Shuriken: The Flash Lite 2 Component Framework

Flash Lite 2 & 2.1 are the versions of the Flash Player that run on devices. Mobiles / phones today are typically dominated by J2ME and Java in general for developing applications & services. Flash Lite 2 now gives traditional Flash Developers, as well as brave traditional programmers, an ability to contribute into this growing market, captilizing on Flash's strengths over Java of being quicker to develop with less need to make multiple builds for various devices. This is made possible via Flash Lite 2's implementation of ActionScript 2 compared to the extremely limited scripting of Flash Lite 1.1. While there are many challenges for Flash' growth on mobiles / phones such as consumer adoption and operator control of networks & distribution, the problem of toolsets is disappearing. Adobe's CS3 product suite will deliver Adobe Device Central, a program in it's own right that allows testing & emulation of Flash Lite content on a variety of devices made possible by profiles.

  • Difficulty: Experienced
  • Prerequisites: Actionscript development experience.
  • Session Track: Flex

Session Detail

There has been no news of a component framework, however, for Flash Lite 2. Developers don't have time, nor desire, to re-invent the component framework wheel for creating UI components such as button and list controls just so they can "start" making applications. Adobe doesn't show any sign of providing any either. The v2 component framework that is currently in Flash MX 2004 & Flash 8 will not work on most devices because of processor & memory limitations. While the technology is definately new and ripe for growth, you need to empower the market to build atop your platform, and they are most successful doing that with a framework, just like Flex 2 does with the Flex Component Framework.

Enter Shuriken. Shuriken is a component framework built specifically for Flash Lite 2. The goals of Shuriken are as follows:

  1. To work on the lowest common denominator Flash Lite 2 enabled device. If Flash Lite 2 runs on the device, Shuriken should work.
  2. To require no styling code. Flash Lite 1.1's success is attribute to the design communities adoption of it, mainly in Japan, for creating games and branded portals. Shuriken leaves all skinning and styling up to the developer, therefore not bloating the codebase.
  3. To provide all the necessarey UI controls and various other utility classes a Flash Developer needs with the ability to easily extend.

Developing in the constrains of Flash Lite 2 is hard. You have extremely small screen real-estate that doesn't change, a slow processor, and a extremely low amount of memory. A lot of the typical Flash Developer methodologies just don't work with Flash Lite 2. As long as you recognize the restraints and have a framework to build upon, like Shuriken, you can definately be successful in creating applications for devices. This market is definately an emerging one, and while the business challenges are being handled by Adobe via the FlashCast initiaitive among other things, I've handled the framework problem.

Come see how to build Flash Lite 2 applications via Shuriken. I'll show 2 that I've built and go through the challenges, gotchas, and code.

Speakers

Jesse Warden (Atlanta, USA)

Jesse Warden specializes in Flex & Flash Development. He does Flash Lite when feeling philanthropic. He has spoken in Sydney, Australia at MXDU 2003, 2005, multiple Atlanta Macromedia User Groups, Georgia Tech, Flex Seminar, Adobe MAX 2006, and other venues about various Macromedia/Adobe products and technologies. Jesse runs a blog at jessewarden.com where he contributes coding techniques, plug-ins, and sample projects to the community. He enjoys coding, hanging out with designers, watching the History Channel, raving at da clubz, D&D, and playing games (all consoles, all PC genres). More...