[Extendflash] JSFL: Macromedia Request your Feedback

[Derek Vadneau]

1. Definitely number one for me: JSFL access to any loaded doc, not just 
FLAs.  This means the DOM includes support for FLA, JSFL, and AS (did I 
miss any?).  I realize there is extended functionality for FLAs since we 
can save info in them.  This would not have to be supported for text 
files, since that would entail some mechanism that we're better off 
handling with something like SOs.

2. Access to the JSFL/AS/Actions panels.  Right now we can read from the 
Actions panel or we can replace all the ActionScript.  There should be 
more control - access to a selection and the caret position.  This would 
allow us to write tools for helping designers and developers with aspects 
of the AS.  Text filters, code snippets, code documentation.

3. I'll agree with Jeff Conrad about events.  Events for different 
operations would be nice.  Right now I have a SWF panel that monitors the 
active document to see if it's different so it can update the UI.  I do 
this with setInterval (or onEnterFrame, can't remember at the moment).  It 
doesn't take much in terms of resources because there is one simple check, 
but events would kill the need for that.

4. Since Erik Bianci only provided 2, I'll grab one of his ;)
This is something that seems to have been taken out in Flash 8 that 
doesn't make sense to me: panel accessibility.  Flash 8 SWF panels ignore 
Tab and Enter (possibly others).  Pressing Tab in Flash 8 _always_ causes 
the Tab to be sent to the Stage.  Previously you could write a SWF panel 
interface that would allow someone to type, hit Tab, type, hit Enter, 
etc., to make a real tool interface within the environment.  This is now 
gone.  It is also gone for custom UIs, but I assume this is the same 
issue.  This is for SWFs - the tabbing still works for the MM panels.

5. If you've got room ...
SWF panels no longer have a minimum size.  Previously SWF panels could be 
stretched as large as the user wanted, but could only be sized down to the 
original Stage size of the SWF.  An even better solution would be to be 
able to provide a set of parameters: min/max width and height.


Derek Vadneau