Flapi blog

2009-05-07T08:24:00.000-07:00

Bugfix again :s Flapi viewer 0.73

2006-09-07T06:01:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been some buggy weeks for Flapi, but now it's working as you can see on our example page. Please download and upgrade your version, just overwriting flapi_viewer.swf should fix all your problems, the config.xml hasn't changed.

http://flapi.f4l.be

If you like flapi and want to support us, please consider making a donation, check our download page.

Flapi updated to 0.72

2006-09-01T04:37:00.000-07:00

There was still something wrong with flapi viewer... we fixed it :)

Download the new version on our site. http://flapi.f4l.be/

If you like flapi and you want to support us, feel free to make a donation on our download page: http://flapi.f4l.be/download.html

Thanks !

Flapi updated to 0.71

2006-08-27T09:48:00.000-07:00

Like mentioned on this blog, there was a small change to the flickr web service, which made it unable to load your flickr photos into flapi viewer.

We fixed this and the updated version is available on our download page.

Cheers !

Flapi problem

2006-08-24T06:08:00.000-07:00

There has something changed with the web service of Flickr. That's why flapi stopped working, the player is already updated, thanks to Frits. I'll put it online in a few hours.

Keep on flapi-ing.

It was about time ... but here it is!! FLAPI viewer 0.7 beta

2005-12-20T11:24:00.000-08:00

Woohoo,

Our goal for this version was to make our viewer as bug free as possible. We can proudly say this is our first relatively stable version. But it's still possible you'll run in to some bugs. It's important that you post the bugs at our support wiki, so we can get to our first totally bugfree version 1.0 out !!

So what's fixed/added in this version :

We completely rewrote the sizing system. The viewer now chooses the best image available looking at the size of your flash movie. So if the viewer has the size of 400 px* 400 px he'll take the flickr image of 500px longests side.
If your viewer is bigger then the original flickr image he won't size the image, but just center the biggest image available and center it.
background behind the thumbnailbar
give your photoset list a title
Bugs fixed: sizing, flipping thumbnails, photoset list and much more.
and more ...

If you can help us, our support wiki still needs a lot of work. Faq, Help so we can provide some decent support. If you can help us out with the wiki or flapi viewer itself, don't hesitate to contact us.

Download flapi viewer or the source
Flapi site
Support Wiki

Let us know what you think ...

Frits - Lev - Jesse

Community Wiki

2005-12-08T09:25:00.000-08:00

We've set up a wiki for the flapi viewer. It will be easy to add information to the help, bugs, ...

It would be great if we could get input from the community, for now it's still very very empty. If someone wants to work on it. Just do it !!! We'll be monitoring it closely.

http://flapi.f4l.be/support/

An bugfree update for the flapi viewer is coming soon ...

Thanks,

J

Mission accomplished...

2005-12-01T04:12:00.001-08:00

well actually not :p But we had today our end presentation of our school assignment (FLAPI). So don't worry the school assignment is finished but we're still going to update flapi viewer. We don't want you guys to get stuck with a viewer that is full of bugs. Now our first priority will be: make the first bug free version. I can't give you a time schedule yet but we'll keep you updated.

These things we're definatelly going to fix:

Blog support, multiple instances of the viewer in one page same swf.
Flipping thumbsbar
Slideshow funky on/off behaviour
next previous with arrow keys still very buggy. fix it !
implement transitions
option for background color thumbs

Some other news, we have made a small flapi website. Just for the community purpose and not to get bombed with questions the whole time. You can find it at http://flapi.f4l.be
We still need to implement a small forum, community portal.

If you want to help us out with the flapi site(faq, help, community) or flapi viewer itself, please don't hesitate to contact us. You're more than welcome.

For the record:
- our presentation of today ( Dutch )

See ya ;)

FLAPI viewer beta : Next version 0.5

2005-11-20T20:50:00.000-08:00

We've decided to launch our next version of the FLAPI viewer. I think flapi viewer made some great improvements if you compare it to our previous version, but still it's full of bugs. If you find one, please let us know. Mail, comment, ...

