Programming Flash Communication Server

Description:

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 games

Programming 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.

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents:

Foreword

Preface

Part I. FlashCom Foundation

1. Introducing the Flash Communication Server

     Clients and Servers

     Creating an Application

     Real-Time Messaging Protocol

     The Communication Classes

     Communicating with Application Servers, Databases, and Directory Servers

     Firewalls and Security

     Getting Started

     Hello Video!

     Conclusion

2. Communication Components

     Overview of Communication Components

     Summary of Communication Components

     Creating an Application that Monitors a Connection

     Building a Simple Chat Room

     Adding Audio and Video to the Chat Room

     Forgoing the SimpleConnect Component

     Conclusion

3. Managing Connections

     Making a Connection

     Managing a Connection

     Reusing a NetConnection Object

     Multiple Simultaneous NetConnection Objects

     Testing and Debugging Network Connections

     Subclassing the NetConnection Class

     Communication Components Without SimpleConnect

     Conclusion

4. Applications, Instances, and Server-Side ActionScript

     Scripting Application Instances

     Differences Between Flash ActionScript and Server-Side ActionScript

     The Life of an Application Instance

     Running a Simple Hello World Test Script

     A More Realistic Example

     Instance-to-Instance Communications

     Script Filenames and Locations in Detail

     Testing and Debugging Server-Side Script Files

     Designing Communication Applications

     Conclusion

Part II. Audio, Video, and Data Streams

5. Managing Streams

     A Simple Publisher/Subscriber Example

     Stream Names

     Publishing Streams in Detail

     Playing Streams in Detail

     The Stream Class

     Publishing and Playing ActionScript Data

     Creating Synchronized Presentations

     The NetStream and Stream Information Objects

     Stream Enhancements and Limitations

     Conclusion

6. Microphone and Camera

     Working with Microphone/Audio Input

     Working with Camera Input

     Building a Message-Taking Application

     Building a Surveillance Application

     Conclusion

7. Media Preparation and Delivery

     Audio and Video Compression

     Converting Prerecorded Material to FLV Format

     Using Flash Pro's Media Components

     Enabling Multiple Bit Rate FLVs Within an Application

     Streaming MP3 Audio

     Conclusion

Part III. Remote Connectivity and Communication

8. Shared Objects

     Objects and Shared Objects

     Getting a Shared Object in Flash

     Updates and Frame Rates

     Scripting Shared Objects on the Server

     Temporary and Persistent Shared Objects

     Proxied Shared Objects

     Shared Objects and Custom Classes

     Avoiding Collisions

     Optimizing Shared Object Performance

     Broadcasting Remote Method Calls with send( )

     A Simple Video and Text Chat Application

     Conclusion

9. Remote Methods

     Why Use Calls?

     The send( ) and call( ) Methods

     Client-to-Server Calls

     Server-to-Client Calls

     Server-to-Server Calls

     A Simple Lobby/Rooms Application

     Debugging Calls

     Advanced Topics

     Conclusion

10. Server Management API

     Connecting to the Admin Service

     Using the Server Management API

     Server Management API Uses

     Conclusion

11. Flash Remoting

     The Remoting Gateway

     Remoting Basics

     Role of Remoting in FlashCom Applications

     Securing Access

     Conclusion

12. ColdFusion MX and FlashCom

     Understanding ColdFusion MX and Flash Remoting

     Using Flash Remoting to Log Events

     Getting a List of Streams

     Using ColdFusion and FTP to Mirror Streams

     Conclusion

Part IV. Design and Deployment

13. Building Communication Components

     Source Files

     People Lists

     A Simple People List

     Listenable Shared Objects

     Status and People List

     Text Chat

     Shared Text

     Video Conference and Video Window

     PeopleGrid

     Summary

     Conclusion

14. Understanding the Macromedia Component Framework

     The Component Framework

     Under the Hood of the Chat Component

     Creating a Simple Component from Scratch: SharedTextInput

     Creating a Container Component: SharedAddressForm

     Creating an Authenticating Component

     Integrating Components with Your Existing Applications

     Understanding the Framework

     Conclusion

15. Application Design Patterns and Best Practices

     Shared Object Management

     Moving Code to the Server

     Building Fa蓷des on the Server

     Server-Side Client Queues

     A Framework for Recording and Playing BackComponentized Applications

     Components and Component Frameworks

     Conclusion

16. Building Scalable Applications

     Coordinating Instances

     Scalability and Load Balancing

     Conclusion

17. Network Performance, Latency, and Concurrency

     Latency

     Bandwidth

     Concurrency

     Conclusion

18. Securing Applications

     The Three A's: Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting

     Authentication

     Authorization

     Accounting

     Suggestions and References

     Conclusion

About the Authors

Index