Programming Flash Communication Server - Building Real-Time Video, Audio & Data Applicatinos with Flash

With the advent of Flash Communication Server MX (FCS), Macromedia believes that it's on the edge of a breakthrough in how people think about the Internet. FCS has been designed to provide web developers with the means to add polished interactive audio and video features to their sites, the sort of features that users have come to expect.Naturally, the process of efficiently integrating rich media into applications, web sites, and web content is a complex one, to say the least. That's where Programming Flash Communication Server factors in. As the foremost reference on FCS, it helps readers understand how FCS can facilitate: Video on demand Live webcasts Video chat and messaging Shared desktop conferences Live auctions Interactive whiteboard presentations Workflow collaboration Multi-user gamesProgramming Flash Communication Server not only explains how to use the pre-built FCS components to construct a simple application,it also explains the architecture so that developers can program custom components to make even more advanced applications. In addition, the book explains how to truly optimize performance, and talks about considerations for networked applications as well as the media issues pertaining to FCS.Programming Flash Communication Server gives developers a sorely needed leg up on this potentially intimidating technology. It lets users develop cool web applications ranging from direct dating experiences with real-time video, to pre-recorded corporate presentations, to news services with video and audio, and much more.At last, the ability to build web sites with rich interactive features--minus the complex downloads and installation hassles--is a reality. And now, with Programming Flash Communication Server from O'Reilly by your side, you can do more quickly and easily than you ever dreamed possible.