People who know their way around Flash and want to help us with FLAPI. You're welcome, let us know. Start with taking a look at our Flash source.

INSTALL
A more extensive help is on the way. For now you have to do it with this:

The package contains 2 files now: the swf viewer and a config.xml file. You only need to edit the xml file to get it working. It's important that you keep the config.xml and flapi_viewer.swf in the same directory.
Open config.xml:

setid : this is the default set id, so the set that the viewer displays first if you choose overview mode. If mode is specific it will display only this set.

userid : your flickr id number (click on the rss 2.0 feed below on a users page, you'll find the id in the url, it will look like 95967205@N00)
api_key: get yourself an api key (http://www.flickr.com/services/api/misc.api_keys.html)
showsets : specific(display 1 specific set) - overview (all your sets) - recent (recent photos)
recentnumber : if showsets = recent , number of images you want to display

showslideshowlink

randomplay

shownavigation : show the thumbnails or not true - false

transition : not working yet !

thumbstyle : always - never - hiding

the colors ... speaks for itself

infosettakentime : not yet

If you edited the xml just integrate the swf in your html or flash(can be buggy). Remember that the xml has to be in the same directory as the swf.

DOWNLOAD

FLAPI viewer 0.5 beta

FLAPI viewer 0.5 beta fla source

By downloading FLAPI viewer you agree with the flickr terms of use and you are responsible for the photos you load into the FLAPI viewer.

FEATURES

View flickr photo's,

3 modes

recent

specific

overview

Scalable, this means you can integrate it at any size. The viewer can be width:100% height:100% as well as width:300px height 200px.

Change colors of text, backgrounds, border, ...

Choose between : always visible thumbs, no thumbs, hiding thumbs

Slideshow

some resizing and position problems and strange sizes, but it will probably just work if you choose the right size.

Slideshow function on/off

Link to flickr image page

... some more...

something else ... do tell us !!

Still a lot to do, but we're a step further ! More to come on the todo list.

BUGS

Some problems with relative and absolute link to the config.xml, if you load it from an other location then your own directory.

Thumbstyle always stays hiding.

LICENSE
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/

FLAPI viewer public beta

2005-11-16T14:28:00.000-08:00

The first beta version of our Flickr image viewer in Flash is ready. We're not going to make the .fla available for now, but hang on a week and you can find him here.

What's now important is that we can get some good feedback from you. So we can take that into account for our next beta version which is scheduled for a week.
This beta has some restrictions that the next won't have, we just want you to focus on the user experience and usability of the current version.

Introduction
-----------------------
Why would you spend money on expensive photo hosting if you can have a Flickr account? But still want to integrate your images into your own site? Well we had the same problem. So we started to develop this viewer, but we wanted to make it as customizable as possible so we could use it on different kind of sites with different styles. Now if you're still interested, we would love if you could test it out for us. Give us some feedback, if you want to use it, where and how? what has to change? If you don't want to use it, tell us why?
Next to our own needs for this viewer, we were able to integrate it in an assignment for our last year C-MD. So believe me, the more feedback, the better.

Where can I use this photo viewer
-----------------------------------------------

Integrate in your html site
Integrate in your flash site
Integrate in a blog post
Standalone 100%*100% slideshow viewer

Current features
--------------------------
*not available in current live beta

View flickr photo's, 3 modes : View a users recent pictures, view 1 specific photoset view , overview of all your photosets.
Scalable, this means you can integrate it at any size. The viewer can be width:100% height:100% as well as width:300px height 200px.
Change colors of text, backgrounds, border, ... *
Choose between : always visible thumbs, no thumbs, hiding thumbs *
Customizable photo info panel: link to flickr page of photo, photo title, photo description, date taken, ... *
Slideshow *

TODO
------------

If we resize the images in flash, they loose some quality. With a new class (bitmapData) in flash 8 we hopefully can fix this, where looking in to this.
It would be nice if you could have more control over the thumbnails, make them smaller, position them where you want.
View your favorites, a bit tricky (needs authentication)
some resizing and position problems and strange sizes, but it will probably just work if you choose the right size.
Make active image thumb visible.
On full screen size, limit the 1024 size.
On size bigger then 500 test first of the 1024 image is available, give error message is it isn't available.
Slideshow of original pictures.
Slideshow function on/off
Link to flickr image page
Choose your transition
Authenticate user, make private sets visible in viewer. Optional password protection for sets.
something else ... do tell us !!

