Archive for May, 2006

I’ve been working on adding support for a few hours tonight, when I ran into the problem that eval() in ActionScript cannot compute anything. That’s right, the only thing it is good for is for referencing variables! Like we couldn’t do that in a better way already!

Anyhow, I needed eval() so you can configure filters on the client side. Therefore, my own implementation:

private static function eval(str) {
  var as;

  if(str.charAt(0) == '{') { // Ah, we need to create an object
    as = {};
    str = str.substring(1, str.length - 1);
    var $ = str.split(',');
    for(var i = 0; i < $.length; i++) {
      var $1 = $[i].split(':');
      as[$1[0]] = sIFR.eval($1[1]);
    }
  } else if(str.charAt(0) == '"') { // String
    as = str.substring(1, str.length - 1);
  } else if(str == 'true' || str == 'false') { // Boolean
    as = str == 'true';
  } else { // Integer
    as = parseInt(str);
  }

  return as;
}

Eat that, ActionScript!

Oh, and filters seem to be working. Check out the demo and download the latest nightly. Fun!

P.S. I’m going to be in Copenhagen from Wednesday until Sunday for Reboot. If you’re there, say hi!

Over the past few days I’ve fixed a number of bugs in the code and added some more Flash 8 related features. Here’s a quick post on how to stay up to date. An updated version of the demo distributed with the Alpha release is available.

You can download the latest nightly. The nightlies are similar to the alpha distribution, but you’ll have to re-export the Flash movie and you need to compare the configurations (both in JavaScript as in ActionScript) for changes.

Finally, a list of to-do items for the beta (excluding documentation and testing):

• Use ExternalInterface when possible, instead of fscommand

• Handle font and window resizing

• Add a way to change the font style after the movies have rendered

• (Test?) support for pixel fonts.

• Background images inside the Flash.

• Flash 8 filters.

• IE focus bug with slow page loading, read more.

Have fun!

It’s high time for a release of the new sIFR version, 3.0. With Inman’s Flash Replacement as the original, sIFR 1.0 making it scalabale and sIFR 2.0 bringing it to the masses, this version will really make things rock. Flash 8 has brought a lot of new, cool stuff. Now you can use these features, starting with way better font anti-aliasing and auto-kerning. You’ll also be able to use filters to do shadow effects (in the nightlies).

For those unfamiliar with sIFR, here’s a short description:

sIFR is meant to replace short passages of plain browser text with text rendered in your typeface of choice, regardless of whether or not your users have that font installed on their systems. It accomplishes this by using a combination of javascript, CSS, and Flash.

Furthermore, it degrades gracefully when Flash is not present or the browser not supported.

For sIFR 3, the code has underwent a complete rewrite, making it easier to use and making it work even better. There also is a new way to render the Flash font. No longer are guesses being made as to how big the font should be, the cues are taken from the font size used in the HTML page and the number of lines the text spans. In order to provide better styling you can now use FlashCSS. No matter how many colors or font styles you want to use, now you can.

Additionally, leading is now supported by sIFR. A number of small issues has been fixed, and you can now pre-fetch the movies for Internet Explorer and Safari. This solves a problem where these browsers would request the same sIFR movie again and again until it was cached – instead of waiting for the first request. Huge bandwidth saver here! And for the AdBlock users, using a little bit of CSS the object tab has been hidden. sIFR is not an ad, and you should see the text itself, without obstruction.

Here’s the full feature list:

• A new font sizing algorithm, although it needs some attention with regards to padding and wrapping in the Flash element.

• FlashCSS, both configurable in ActionScript and in JavaScript.

• Support for Flash 8 movies, for real good looking text.

• Font resizing in Opera 7+.

• Support for leading

• Flash movie pre-fetching for Internet Explorer and Safari.

• Easier configuration.

• No more object tab obscuring the text when AdBlock is being used.

By the grand tradition of alpha (and open source) releases, this version lacks serious testing, actual documentation and a number of features. None the less, it is functional, as you can see by the demo.

As you are probably anxious to get started, here’s a run-down of deploying sIFR 3. Please note though that this is an Alpha release: if you run a high profile website and you really don’t need the new features, sIFR 2 is best for you. If you like playing around with new tech, please give this version a try. The more real life use, the more improvements can be made.

That’s it for this release. I’ll write more about the beta release in another post. Please give the new Alpha a try and let me know what works and what doesn’t. You can also subscribe to the mailing list. Now, without further ado, to the download!