The 3D Tunnel Flash component allows you to display images within an interactive 3D tunnel. End users can zoom in and out of the tunnel and rotate it. Clicking on thumbnails loads corresponding large images with a choice of animation styles and easing. Custom actions can also be triggered when clicking on or rolling over images, for example, titles and descriptions can be displayed for the images or a URL can open on click. Powered by PaperVision3D and available for ActionScript 3.0.

Key features include:

• Adjustable perspective to show more or less depth of field
• Adjustable number of sides and spacing
• Customizable animation settings with choice of easing effects
• Mouse wheel and keyboard zoom
• Customizable animation settings
• Mouse and keyboard interactivity
• Skinnable preloaders
• Built-in ActionScript events

Preview 3D Tunnel

Since the surfacing of Apple's CoverFlow, many of us have tried to mimic this very sleek effect within our Flash projects.  There are many successful attempts at accomplishing this effect of visually viewing of files.  However, I have to admit the ever so popular "CoverFlow effect" just isn't as hot as it used to be.  Hopefully, a newly designed Flash component called PhotoFlip 3D CS can ignite that withering flame.

What is PhotoFlip 3D CS?

The guys over at Digicrafts provided a new twist to the "CoverFlow effect" in their new component, PhotoFlip 3D CS.  PhotoFlip 3D CS allows you to build a real time 3D coverflow effect without the need of much ActionScripting knowledge.  The other sweet thing about PhotoFlip 3D CS is that the "3D" look and feel is created on the fly without the need of a third party 3D application.

Includes a user friendly component inspector interface

Features of PhotoFlip 3D CS Include:

• 3D cover flow effect
• 3D popup effect
• Fully customize texture for each item (top, bottom, left, right back)
• Full startup animation
• Touch scroll control
• Setup menu by XML
• Customize link on each item
• Full API support

Additional Resources:

• Preview PhotoFlip 3D CS
• Documentation on PhotoFlip 3D CS

If you develop Flash on a Mac, then you probably already know the pitfalls of mouse-scrolling within your Flash projects on a Mac - it simply does not work.  The great thing about stuff not working is there is always someone out there looking to create a fix for it.

Gabriel created an AS3 solution to the mousewheel functionality on Mac OS X.  SWFMacMouseWheel integrates well with deconcept's SWFObject and integrating this within your existing and future projects is rather painless.  Enjoy!

Additional Resources:

• Download the source code
• Preview a demo
• Mac OS X Mousewheel Support in AS2

As many have come to know, Kuler is a great color theme-sharing tool released by Adobe. It started out as a web-based application that enabled users to create, save, and download community-created color themes.   This community wave led to the creation of many Kuler tools like: Mac OS X Dashboard widget, Kuler Desktop, and now comes the Kuler Panel.

Integrating Kuler Within Flash CS3/4

Ben Pritchard's contribution to the Flash community is the Kuler Panel for Flash CS3/4.  Integrating the Kuler panel with Flash is as simple as installing the Flash extension.   Access all of the community-created color themes or harmonies directly right through Flash.

With the release of Flash CS4, Adobe has integrated its own version of a Kuler panel.  Installing this version of the Kuler Panel will not effect the built in panel and infact they can be used together.  Kuler users will find these tools very handy.  

Curious...

If you are as cusious as I was to see how Ben built this panel check out his article on Adobe Developer's Connection.  

Additional Resources:

• Download Kuler panel for Flash CS3
• Demo of the Kuler panel in action

Mike Chambers reports that the beloved open source Growl notification framework will be able to be leveraged by Adobe AIR applications.  If you are unfamiliar with Growl, Growl is a notification system for Mac OS X that allows applications that support Growl to send you notifications.

What is As3Growl?

As3Growl is the project behind this integration and provides an API for working with the new Growl functionality.  The project is hosted at Google code and already contains the complete API source, API docs, examples, documentation, unit tests and other information.

This is an exciting project and will only improve the user's experience within Adobe AIR applications.  Thanks to Mike Chambers and all involved.

Additional Resources:

• Visit As3Growl's project page
• Learn more about Growl
• Download As3Growl

Image of Analytics Flash Visual Component in Flash CS3 via Google

If you've ever wanted to track your Flash content over the web, then you'd know what a challenge this task entails.  In the past, Flash tracking was not provided out of the box, and every implementation had to be customized.

