learn the in's and out's of developing touch-screen desktop applications using AIR, HTML5, CSS3, jQuery and your favorite back-end technology. Presented at the Northern Virginia ColdFusion Users Group (NVCFUG) in March 2013.

1. Presented by Denard Springle
@NVCFUG - March 2013

2.  Adobe AIR
 HTML5
 CSS3
 Javascript/jQuery
 Your favorite back-end technology (CF, right?!)

3.  Converts Flash/Flex/AS3 or HTML/JS to Desktop
Applications
 Webkit browser based for HTML/JS apps
 Supports HTML5, CSS3 and jQuery*
 Windows, OS X, Linux
 SDK and compiler (Currently v1.6.x)

4.  Security Sandboxes
 SQLite embedded database
 Local storage (encrypted)
 AS/JS proxies (AIRAliases.js)
 PDF, clipboard, drag & drop, file system
integration
 Native menu’s and taskbars/docks
 Service monitoring (check service availability)
 Application updater (update from within)
 Browser distribution (distribute AIR and app)

5.  Security Sandboxes
 More difficult to debug (Introspection)
 Requires clients to DL and install Adobe AIR
runtime
 Applications must be digitally signed to be
installed
 ‘Odd’ issues – colors, script behavior, etc.

6.  Same code base can be used across multiple
platforms and devices
 Web Exceptions: SQLite, Local Storage, File
System, PhoneGap
 Some exceptions can be handled in AS/JS
 Some exceptions require code branching*

7.  Application Sandboxed
 Uses AJAX to communicate with server(s)
 AIRAliases.js (Javascript aliases to AS3 calls)
(air.<function> not window.runtime.flash.<function>)
 Single page (v1.0+) or multi-page capable
(v1.5+) HTML applications

8.  EncryptedLocalStore.setItem(key,<UTFByteArray>)
 Value = EncryptedLocalStore.getItem(key)
 jStorage is a cross-browser local storage system
 $.jStorage.set(key,value)
 Value = $.jStorage.get(key)
 Use if/else with feature discovery to determine if
running in AIR or in the browser

9.  E-Commerce Apps are POS systems
 Best Practice = use local db and app
server, app server  central server (e.g. web
site)
 Return as little data as required, or as possible
(e.g. pagination)
 Not all POS printers are created equal
(OPOS, JavaPOS, OS drivers)

10.  Gather credit card data and split into card
number, expiration, card holder
 XX1234123412341234^CARD HOLDER^1604(^)<random data>
 ccNum = Right(ListGetAt(<swipedata>,1,'^'),Len(ListGetAt(<swipeData>,1,'^'))-2)
cardHolder = ListGetAt(<swipedata>,2,'^')
expDate = Mid(ListGetAt(<swipedata>,3,'^'),3,2) & Left(ListGetAt(<swipedata>,3,'^'),2)

11.  Screen resolution is usually limited (for POS
systems – typical is 1024 x 768)
 Inputs, buttons, selects, and even text have
to be much larger than a web application
 On-Screen keyboard will be required for
textual input (OS or javascript, typically)

12.  MissionTix Event Kiosk
 MissionTix Conference Kiosk

13.  http://get.adobe.com/air/ (AIR Distributable)
 http://www.adobe.com/devnet/air/air-sdk-
download.html (AIR SDK)
 http://www.sqlite.org/ (SQLite)
 https://github.com/andris9/jStorage (jStorage)
 O’Reilly Adobe AIR 1.5 Cookbook (Flex and HTML)