Ted Patrick > { Events & Community } > Adobe Systems

I have fielded so many questions about FLOW and PowerSDK that it is time to show a bit more of what we have been working on.

FLOW is a runtime execution framework for XML based component applications within the Macromedia Flash Player. FLOW allows you to author component applications quickly and integrate them into existing Flash applications or vice versa. FLOW executes within the existing F6 and F7 players allowing wide deployment. FLOW is scheduled to be released next year.

FLOW consists of several parts:

1. FLOW Runtime - The core files that make FLOW work including : Component Loader, Actionscript Interpreter, and XML Rendering Engine
2. FLOW Components - A collection of FLOW runtime components and classes that can be imported as needed by an application
3. FLOW Builder - IDE for building FLOW based applications. The FLOW IDE is a FLOW application.

Here is how you integrate FLOW into an application:

1. Within a SWF, import the FLOW runtime(swf) into a high layer
2. At a movieClip, render a FLOW XML application:

_level0.myMoviClip.render(FlowXML)

3. The FLOW application is now executing.

FLOW XML is a combination of ZUL(Mozilla) and Actionscript that work together to create an application or application interfaces within a movieClipDatatype at runtime. FLOW contains an interpreter and can execute code blocks within XML without compiling to swf bytecode. FLOW uses a form based paradigm similar to Visual Basic and Delphi. A developer designs application forms and scripts forms and components into a working application. FLOW components and forms provide persistence by default, so making complex applications is as easy as putting a component on a form. Regardless of how many times you render the form, the data will persist between rendering, unless you don't want it to. The FLOW rendering engine is extensible as you can add components into your FLOW runtime and render them into a custom application. Unlike other authoring approaches, FLOW executes on the client side and doesn't require a server like Laszlo or Royale yet allows you to easily share runtime components across applications. All in all, FLOW is simply another way to author RIA applications that execute within the Macromedia Flash Player.

I will be showing FLOW at Macromedia MAX in November during my session on components. I hope you can make it.

Much more to come.

Cheers,

ted ;)