It is now safe to say that tracking your Flash content, has gotten much easier and more accurate.  With the assistance of Adobe and other third party developers, the Google Analytics team has developed and released Google Analytics Tracking For Adobe Flash.

What is Google Analytics Tracking For Adobe Flash?

This new Flash tracking code offers all the rich features of the current JavaScript-based version as it translates the current Google Analytics tracking code into the ActionScript 3 programming language that dramatically simplifies the ability to track your Flash, Flex and AS3 content.

Fun Times!!

Google Analytics for Flash Demo

Additional Resources:

• Download both Flash and Flex tracking libraries
• Visit the project page
• Read the implementation overview

Anytime you can extend your tool sets to fit a much more simplified work flow, the better control you have over the tool versus the tool over you.  Being able to store code snippets within Flash has been a feature that I am sure a lot of Flash users would love to have available.  You'd think a functionality like so would already to integrated within Flash, however until then you can focus your attention to ASExpander.

What is ASExpander?

ASExpander is a JSFL extension created by Keith Peters for Flash CS3/4 that allows you to integrate a ActionScript snippet functionality into your existing Flash workflow.  ASExpander allows you to store your existing or new ActionScript code snippets into an external file and then map it to a command of your liking.  There are no limits to the amount or type of snippets stored.

While the ASExpander does have its flaws like no interface to interact with it, it is a very nice alternative to a previously created snippets panel created Lee Brimelow.

Additional Resources:

• Download ASExpander
• More info on ASExpander
• How do I install ASExpander

Features to be expected with beta 3 release:

• Fixed a bug with smart rotation
• Added rotationProperties static property to specify properties to apply smartRotation to
• Fixed bug with proxy method calls not returning the return value
• RoundValues renamed to useSnapping
• Added snappingProperties static property to specify properties to apply snapping to.
• Fixed a bug that could cause setSize to be called twice
• Fixed a problem with copyInitProperties firing too many times
• Made the data parameter on addProgressPoint optional
• Changed removeProgressPoint to accept an optional data parameter
• Rewrote the progress point logic, fixing a problem that would prevent progress point events from firing if more than one progress point was passed in a single tick.
• Progress points will no longer fire when doing manual positioning, including using position=value, beginning() and end().
• Made it so that autoHide only applies while tweening alpha.
• Added a defaultEase static property, which allows you to define the default easing function for all new tweens
• Made linearEase a public static method
• Added useSetSize property to allow you to turn off the setSize behaviour if necessary

Developer Oriented 

gTween is built for ActionScript 3 developers from the ground up. It uses a more conventional instance-oriented model, rather than a static interface.

Proxy Tweening

gTween provides a unique proxy property that allows you to work with tween destination values the same way you would work with them on the target object. 

Interrupting Tweens

With gTween, you can modify your tween while it is playing, and it will attempt to accommodate those changes.

Sequencing Tweens

gTween provides three features to allow for sequencing multiple tweens: child tweens, delay, and nextTween.

Timing Modes

Another unique feature of gTween is support for multiple timing modes. You can use the common time based timing, frame based timing, or a hybrid timing model.

Pause All

gTween offers a class level pauseAll property that will pause all tweens, without affecting their per instance paused property. 

Robust Events

gTween offers three built in events: an activate event that lets you know when a tween starts running, an init event that fires when the tween finishes delaying and starts tweening, a change event that fires each time the tween updates, and a complete event that fires when it reaches its end.

Resource Management

gTween also uses a couple of strategies to allow unreferenced tweens to be collected when they are no longer needed, while preventing them from being destroyed when they are needed.

Be sure to check out Grant's blog for more information on gTween.

Additional Resources:

• Sequencing demo
• Simple performance demo
• Download gTween

The Adobe AIR Bible promises to be a well rounded book on the topic of developing AIR using Flash, Flex, and JavaScript. 

Product Description

Adobe AIR is a revolutionary technology that blurs the line between the desktop and the web. The AIR Bible will get developers up and running building simple AIR application, then take them through all aspects of the new API. The authors have a wealth of experience in building Rich Internet Applications using Flex, Flash, HTML, and Ajax. They will bring their experience to the table walking the reader through application programming topics and demystifying the techniques developers use to build the kind of complex application that readers are sure to want to build with this exciting new technology.