Advanced Data Source Object

This object allows you to use any Comma Separated Value file (including Generator data sources) as a data source.

It also adds the following features and functionality:

1. The ability to add or replace column headers to the data source.
2. The ability to filter the data based on a column name and value.
3. The ability to sort the data source, and to define your own sorting rules (in any language).
4. The ability to limit the number of rows of data returned.
5. The ability to define the name and value of an additional column (useful if you need to add a ‘clip’ column).
6. The ability to insert an additional column whose value is the index of the current row of data.

The object adds a large amount of logic to Generator allowing it to manipulate its data. In some cases this object will replace middle ware currently necessary to filter and sort Generator data.

The Multi Page List objects is a list object which does advanced formatting of data and creates a multi page list of items that the user can navigate through. However, the object does not allow you to manually position the navigation buttons, thus severely limiting your design choices.

This Tip of the day will describe how to position the navigation buttons any where that you want.

This uses the Multipage list example in the

You can pass an entire column data source to Generator in offline mode, in much the same way that you can do it in online mode through the URL.

For example, if we had the following data source:

value, color
1, blue
2, green
3, yellow

that we wanted to past to a template in offline mode, then the command would be:

generate -swf test.swf test.swt -param data "value, color\n1, blue\n2, green\n3, yellow\n"

The pie chart’s data source property would be #{data} (the # tells Generator that the data source contains the actual data, and not a link to the data).

While Generator allows you to dynamically insert text, it does not allow you to directly specify the attributes of the text.

The Insert Text object allows the user to dynamically insert text into a Flash movie and dynamically set its attributes (such as font type, size, color, etc…).

You can specify the following attributes :

• Text
• Color
• Size
• Font Type
• External Font File
• Bold
• Italic
• Alignment
• Letter Spacing
• Line Spacing
• Transparency

Note, that if you are using the object on a non-Windows platform, then you have to use an external font file to specify your font type.

Using offline Generator, you can create more than one file type from a single template, and single command.

Just specify the file types, and the name of the file to save it as after the generate.exe command on the command line.

For example :

generate -swf test.swf -jpg test.jpg -gif test.gif template.swt -param foo bar

Will create three files :

test.swf
test.jpg
test.gif

all from the template.swt Generator template.

Notice that the file name comes directly after the file type specification. This is very important.

Most tutorials concentrate on how to use Generator in online mode. However, using Generator in offline mode is a very flexible solution for many projects.

This tip will quickly go over how to use Generator in offline mode.

First, make sure that the path to offline Generator (generate.exe) is included in your system’s path setting. While this is not strictly necessary, it makes it easy to use offline Generator.

If you are not sure how to do this, check the documentation for your particular operating system.

Continuing our tips on custom Generator objects that have been released, today’s tip discusses the Insert Image object.

This object is simple, but very useful.

It allows you to dynamically insert images into a Generator template regardless of the file type (png, jpg, or gif).

It works exactly the same as the Insert Gif, Insert Jpg, and Insert Png objects, except that it takes any of the three file types. The only requirement is that the image name end in gif, jpg, jpeg, or png.

The Flash Forward 2001 conference is being held in San Francisco from February 19 - 21. This time there are a number of session which involve discussions on Generator.

These include :

XML, Flash and Generator
Robert Reinhart
http://www.flashforward2001.com/html/HTML/schedule-1.html#rrei

Generator 101
Chrissy Rey
http://www.flashforward2001.com./html/HTML/schedule-2.html#crey

The Wireless Web: Flash Everywhere
Phillip Torrone
http://www.flashforward2001.com./html/HTML/schedule-2.html#ptor

There should also be a couple of QA sessions about Generator.

And of course there will be tons of information and presenters on Flash and Advanced Action Script.

Generator can connect to multiple sources to retrieve its data. However, if you have multi objects within your template, and each has its own data source, then Generator may have to make several requests for its data. Depending on the source and type of data, this can have a significant impact on Generator’s performance.

However, it is possible to retrieve multiple data sources through one request. However, in order for this to work, Generator needs to be able to connect to some form of middle ware, which will create the data source.

There are a number of very active online Generator message boards.

The best and most active are at :

• were-here.com
• Flashkit.com
• macromedia.generator (newsgroup)
• macromedia.generator.sdk (newsgroup)

There are more message boards listed in the Forums section

These forums are excellent resources for information on Generator. If you have a question, make sure to search through the forums, and / or post a question.

If you know the answer to a question on the boards, make sure to post a response.