For an introduction on the issue, check the old post Flash 9 for banner-ads (in norwegian).

Download the source files.

Most recent browsers support both navigateToURL and ExternalInterface. However, successful calls to the js-function do not return “YES” nor “NO” but null, causing the navigateToURL method to be called as well.

function openWindowAutoHandler(event:Event):void {
  if (externalInterfaceAvailable) {
    var openEIresult:String = ExternalInterface.call('function() {return (window.open("' + (clickTAG) + '", "_blank", "") ? "YES" : "NO") }');	
  }      
  if ((!externalInterfaceAvailable) || (openEIresult != "YES") || (userAgentString.indexOf("Opera") != -1)) {
    navigateToURL(new URLRequest(clickTAG), "_blank");		
  }
}

openEIresult in Internet Explorer 7.0: null (Loads the URL twice)
openEIresult in Internet Explorer 8.0: null (Loads the URL twice)
openEIresult in Firefox 3.5.6: “YES” (Works as intended)
openEIresult in Opera 10.10: “YES” (Loads the URL twice, caused by third test)

Anyone think of a clever fix to the dual dual loads issue, while still retaining compatibility with older browsers?

Lee runs through a couple of the new features on the new Flash CS5. I like the new font embedding and the .XFL format.
http://gotoandlearn.com/play?id=118

Also check out this on iPhone development with CS5
http://gotoandlearn.com/play?id=116

Get your fix here

Google just added external resource loading to our Flash indexing capabilities. This means that when a SWF file loads content from some other file—whether it’s text, HTML, XML, another SWF, etc.—we can index this external content too, and associate it with the parent SWF file and any documents that embed it.

Read more at the Official Google Webmaster Central

This pretty useful function returns the correct color value between to colors. h1 and h2 params being the colors and p being the position in between in percent.

private function interpolateColor(h1:Number, h2:Number, p:Number) : Number { 
	return ((h1>>16)+((h2>>16)-(h1>>16))*p)<<16
                  |(h1>>8&0xFF)+((h2>>8&0xFF)-(h1>>8&0xFF))*p<<8
                  |(h1&0xFF)+((h2&0xFF)-(h1&0xFF))*p; 
}

Fourmation was created as a senior project by Digital Media students at Drexel University. The intent was to merge Flash technologies such as Papervision3D, WiiFlash, and SmartFox with virtual reality. What eventually developed was an original, innovative desktop application game that utilizes Wiimotes and head tracking. Fourmation is not only a game, it is an experience.

http://thefourmation.com/download/

Adobe finally released the long awaited Flash Builder beta and it’s definitely an improvement.

The Eclipse team also released Galileo RC3 which seems to work flawlessly with the new Flash Builder plug-in (including stuff like column-selection and a big speed improvement, just be sure you install the Carbon version on OSX and not the Cocoa, seems like Adobe’s stuff is Carbon only).

Step by step instructions to install Eclipse Galileo RC3, Adobe Flash Builder plug-in and Subversive:

1. Download Eclipse Galileo RC3
2. Extract the archive to Applications or Program Files.
3. Download Adobe Flash Builder plug-in
4. Run the installer and when prompted if you want to use the bundled Eclipse, instead select the directory in which you just installed Galileo
5. Run Eclipse Galileo and open Help | Install New Software…
6. In the Work with drop down select Galileo, type svn into the filter box and check off Subversive SVN Team Provider
7. Paste the following address into the Work with drop down: http://www.polarion.org/projects/subversive/download/eclipse/2.0/update-site and check off Subversive SVN Connectors | SVNKit 1.3.0 Implementation
8. Finish the installation and restart Eclipse

I also recommend installing the AnyEdit plug-in from this update location: http://andrei.gmxhome.de/eclipse/ if only for it’s Strip trailing white-space feature

Update: Seems Galileo RC3 was just released as a I wrote this post, I’ve updated the links

Update 2: If you are having problems getting Ant tasks running in Galileo open Run | External Tools | External Tools Configuration…, select your build file and in the JRE tab make sure Run in the same JRE as the workspace is selected.

I’m working on a site that has a lot of white text on a black background. Since you can’t change the text selection color in flash I decided to see what was on the interwebs, and voila!; Mark Walters has solved it for me. Thank you Mark!

He seems to have a few other tidbits on his blog worth looking at as well.

I was doing some work based on the useful Hulk-loving “The anti mask” post from Alexander today. In addition I also needed to do the opposite, namely masking. But again with using blendModes and not your traditional vanilla-mask. I made my little mask in the form of what I wanted revealed and thought all other content would be hidden. It did not work, all seemed to be revealed. After a handful of despair I found out that one need the alpha-mask to be as big as the object to be masked. The alpha-masking is done by matching pixel by pixel, mask to object. Pixels not matched by a mask will be revealed….

Searching for some soundmanipulation, I came across this sweet tool.
lab.andre-michelle.com/tonematrix

I also added his blog to the bloglist, alot of interesting research there