Flash ActionScript(AS) Expert

Flash Action Script 3 MP3 Player:

Here goes Flash Action Script 3 MP3 Player – Part 1. Need Your comments and support on the articles.

I am writing this first version of Flash Action Script 3 MP3 for beginners so that they can have an idea of Flash Action Script 3 Sound Classes. Also this code uses memory optimization techniques to reduce memory leaks.

To Learn More About Memory Optimization read my previous post

http://actionscript-blog.imaginationdev.com/Memory-Optimization-Flash-Action-Script-3

Flash Action Script 3 MP3 Player can be developed in 2 ways. 1- Songs are played once they are completely downloaded on the local machine, Part 1 of my Flash Action Script 3 MP3 Player uses this techniques. this approach is suitable when developing a desktop application. 2- Songs are buffered and streamed from the server and played simultaneously. This type of approach is common for Online Flash Action Script 3 MP3 Player. Part 2 of this article series will cover the 2nd methodology.

Building a Flash Action Script 3 MP3 Player is really easy using Flash Action Script 3 classes. Once you have the concepts of Sound class, SoundChannel class and Timer class in Flash Action Script 3 you are ready to develop a Media Player in Flash Action Script 3. In case you need guidance and help in the above mentioned classes you are welcome to leave comments and i will respond as soon as possible.

This might not be the best Flash Action Script 3 MP3 Player. This sure will guide you how to develop a Flash Action Script 3 MP3 Player using flash action script. There are number of flash media players available on the internet but very few i saw focussed on the fact that action script sound class has some problems when optimizing memory space. So i thought to write one sample of my own.

This flash MP3 player is easily customizable and reusable. In coming future i plan to write a Flash MP3 Player Component using Action Script3. Hopefully that article will also cover the basis of creating a flash component.

You can use the flash action script 3 Mp3 player code to build your own customized Flash Action Script 3 MP3 Players. Basic idea will always remain the same.

Flash Action Script 3 MP3 Player development starts with the code for loading XML and inserting data in the play list.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// //Loading XML /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

var xmlData:XML; var xmlLoader:URLLoader = new URLLoader();xmlLoader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, LoadXML);

xmlLoader.load(new URLRequest("playlist.xml"));
function LoadXML(e:Event):void {

 trace(LoadXML); xmlData = new XML(e.target.data);function getValues(input:XML) {

 var xmlCategoryList:XMLList = input.children(); var item:XML;var intCount:int = 0;

for each (item in xmlCategoryList) {

 playList.addItem({label:item.title, data:item.url}); intCount = intCount + 1;

}

}//end of get Values Function
getValues(xmlData);

}// end of Load XML

After that we will wait until user clicks on any song in play list. For handling play list event we will write the following code.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// //Play List Handler Function /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

playList.addEventListener(Event.CHANGE, playListChangeHandler);
function playListChangeHandler(event:Event) {

if (flagSoundChannel==1) {

 soundChannel.stop();

} else if (flagSoundChannel==0) {

 flagSoundChannel=1;

} playSound(event.target.selectedItem.data);timeSlider.value=0;

}// end of change Handler

Above code calls another important function playSound. This method loads the new sound in the sound Object.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// //Play Sound Function /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

function playSound(path) {

 songPath.url = path;if(playerObject.sound!=null)

 delete playerObject.sound;

playerObject.sound = new Sound();
addSoundEvents();
playerObject.sound.load(songPath);

}

Above code requires sound events to be handled before a new sound object is created. If you focus on the delete playerObject.sound; statement, this deletes the previous allocation of memory for the sound object. If we don’t do this a lot of memory will leak and eventually application will crash.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// //Sound Loading Event Handler Function /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

