This document provides an overview of how Flex and PHP can work together to build rich internet applications (RIAs). Flex is a framework for building RIAs that provides features like advanced user interfaces, data visualization, real-time collaboration and more. PHP can be used to expose data and business logic through web services that Flex applications can call. Examples shown include using PHP with AMF to connect Flex UIs to databases, building real-time applications with sockets, and leveraging PHP for collaboration features.

1. Getting Started with
Flex and PHP

2. Ryan Stewart
ryan@adobe.com
blog.digitalbackcountry.com
@ryanstewart
github.com/ryanstewart
Live in Seattle, WA
(Born in Glenwood Springs)
Into: Beer, Mountaineering, Geolocation
Adobe evangelist for 3.5 years
13 T 500100
4400259

3. Agenda
What is Flex?
Flex and PHP: The Why and the Workflows
Advanced PHP Features with Flex
Using PHP and the Flash Platform

5. Flex is Not:
Basic Animations
Banner Ads
Simple Video
Menu Bars
Small Pieces of
Interactivity

6. Pyramid of Flash Features and Use Cases
RIAs,
Games
Real-Time Collaboration
Data Visualization, Gestures
Interactive Widgets,
Streaming
Video, Advanced Drawing,
Sound Generation, Filters/
Effects
Simple Animation, Vector Graphics, Banner Ads,
5 Progressive Video

7. Pyramid of Flash Features and Use Cases
RIAs,
Games
Real-Time Collaboration
Data Visualization, Gestures
Interactive Widgets,
Streaming
Video, Advanced Drawing,
Sound Generation, Filters/
Effects
Simple Animation, Vector Graphics, Banner Ads,
Progressive Video HTML5

8. Pyramid of Flash Features and Use Cases
RIAs,
Games
Flex
Real-Time Collaboration
Data Visualization, Gestures
Interactive Widgets,
Streaming
Video, Advanced Drawing,
Sound Generation, Filters/
Effects
Simple Animation, Vector Graphics, Banner Ads,
Progressive Video HTML5

9. Flex is Applications

10. Flex is for
Developers Open Source SDK
Familiar Programming
Model
3rd Party Libraries and
Frameworks
Developer Tutorials

11. Flex is Rich, Extensible
Components

12. Flex is Consistency

13. Flex is Productivity

14. Developer Tooling

15. Flash Builder
Built on Eclipse
Code completion, syntax
highlighting
Includes debugger, network
monitor
Build desktop or browser apps

16. Other Flex Developer Tools
Visual Studio Plugin
IntelliJ
TextMate Bundles

17. How Flex and PHP Work
Together
In-Browser Applications Desktop/Mobile Apps
Compile to SWF Package
Flex Framework Components, Data Connection Effects
Debugger, Validators,
APIs, Compiler,
XML / JSON / AMF / HTTP(S) / SOAP / Socket / RTMP
PHP Code Exposed as Services that connects calls data from
external data sources

18. Your first Flex App

19. Easily Connect
to Data

20. Flash Builder Data Wizards
Create PHP classes based on a
database
Easily connect to any exposed services
Test operations and define types
Generate forms based on data types
Bind data to interface components

21. AMF and the Zend Framework

22. Intro to AMF
A binary file format that
represents a serialized
ActionScript object
Created as a way to exchange
data with the Flash Player
Allows you to map data types to
Flash Player types
Open Specification

23. AMF and PHP Projects
AMFPHP - Great, open source, easy to use, still
the standard
ZendAMF - Part of the Zend Framework, most
up to date
WebORB PHP - Part of WebORB family, comes
with code generation tools
SaberAMF - Lightweight AMF implementation,
similar to AMFPHP

24. http://www.jamesward.com/
census/

25. What About Design?

26. Designing Flex
The ability to tweak styles with CSS
Change themes that affect every component
Work with a designer to skin components

27. Designer/
Developer
Workflow
Flex’s component model
separates design from
logic
Allows developers to take
and easily integrate
designer content
Flash Catalyst is the UI
designer for Flex

28. Leveraging the Designer in Flex

29. Taking Flex and PHP Further

30. Real-Time Data Over
Sockets

31. Typical HTTP Call
Client Server
Request
Who Am I, What Am I, Where Am I Going?
Response
Who Am I, What Am I, Where Am I Going?
Repeat

32. Socket Call
Client Server
Connection
Push

33. PHP Can Act as Socket Server
Flex can Connect via Socket Class
Provides the capability to roll your own real-time
data access

34. Using PHP to Manage
Collaboration

35. LiveCycle Collaboration
Services
Cloud-based service for collaboration
Uses Flash to enable real-time data
transfer
Includes a PHP library for managing
service

36. PHP and Collaboration
Management, authentication

37. Flashndroid

38. Questions
ryan@adobe.com
blog.digitalbackcountry.com
@ryanstewart 13 T 500100
4400259
github.com/ryanstewart