FantastiqUI : Flash player control for HAL(TV3D,D3D,etc.) [updated]

[mathijs]

FantastiqUI : Flash control

Lately I have finished the Flash control for HAL(hardware accelerated rendering) that I have been developing over the past two years. I am offering a beta version to the TV-Community to have a first look. Let me first give you a short list of the core features of this control..

Feature list:
* Works with c++/.NET/delphi, yet build on a powerful c++ core.
* Works in fullscreen mode and handles mouse and keyboard input that you pass to the control fully.
* Synchronous and asynchronous communication with flash. This means, you can call functions inside the actionscript inside your flash control. Visa versa actionscript can call functions inside your applications. In both cases return arguments can be returned to the calling application.
* Optimized for speed, rerendering only happens when the flash control updates and at a framerate you specify. The rendering is implemented fully double-buffered/threaded.
* Fully engine/directx/opengl independant. By a provided set of classes you can implement this to work with virtually any rendering mechanism.
* Custom sound handlers, hook your own sound handler to the control and let your application's sound system play the sound for flash.
* You can provide your own flash player. This means you can deploy your applications without worrying about any problems by users using other versions of flash than the version you tested with.
* Full flash transparency and translucency supported.

Included in the zip file:
* Executable showing of 3 flash controls in a 3d application.
* Source code of the executable and the .net version of the FantastiqUI flash control (the versions for other languages are for release at a later time)
* Source file of the flash control showing communication between flash and the application.
* For easy use I have implemented a function for binding a flash control to a truevision texture in .net DLL.
* Also included is depends.exe, to check for any missing runtimes in case the application doesn't run.

Required runtimes to run this:
* Microsoft visual c++ 8 runtimes.Get it here
* The latest flash player Get it here
* A working version of truevision(and the directx runtimes required to run truevision).

Beta version
* Remember, this is a beta version and not garanteed to work nor is intended for any commercial use yet.
* If you find any bugs, please report them here :')

Download

[darqSHADOW]

Very nice, I know there's been a lot of people waiting for this one.  Great work.

John

[Eric]

great stuff mathijs!

[Zaknafein]

Doesn't work on my Windows XP Media Center Edition laptop.
The provided exec runs, but crashes with a meaningless win32 exception if I click anywhere.
The source compile but crashes when I run it, with a FileNotFoundException ("The specified module could not be found. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007007E)") on Application.Run in the Main method.
I ran "depends.exe" on the provided exec, it says I don't have DWMAPI.DLL, that might be it. But according to this MVP it should never be linked to, so check your stuff...
http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=946323&SiteID=1

[mathijs]

Looking into it, thanks for your report zaknafein. This dwmapi shouldnt be causing the problem. Since its missing on my computer too, and not one of my links, but something that comes in inside some other runtime. Looking what the problem could then be atm.

[mk_9999]

cann't run ?

[Raine]

The executable works here.

Smooth performance even on my crappy laptop, and that's an achievement.

Mango, mango, mango mango mangoooo!

[sgrippa]

cann't run ?

Same exception here, it seems it's missing something.

Edit : run on Vista business ; I have dvmapi.dll in system32.

[beyonder]

Don't worry Mathijs... its like this in every release I've ever done... (we're not Microsoft)
 
But I was wondering... is it possible to make this work with VB6?

Thanks.

[sgrippa]

Don't worry Mathijs... its like this in every release I've ever done... (we're not Microsoft)
 
But I was wondering... is it possible to make this work with VB6?

Thanks.

Yes, it's absolutely normal. When I release a software app I go trought many many many headaches wondering why the tests I made at the office seem to work without bugs and when I perform installation at the customer's office nothing seems to run properly....

[mathijs]

I think it might be because of STLPort not being found for some reason, since the other linked stuff is either too standard to be missing or .net. And .net missing references tell what is missing in the error. Going to remove the stlport link and make it static just to be sure.

[mathijs]

If anyone who tested it and didnt get it to work minds helping me testing, please message your msn adress to me or message me on msn.

[sgrippa]

I'd be glad if you want me to test your gui but,unfortunately I am at work and don't have msn installed here.
I will watch this topic for the whole day so, if you'd have to test a new release just send me a Pm.

[mathijs]

Don't worry Mathijs... its like this in every release I've ever done... (we're not Microsoft)
 
But I was wondering... is it possible to make this work with VB6?

Thanks.

Not sure yet, there will be a com-dll, which should work with vb6. Not sure yet whether it will work with vb6 though because of vb6 not supporting directx.

[DavidAWinter]

What's the planned licensing model going to be for this?

Also, for those thinking about commercial purposes, you would still need to get a license from Adobe to use swf for commercial purposes.

[mathijs]

What's the planned licensing model going to be for this?

Also, for those thinking about commercial purposes, you would still need to get a license from Adobe to use swf for commercial purposes.

Not sure about the licensing plan yet, somewhere between free and 25$. Looking into the licensing with adobe, tho I think they are very easy with applications using the player, looking at the amount of such apps released.

[mathijs]

I have updated the .zip archive with a new dll. The stlport reference is removed, which might(hopefully) fix the problems some people encounter, havent had the time to test a lot though yet.

[sgrippa]

Downloaded and tested.
It works like a charm on first try ! Very good work mathijs !

Around 2500 fps on a Amd 5000+, Ati X1950 Pro 256 Mb, Windows Vista Businees running Aero Desktop

[Zaknafein]

Alright, now the code and executable both run, but I still have that anonymous win32 exception when I wait a while or click anywhere inside the frame. :/
If I run it in code, I don't get any break point or anything within Visual C#, just the same exception dialog. So I guess it's inside the C++ DLL.
I'm on french regional settings, if that helps!

[mathijs]

Alright, now the code and executable both run, but I still have that anonymous win32 exception when I wait a while or click anywhere inside the frame. :/
If I run it in code, I don't get any break point or anything within Visual C#, just the same exception dialog. So I guess it's inside the C++ DLL.
I'm on french regional settings, if that helps!

So if i understand correctly the app runs and shows the flash player and rendering untill you click anywhere. Then it crashes, but not at a point where you can break it?
If it doesnt run at all, do you get to see the message "This is a beta version not intended for redistribution or commercial purposes"? If this displays the internal c++ core is reached atleast.