Demo's
---------

Current beta
--------------------

Go to the following url and help is on that page. You can fill in your own parameters, so the viewer can display your images:

http://cmdstud.khlim.be/~ldetrez/form/index.php

Bugs
----------

some resizing and position problems at full screen
Large image doesn't display if your flash movie is bigger then 540*540px and 1024px version is not available on flickr.
some other small and bigger bugs...
Loads wrong photoset in internet explorer, doesn't give the get vars to swf.

We cannot be held reponsible for any kind of use of flapi viewer. The end user decides which photos he loads into the viewer.

Again if anything went wrong, something didn't worked anymore please leave a comment on this post with your problem. If you just have a comment or a new feature, always welcome. We'll look into it.

Thanks,

Lev, Frederik and Jesse

Our viewer design

2005-11-09T05:24:00.000-08:00

thbothover_view
Originally uploaded by SePPeR.

First mockup of the design is ready, our standard viewer will look a bit like this.

For more screenshots : http://www.flickr.com/photos/sepp/sets/1316382/

reseach + planning

2005-11-09T04:45:00.000-08:00

Onderzoek Flickr en andere Picture viewers:
Desk Research
Use cases

De planning tot aan de deadline ziet er als volgt uit:

- We willen een eerste beta-versie lanceren om te zien hoe erop gereageerd wordt.
- Aanpassingen maken adhv commentaar
- Zo user-friendly mogelijk maken (zodat ook leken zelf aanpassingen kunnen doen)

- definitieve versie maken
- kick-ass presentatie voorbereideren.

Flickr user feedback (2)

2005-11-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

Onze voorstel op het flickr forum heeft weinig feedback gekregen, misschien door het feit dat we het te hard specifieerden, ofdat de mensen het nut er niet van inzien. Een andere thread op het forum leert ons wel veel namelijk :

What is your ONE most wanted functionality upgrade?

Enkele dingen waar onze img viewer de users eventueel mee van dienst kan zijn :

- private pictures paswoord beveiligd kunnen weergeven aan non-flickr members
- original size browsing
- meerdere img tegelijk kunnen bloggen, via onze viewer plaatsen ze die images gewoon in een aparte set, en linken of embedden de swf in hun blog.

goed om rekening mee te houden.

Flickr user feedback

2005-10-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

Vooraleer we daadwerkelijk beginnen met de ontwikkeling is het misschien eens interessant ons oor te luister te leggen bij de flickr gebruikers. Waar hebben die noodzaak aan? Hoe willen zij onze site gebruiken? Wat moet er mogelijk zijn met de photoset viewer?

Bij deze : http://www.flickr.com/forums/ideas/13629/

Ik ben razendbenieuwd naar de reacties.

Files upcomming earth

2005-10-28T09:52:00.000-07:00

We hadden al enkele taken gemaakt voor ons vorige plan, de sociale event kalender met google maps interface. Daarmee gaan we spijtig genoeg niet verder, maar we onthouden jullie het plezier niet van onze vorige documenten te lezen:
vergelijkend onderzoek
use cases

nieuwe piste: flapi

2005-10-27T04:37:00.000-07:00

Flapi: Integratie van Flickr albums in andere website

De web 2.0 applicatie die we wilden maken is spijtig genoeg niet uitvoerbaar. Om de API's van upcomming.org en google, yahoo of MSN maps te koppelen is het nodig dat men bij upcomming de coördinaten van locaties steeds mee ingeeft, en dit gebeurt nog niet. We zijn dus op zoek gegaan naar een nieuwe 2.0 app.
Verslag van de vergadering.

