387.html)
Put the file in the right place and from then on you can use the Google classes by importing whatever classes you need.

that did not prove it will work.

"VerifyError: Error #1014: Class com.google.maps::Map could not be found.

at global$init()"


import com.google.maps.Map;
var test:Map = new Map();

[halfasleeps]

Umm... A swc file is a component file. You can import it in flash and use it.
So, yes it IS a Google maps API for flash (AND flex)

Actually not....u can ONLY use a swc in FLASH if it contains graphical content, if it only contains code it will not work in FLASH just FLEX.


I had this same problem, when I was working with SHU and AIR applications, they gave me a set of extended functions to use but they were in an .swc and it would not work in flash, and they didnt provide how to use it in flash. Luckily I contact shu and they sent me a NEW .swc that contained graphical content and it then worked in flash. They also updated their help to work with flash as well after talking to me.

But yeah I agree with the thread topic.

[lordofduct]

that poll doesn't really give a good selection of choices.

No I don't think they should "only"... but that doesn't mean they shouldn't. If developed well, it works in both boats and works just fine for me. Especially being an Ubuntu Linux user as well, the Flex environment is the only choice I have. Should I not get use of these libraries just so that it'd be customized for use in Flash CS3?

The goal AS3 appears to be going for is a more open and useful language... so rich web applications and not just movies can be made with it.

[dr_zeus]

Flash CS3 doesn't support SWCs that only contain classes. You actually need to have components defined based on library assets for a SWC to work in Flash CS3. GFX Complex is 100% correct in this regard.

For those reasons, it's actually harder to build components that work with both Flash CS3 and the Flex SDK. There are some considerations that must be made that the primary Yahoo! Maps API developer didn't take into account, mainly because he and those of us on the Flash Platform team at Yahoo! didn't know about the SWC support differences between the Flex SDK and Flash CS3. Now, instead of the supposedly easy solution we expected, we have to build a visual component and do some crazy tricks to ensure that drag-and-drop to the stage works with width and height sizing and all sorts of garbage that is non-trivial.

A Yahoo! Maps component for Flash CS3 is coming. We didn't intentionally favor the Flex SDK. We want to be sure all AS3 developer can use our code. Simply put, it's taken more time than expected, but we're working on it. Please be patient. :)

[newblack]

wow- i checked this out and i was completely wrong. my apologies for screaming down from my high horse.

but, now i can answer the question with a little humility; no, i do not feel as if anyone is unjustifiably favoring Flex over Flash. the unfree nature of an .fla makes it a restricted target in my opinion. my issue here, then, is with Adobe for what is most certainly a ridiculous oversight...

a follow up question- does anyone here that uses the Flash IDE exclusively intend to use something like the Google Map API seriously?

[creynders]

that did not prove it will work.

"VerifyError: Error #1014: Class com.google.maps::Map could not be found.

at global$init()"


import com.google.maps.Map;
var test:Map = new Map();

My apologies! Apparently you seem to be right.