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#1

Hi there,

I am an AIR developper. My job mainly consists in creating desktop apps under Windows for Museums.

I used OpenFL Starling with success to create HTML5 output, when my clients wanted a web version.

Today, I wonder if the recent changes in OpenFL (NPM Workflow) can bring something new for me.

I would like to leave AIR for complex projects because of some problem (like multitouch lags under windows 10) haven’t been solved for months…

C++ target would be great (big performance) but I can not use it because of the lack of video support and windows management (always on top / open different windows fullscreen on different screens…).

So, basically, I would like to use Haxe language, with Starling framework targeting HTML5…and use node.js and nw.js to handle files and windows…

Does the new NPM workflow change something for this? And is possible?

Thanks for your help.

#2

It would be helpful to know what things you hope to see in our native support. In addition to video, and always on top, what appears to be missing? I believe you should be able to open new windows on other monitors, and go fullscreen.

While the traditional HTML5 target OpenFL produces can be used with Node-Webkit, Electron and other libraries, the NPM approach makes it simpler to integrate with these libraries, and also makes hot-reloading and other workflow benefits simpler :slight_smile:

I posted recently how I took an NPM-based OpenFL sample, and made it run for the desktop using Electron. That might be a good place to start:

And thanks again for the feedback, it helps! I’d like to help bring some of these things around full-circle, so openfl test windows -js might be officially supported (for example)

#3

Hi Josh and thanks for your answer.

To create windows app for showroom or Museums, I think that (at least in France), most people are still using AIR, some people are using Unity (but not the best choice for 2D purpose in my opinion), some others classic HTML5 with NW.js, and a few people are using pure C++ (the best, but not the cheaper development). I think OpenFL could be the best in this place because we need high performances and availability to make an HTML version (as it is often asked).

Theses apps must be in kiosk mode, and we also need a way to manage memory as they are running all day.

For the windows management, we also need something like http://www.joristimmerman.be/wordpress/2009/03/03/screenmanager-expand-your-air-application/ because sometimes there are 2, 3 or even 4 screens. And of course the “alwaysOnTop” property.

For the rendering, if we can use all Starling rendering objects, I think we won’t need anything else… But, video support is mandatory because there is often videos in theses kind off app (and on multiusers screens, we could have several videos at the same time). A plus would be to be able to to seamlees loop video.

We also have electronic components like sensors plugged to our apps like the ones on https://www.phidgets.com/ . For example, Phidgets provides a JS library we can use in node.js…so we need the possibility to call and receive data from node.js.

We also need a way to acces to Windows File system to execute / write files…but I think this is already OK, right?

Maybe there is other small things like the AS3 SoundMixer…but that’s accessory…

So to sum up:

  • full (multi) windows management
  • (multi) video support
  • Windows File system access (but I think I already OK)
  • Node.js access (but I think I already OK)

I can not see other thing…

For now, I am studying the possibility to embed an HTML5 output of OpenFL into a native container with NW.js and Node.js…but indeed the best would be to use the C++ native target…So I will have a close look at your example!

You made a great choice with porting Starling to OpenFL…the availability to use the great framework for AIR / native windows / IOS / Android / HTML5 is just STUNNING!
In the future, if the features I listed and…Feathers comes as well, then OpenFL would become the Holy Grail for me (and not just for me :wink: ).

Thanks for your great job, really!

#4

Just to add here - I’ve done some work updating the PhidgetHX library to Openfl 3. I’ve used it with OpenFL last generation - so it needs a bit of work to run with current gen, but it’s there on Github: https://github.com/sumo961/PhidgetHX

#5

Hi hak88,

Thanks for your sharing!