Welke factoren leidden ons tot een nieuw onderwerp?
- Grote verkoop digitale camera’s
- Foto’s op internet populair
- Surfers worden content producers, willen hun gegevens delen
- Zelf foto beheer systeem maken is technisch moeilijk
- Populare foto service is Flickr. Heel handig beheersysteem, maar steeds in layout van Flickr.

HYPOTHESE
Zou het niet handig zijn moesten Flickr users het Flickr systeem gebruiken om hun foto’s te beheren, maar de albums op een gemakkelijke manier kunnen integreren op hun eigen website?
(amateur)fotografen hoeven niet te investeren in een duur backoffice systeem, maar kunnen via de Flickr account hun foto’s beheren.
We zullen onderzoeken of het een meerwaarde voor de gebruikers is om de gallery op hun noden en voorkeuren af te stemmen. Moeten we dit proces automatiseren?

METHODOLOGIE
Desk research
- Flickr admin systeem, Flickr API
- Andere foto gallerijen
- Sites waarop gallery geïntegreerd kan worden (homepage, blog,..)
- Literatuurstudie: leerstof module

Interviews
- Flickr gebruikers/developers via forum/mail
- Fotografe die op zoek is naar online portfolio

DE WEB 2.0 APP: FLAPI
•Integreerbare flash foto gallery met Flickr backoffice (via Flickr API, Rest XML)
•Open source
•Layout en structuur makkelijk aanpasbaar door gebruiker met beperkte webdev kennis
•Eerste stap is kiezen welke photosets ze zichtbaar willen
•Daarna kunnen ze de layout van de fotoviewer tot op zeker hoogte bepalen (kleur, rijen en kolommen thumbnails, grote img, schikking, animatie, …)
•Aanpassen moet makkelijk zijn (bv.alle variabelen in XML, eventueel kan deze gegenereerd worden via een interface)
•2 doelpublieken: webdevelopers en leken

zo, dat is het voorlopig.
Later meer!

start schedule

2005-10-22T02:10:00.000-07:00

Well, what to do ...

FASE 1 – Examine the current processes, forms, and applications
Upcoming www.upcoming.org
G-visit www.gvisit.com
Examin and compare; integrate solutions in our concept

FASE 2 – Interviews
owner Upcoming
users upcoming (forum)

FASE 3 – Observe users
Upcoming
Google maps

FASE 4 – Workflow diagram
schedule possibilities
o (zoom, click event, …)
High-level workflow diagrams
Mid-Level workflow diagrams
Low-Level workflow diagrams

FASE 5 – Use cases
What can users do vs. Owners
Scenario's

Decided !

2005-10-18T05:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we decided to go for "the upcoming combo google maps" idea. We worked on it last task for interface and really saw some opportunities. Well it sounds impressive and it is, but in development it's still ok because we found some really nice open source tools that can help us. Who doens't love the great open source community?!

Take a look at this awesome flash google maps application ==> http://www.neave.com/lab/flash_earth/ . Cool isn't it ?

So the first things now is to do some research about upcoming.org and gvisit.com, and test some users on it. How do the users experience the sites, with that information in mind we can start thinking how we are going to develop our site.

We also devided the different roles in our team. Lev takes the role of designer, me(Jesse) developer and frederik is the analyst. This doesn't mean that I'm gonna do all the developing - you wish - but it means looking at the use cases I have to put myself in the role of the developer and look of the feasability of the project. Can we develop this in a that certain time amount? So as a team we keep a close eye on all the different aspects of the development.

So let's start working !!

ready.. set.. go!

2005-10-15T08:52:00.000-07:00

Group members:
Jesse Wynants, 4 cmd Belgium (jesse@f4l.be)
Lev Detrez, 4 cmd Belgium (l.detrez@byteback.be)
Frederik Vincx, 4 cmd Belgium (frederik.vincx@pandora.be)

Opdracht:
One member of each group should post an update to the (group's) project blog each week beginning in week of 13 october 2005 and ending in week of 17 november 2005 (the week before the presentations are due). Each week's posting (except the first posting and the last posting) should do two things:

Discuss the progress on each task since the last week's posting.
Outline the tasks and who is doing what in the coming week.