function addSoundEvents():void
{
    playerObject.sound.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, funcSoundLoaded);
    playerObject.sound.addEventListener(IOErrorEvent.IO_ERROR, onIOError);
    playerObject.sound.addEventListener(ProgressEvent.PROGRESS,funcOnLoadProgress);
}
function funcSoundLoaded(event:Event) {
    var soundObject:Sound = event.target as Sound;
    var totalSoundDuration:Number;
    soundChannel=soundObject.play();
    totalSoundDuration=(soundObject.length/1000)/(60);
    totalSoundDuration=Math.floor((totalSoundDuration*100));
    totalSoundDuration=totalSoundDuration/100;
    timeSlider.maximum=(soundObject.length/1000);
    sliderDivisionValue=totalSoundDuration;
    fileTimeInSec = Math.floor(playerObject.sound.length/1000);
    secTimer.start();
}//end of Function Loaded
function funcOnLoadProgress(event:ProgressEvent):void {
    var loadedPct:uint =Math.round(100 * (event.bytesLoaded / event.bytesTotal));
    trace("The playerObject.sound is " + loadedPct + "% loaded.");
}
function onIOError(e:IOErrorEvent) {
    trace("The playerObject.sound can not be Loaded"+ e.text);
}

Above code implementation of sound event handlers. Lastly we will add Timers and GUI element event handlers. ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// //Control Handlers UIDesign /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

btnStop.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK,funcStop);
btnPause.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK,funcPause);
btnPlay.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK,funcPlay);
btnForward.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK,funcForward);
btnBack.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK,funcReverse);
soundChannel.addEventListener(Event.SOUND_COMPLETE, funcComplete);
function funcComplete(event:Event) {
    soundChannel.stop();
    timeSlider.value=0;
    currPosition=0;
}
function funcStop(event:Event) {
    secTimer.reset();
    timeSlider.value=0;
    currPosition=0;
    soundChannel.stop();
    flagSoundChannel=0;
}
function funcPause(event:Event) {
    secTimer.stop();
    currPosition= soundChannel.position;
    soundChannel.stop();
    btnPlay.visible=true;
    btnPause.visible=false;
}
function funcPlay(event:Event) {
    soundChannel.stop();
    soundChannel=playerObject.sound.play(currPosition);
    btnPlay.visible=false;
    btnPause.visible=true;
    secTimer.start();
}
function funcForward(event:Event) {
    if (soundChannel.position+forwardDuration<=playerObject.sound.bytesTotal) {
        timeSlider.value+=forwardDuration/1000;
        soundChannel.stop();
        soundChannel=playerObject.sound.play(soundChannel.position+forwardDuration);
    }
    else
    {
        timeSlider.value=0;
        currPosition=0;
        soundChannel.stop();
        flagSoundChannel=0;
    }
}
function funcReverse(event:Event) {
    if (soundChannel.position-forwardDuration>0) {
        timeSlider.value-=forwardDuration/1000;
        soundChannel.stop();
        soundChannel=playerObject.sound.play(soundChannel.position-forwardDuration);
    }
    else
    {
        timeSlider.value=0;
        currPosition=0;
        soundChannel.stop();
        flagSoundChannel=0;
    }
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// //Control Handlers Sliders /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

timeSlider.addEventListener(SliderEvent.THUMB_PRESS,sliderPressed);
timeSlider.addEventListener(SliderEvent.THUMB_RELEASE,sliderReleased);
timeSlider.addEventListener(SliderEvent.CHANGE,sliderChangeHandler);
timeSlider.liveDragging =true;
function sliderChangeHandler(event:SliderEvent) {
    secTimer.stop();
    soundChannel.stop();
    soundChannel=playerObject.sound.play(event.target.value*1000);
    secTimer.start();
}
function sliderPressed(event:SliderEvent) {
}
function sliderReleased(event:SliderEvent) {
    secTimer.stop();
    soundChannel.stop();
    soundChannel=playerObject.sound.play(event.target.value*1000);
    secTimer.start();
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// //Control Handlers Timers /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

secTimer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER, onTick);
secTimer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER_COMPLETE, onTimerComplete);
function onTick(event:TimerEvent):void {
    trace("Timer is running");
    timeSlider.value+=1;
}
function onTimerComplete(event:TimerEvent):void {
    trace("Time's Up!");
}

For Further details on voice control and sound buffering you may contact me. I will soon be writing part 2 of the flash MP3 Player series with voice control and Sound Buffering.

Kindly Let me know about your remarks if this article is being helpful in solving your problem.

Download Sample Project : Flash MP3 Player Using Action Script 3