List of contents

About the Authors;
Brian Lesser;
Giacomo "Peldi" Guilizzoni;
Joey Lott;
Robert Reinhardt;
Justin Watkins;
Foreword;
Preface;
What Does FlashCom Offer?;
What's in This Book?;
How to Use This Book;
Audience;
ActionScript 1.0 Versus ActionScript 2.0;
Server-Side ActionScript;
The flash-communications.net Site;
Director, Breeze, and Other Options;
Flash Video Options;
Licensing and Hosting Options;
Conventions Used in This Book;
Voice;
Using Code Examples;
Safari Enabled;
Comments and Questions;
Acknowledgments;
Part I: FlashCom Foundation;
Chapter 1: Introducing the Flash Communication Server;
1.1 Clients and Servers;
1.2 Creating an Application;
1.3 Real-Time Messaging Protocol;
1.4 The Communication Classes;
1.5 Communicating with Application Servers, Databases, and Directory Servers;
1.6 Firewalls and Security;
1.7 Getting Started;
1.8 Hello Video!;
1.9 Conclusion;
Chapter 2: Communication Components;
2.1 Overview of Communication Components;
2.2 Summary of Communication Components;
2.3 Creating an Application that Monitorsa Connection;
2.4 Building a Simple Chat Room;
2.5 Adding Audio and Video to the Chat Room;
2.6 Forgoing the SimpleConnect Component;
2.7 Conclusion;
Chapter 3: Managing Connections;
3.1 Making a Connection;
3.2 Managing a Connection;
3.3 Reusing a NetConnection Object;
3.4 Multiple Simultaneous NetConnection Objects;
3.5 Testing and Debugging Network Connections;
3.6 Subclassing the NetConnection Class;
3.7 Communication Components Without SimpleConnect;
3.8 Conclusion;
Chapter 4: Applications, Instances, and Server-Side ActionScript;
4.1 Scripting Application Instances;
4.2 Differences Between Flash ActionScript and Server-Side ActionScript;
4.3 The Life of an Application Instance;
4.4 Running a Simple Hello World Test Script;
4.5 A More Realistic Example;
4.6 Instance-to-Instance Communications;
4.7 Script Filenames and Locations in Detail;
4.8 Testing and Debugging Server-SideScript Files;
4.9 Designing Communication Applications;
4.10 Conclusion;
Part II: Audio, Video, and Data Streams;
Chapter 5: Managing Streams;
5.1 A Simple Publisher/Subscriber Example;
5.2 Stream Names;
5.3 Publishing Streams in Detail;
5.4 Playing Streams in Detail;
5.5 The Stream Class;
5.6 Publishing and Playing ActionScript Data;
5.7 Creating Synchronized Presentations;
5.8 The NetStream and Stream Information Objects;
5.9 Stream Enhancements and Limitations;
5.10 Conclusion;
Chapter 6: Microphone and Camera;
6.1 Working with Microphone/Audio Input;
6.2 Working with Camera Input;
6.3 Building a Message-Taking Application;
6.4 Building a Surveillance Application;
6.5 Conclusion;
Chapter 7: Media Preparation and Delivery;
7.1 Audio and Video Compression;
7.2 Converting Prerecorded Materialto FLV Format;
7.3 Using Flash Pro's Media Components;
7.4 Enabling Multiple Bit Rate FLVsWithin an Application;
7.5 Streaming MP3 Audio;
7.6 Conclusion;
Part III: Remote Connectivity and Communication;
Chapter 8: Shared Objects;
8.1 Objects and Shared Objects;
8.2 Getting a Shared Object in Flash;
8.3 Updates and Frame Rates;
8.4 Scripting Shared Objects on the Server;
8.5 Temporary and Persistent Shared Objects;
8.6 Proxied Shared Objects;
8.7 Shared Objects and Custom Classes;
8.8 Avoiding Collisions;
8.9 Optimizing Shared Object Performance;
8.10 Broadcasting Remote Method Callswith send( );
8.11 A Simple Video and Text Chat Application;
8.12 Conclusion;
Chapter 9: Remote Methods;
9.1 Why Use Calls?;
9.2 The send( ) and call( ) Methods;
9.3 Client-to-Server Calls;
9.4 Server-to-Client Calls;
9.5 Server-to-Server Calls;
9.6 A Simple Lobby/Rooms Application;
9.7 Debugging Calls;
9.8 Advanced Topics;
9.9 Conclusion;
Chapter 10: Server Management API;
10.1 Connecting to the Admin Service;
10.2 Using the Server Management API;
10.3 Server Management API Uses;
10.4 Conclusion;
Chapter 11: Flash Remoting;
11.1 The Remoting Gateway;
11.2 Remoting Basics;
11.3 Role of Remoting in FlashCom Applications;
11.4 Securing Access;
11.5 Conclusion;
Chapter 12: ColdFusion MX and FlashCom;
12.1 Understanding ColdFusion MXand Flash Remoting;
12.2 Using Flash Remoting to Log Events;
12.3 Getting a List of Streams;
12.4 Using ColdFusion and FTP to Mirror Streams;
12.5 Conclusion;
Part IV: Design and Deployment;
Chapter 13: Building Communication Components;
13.1 Source Files;
13.2 People Lists;
13.3 A Simple People List;
13.4 Listenable Shared Objects;
13.5 Status and People List;
13.6 Text Chat;
13.7 Shared Text;
13.8 Video Conference and Video Window;
13.9 PeopleGrid;
13.10 Summary;
13.11 Conclusion;
Chapter 14: Understanding the Macromedia Component Framework;
14.1 The Component Framework;
14.2 Under the Hood of the Chat Component;
14.3 Creating a Simple Component from Scratch: SharedTextInput;
14.4 Creating a Container Component: SharedAddressForm;
14.5 Creating an Authenticating Component;
14.6 Integrating Components with Your Existing Applications;
14.7 Understanding the Framework;
14.8 Conclusion;
Chapter 15: Application Design Patterns and Best Practices;
15.1 Shared Object Management;
15.2 Moving Code to the Server;
15.3 Building Façades on the Server;
15.4 Server-Side Client Queues;
15.5 A Framework for Recording and Playing Back Componentized Applications;
15.6 Components and Component Frameworks;
15.7 Conclusion;
Chapter 16: Building Scalable Applications;
16.1 Coordinating Instances;
16.2 Scalability and Load Balancing;
16.3 Conclusion;
Chapter 17: Network Performance, Latency,and Concurrency;
17.1 Latency;
17.2 Bandwidth;
17.3 Concurrency;
17.4 Conclusion;
Chapter 18: Securing Applications;
18.1 The Three A's: Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting;
18.2 Authentication;
18.3 Authorization;
18.4 Accounting;
18.5 Suggestions and References;
18.6 Conclusion;

About the author

Joey Lott is a professional Web developer and ActionScript expert. He has founded two Internet startups (both of which are still going strong) and is a Java developer at yourmobile.com and a Flash instructor at Moviola in Hollywood. He began his career as an Internet developer working in Perl, ColdFusion and ASP.

Summary

'Flash Communication Server MX (FCS)' provides web developers with the means to add rich, interactive audio and video features to their sites. 'Programming Flash Communication Server' explains how FCS can facilitate video on demand, live webcasts, video chat and messaging, real-time collaboration, and much more.

Product details

• Authors: Guilizzon, Giacomo Guilizzoni, Lesse, Brian Lesser, Joey Lott, Lott et al, Robert Reinhardt, Justin Watkins, Dave Yang
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2005
• EAN: 9780596005047
• ISBN: 978-0-596-00504-7
• No. of pages: 816
• Weight: 1195 g
• Illustrations: w. figs.
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > IT, data processing > Data communication, networks; Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > IT, data processing > IT; Non-fiction book > Politics, society, business > Society; Flash