Artefact Animator provides an easy to use framework for procedural time-based animations in Silverlight and WPF. Download the latest version from http://artefactanimator.codeplex.com/.

Inspired by the Flash community and forged out of frustration, Artefact Animator brings to WPF and Silverlight what Tweener has done for Flash. If you’ve ever tried to get into animation in C# you’ll soon realize there are way too many steps to get you where you need to be. The consequences are that developers don’t love to animate UI and designers are limited by what they can animate when working with dynamic content.

via http://www.artefactgroup.com/blog/2010/04/artefact-animator-live-and-open-source-for-silverlight-and-wpf/

This issue came up a while ago, but after getting deeper into C# I’ve now been able to track down the answer.

The problem involved loading a dynamic flash file into C# on the fly while still being able to load a default in its absence. You could of course use an XML file but then you would just have to edit it each time you used a different path – lame.

So this solution allows for you to drag a file/files onto an application’s icon, and retrieve a list of those dropped items. If it can’t find your file extension in the argument’s array it’ll return the path to your default file.

public String getSWFPath ( )
{
    String[] arguments = Environment.GetCommandLineArgs();
    if (arguments.Length > 0)
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < arguments.Length; i++)
        {
            String arg = arguments[i];
            if ( arg.IndexOf(".swf") >= 0 ) return arg;
        }
    }

    // DEFAULT PATH
    return Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() + Path.DirectorySeparatorChar + “default.swf”;
}

The best part about this is just how easy it is to get that list.

String[] arguments = Environment.GetCommandLineArgs();

One thing to keep in mind ( at least for me ) was that the first array element is a reference to the application being launched. If you drop multiple files I couldn’t tell if they were in any specific order, so I chose to loop through the array instead of picking a consistent element index.

In two years it’ll cost me at least $2500! but it’s still way better than my last phone.

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Flash to WordPress Guide and Code

“Ever Since I launched my Flash website with a WordPress backend, I have received numerous emails and comments asking me how I did it. Today I will make available some of the PHP code I wrote to extract Data from WordPress in an XML format. I have also created a diagram and explanation on how my website works to hopefully assist anyone else who wants to try the same thing. I should point out that I haven’t made available an end to end solution, you will still need to do a lot of work, but I hope that I have provided a good starting point. The PHP Script makes an SQL query to a MYSQL database holding the WordPress Data. The PHP Script then formats the data into XML. This then can be loaded by your Flash Website. There are functions to retrieve Posts and create Menus.” - via tvwonline.net

I’ve been seeing a trend lately with Flash going full screen. Not only is it going to the edge of the browser, it is taking over the screen regardless of browser. This has been made possible since the arrival of Flash Player 9.

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Microsoft Suface Website

• Microsoft Surface Wikipedia
• How it works
• Press Kit

“Picture a surface that can recognize physical objects from a paintbrush to a cell phone and allows hands-on, direct control of content such as photos, music and maps. Today at the Wall Street Journal’s D: All Things Digital conference, Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer will unveil Microsoft Surfaceâ„¢, the first in a new category of surface computing products from Microsoft that breaks down traditional barriers between people and technology. Surface turns an ordinary tabletop into a vibrant, dynamic surface that provides effortless interaction with all forms of digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects. Beginning at the end of this year, consumers will be able to interact with Surface in hotels, retail establishments, restaurants and public entertainment venues.

The intuitive user interface works without a traditional mouse or keyboard, allowing people to interact with content and information on their own or collaboratively with their friends and families, just like in the real world. Surface is a 30-inch display in a table-like form factor that small groups can use at the same time. From digital finger painting to a virtual concierge, Surface brings natural interaction to the digital world in a new and exciting way.” - via Microsoft Press Kit

Highlights

Microsoft Surface: Behind-the-Scenes First Look (with Video)
The software giant announced today at the D5 conference that it’s built a new touchscreen computer—a coffee table that will change the world. Go inside its top-secret development with PopularMechanics.com, then forget the keyboard and mouse: The next generation of computer interfaces will be hands-on.

Inside Microsoft’s Top Secret Computer (Video)
The company’s flat surface machine is the first in its category.

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“Designers need somewhere great to work to do their best work - be it a desk with 4 huge screens and a mountain of technical equipment or a laptop sat in your garden it helps the creative process along. Here we scour the internet for examples of workspaces; some good, some bad, some cluttered, some clean - we take a nosey at where we people are doing their work …” - via tutorialblog.org

“This handy little class (download here) will allow you to change the registration point of a MovieClip on the fly (instead of having to modify the symbol in the library and repostion all of the contents).” - via Darron Schall

“Well, if you think you’re going to be able to use speech recognition to code anytime soon, this video will set you straight.”

http://robrohan.com/2007/02/14/speech-recognition-coding/

Trigonometry is an easily overlooked topic until you want to create interactive interface solutions relying on spacial relationships. In theory, the concept of trigonometry doesn’t require much to grasp yet still requires enough specialized and simple formulas which are better served as reference material.

So like any interaction developer, I’ll need a trig toolbox, and this will be it.

Note: This is currently a work in progress

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