UPDATE #2 (08-23-2009): Just realized that the text file with the sample ActionScript class was called “BasicAnalysis.txt”. It should’ve been called “BasicAnalyzer.txt”, which you’d need to rename to “BasicAnalyzer.as”. The link has been updated below.

Most of my traffic comes from searches for Actionscript 3 spectrum analysis. Because of this, I decided to post an updated example that you can use to conquer your SoundMixer.computeSpectrum() woes. I realized that my original post had source code that wasn’t entirely transparent — and thus, probably not as useful as it could be.

This new example shows how you can draw a series of columns (using basic Graphics.drawRect() code) and how you can do something a little more interesting. I wanted to include both so that people learning from this code don’t get too confused.

Download the source: BasicAnalyzer.txt (you’ll want to rename the extension to .as).

Things you might gain from referencing this class:

• A better understanding of what’s going on with the ByteArray that SoundMixer.computeSpectrum() writes to
• A means for averaging the values in the ByteArray so that you don’t have to represent all 256 values of each stereo channel
• A simple example for doing something a little more “interesting” with the float values in the ByteArray

The source is fully commented, so feel free to snag it for your own use.

You can either make this class your FLA’s document class if you want to try it out, or you can add it as a child of any DisplayObject. Though, there’s some positioning based on stage.stageHeight in there, so your mileage may vary. If you do make it your document class, the Flash movie you’re seeing is 560px by 400px.

Also if you’re interested, the music is “Venus Morning” off an album called “Talk Strange: A Beat Tape Inspired by Bjork” by Dert. Click on his name for the download. Highly recommended.

UPDATE #3 I created a ZIP file with the code and an FLA demonstrating how to use it. You can grab that package here: BasicAnalyzer.zip. It was created using Flash CS4, but should be able to be opened using Flash CS3.

I spent the last couple days making a desktop wallpaper-generating web app out of the previous experiment. Click the image above to check it out.

I tried to add a majority of the common 4:3 and widescreen desktop screen sizes. Make sure you’ve got Flash Player 10. The app will generate a slightly-compressed JPG for you.

Now that I’ve created this, I’m going to apply for a Kuler developer API key so that I can add a “randomize” button for the color palette that pulls in a color scheme from Kuler.

UPDATE (11-29-2008): Added a size for the iPhone.

There’s an ActionScript contest going on (believe it or not). It’s called The 25-Line ActionScript Contest, and I decided to enter it. I’m posting the output here, but not the source. I’ll put that up once the contest is over.

Anyway, for now, just click on the image above and play. It’s microphone-reactive, so go ahead and blow into your mic. If you don’t have one, it’ll still do stuff. Caveat: you must have Flash Player 10 installed.

UPDATE (12-29-2008):

Now that the contest is over, I’m posting the source code for your dissection. You should be able to open up Adobe Flash CS4, create a new ActionScript 3.0 project, and paste it into the Actions window on the first frame of the timeline. Enjoy!

• Noise Column Source Code

Continuing from yesterday, I tried to reel in the exploration a little bit and focus on form. I was still feeling interested in this original sample output from visp, so I put more constraints on this piece and started to get what I wanted.

It’s time to start playing more with the shapes and colors and perhaps adding some blur to impose some depth of field.

+ Check out the evolving Flickr set

After yesterday’s little exercise, I decided to push things a little further and add some more control. Still playing with Perlin noise in Flash. Controlling the form of things a little bit more so as to add interest. And significantly increasing the total number of shapes to impose a couple different viewing distances.

I only played with one base shape this time — actually two shapes that are badly shape-tweened in Flash. It’s a little too noisy, so I’ll probably try something with a little more structure in it and add a couple additional shapes to help with compositions. Click any of the images to view their larger counterparts in Flickr.

+ Check out the larger version

+ Check out the larger version

+ Check out the larger version

+ Check out the larger version

+ Check out the larger version

+ Check out the larger version

+ Check out the larger version

+ Check out the larger version

+ Check out the larger version

Today I decided to try to use mxmlc as my compiler for Flash stuff. But, having recently acquired an FDT Enterprise license, I wanted to use that instead of Flex Builder. Found a great tutorial at for how to compile an AS3 Project with FDT. Also found an excellent ActionScript 3 library for managing library assets (both loaded at runtime and at compile time) over at Tink’s site.

So, in this post you can see some captures from the output of the experiment. And you can check out the actual thing here:

Shape Iteration 001

As you can see, I’m playing with noise and form multiplicity. Again.

Back in June I ran across a blog post chronicling the implementation of a “lifestream” online (read Streaming My Life Away). The idea has been something I’ve wanted to execute for some time, but only earlier this week did I get up enough gusto to try it out.

Instead of using a PHP script to cobble together multiple RSS feeds that are part of my life, I decided to use Yahoo! Pipes since it’s free, it aggregates feeds without my having to write code, and it sorts the individual feed items according to their publish date. You can take a look at the final pipe if you’re interested. Very simple stuff. The feed sources are coming from my Flickr page (seeing), my Last.fm page (hearing), my del.icio.us page (reading), my Twitter page (doing), and this blog (making).

Lastly, I’m taking that pipe (RSS feed) and using a visualization of it as my personal website. Take a look at mikecreighton.com/lifestream. I’m using Flash CS3 / Flash Player 9 and ActionScript 3 to make it all go. I haven’t done a ton with AS3 in Flash CS3, so I’m also using this as an exercise to get my feet wet. This current incarnation should be considered a functional wireframe at this point.

Oh, one more thing. If you want to do anything with Yahoo! Pipes within Flash, be aware that there’s no crossdomain.xml at the yahoo.com domain. You’ll need to change the domain of the URL of the pipe from yahoo.com to yahooapis.com. That’ll make it work with your web-facing Flash piece.

UPDATE: Corrected the links that point to the example. They’re now at http://mikecreighton.com/lifestream.

It definitely took some time. But it’s finally out. And just when I thought I had all my bases covered, Adobe has just released a new public beta of AIR along with a new public beta of Flex 3. This renders two very crucial tutorials that I put together obsolete. I’ll be working this week to update those two tutorials.

For now, if you’re willing to brave it, here are the links a few folks have been waiting for:

• visp-vj.com – The official site for visp.
• visp Google Code Project – This is the project’s home for source code, bug tracking, and other related nerdiness.
• Mailing List – This is the Google Groups mailing list for visp.

I do want to say that visp has definitely been created with programmers in mind. You build your custom media from the ground up. I’ve tried to simply encapsulate things into the flash.display.Sprite class as a base (for custom media) and provide an easy API for handling both software UI input along with MIDI input.

If you’ve got questions, problems, bugs, or simply need some help, please head over to the Mailing List. I won’t be answering anything in the comments of this post. On the list, I’ll do my best to answer in a timely manner. And if you’ve got feature requests, they’ll be duly noted. But remember, this is opensource software, so you’re more than welcome to build the features yourself.

I’ve got a long list of excuses and a short list of completed milestones. However, visp is still moving forward (believe it or not). Here’s what I’ve done since the first preview post:

• Revised functionality (by taking a lot of the more complicated and not-100%-solid features out)
• Revised interface size so that it’ll work with 1024×768 screens (since that’s likely to be the minimum resolution for most laptop VJs)
• Created a consistent API for creating media modules, filter modules, and transition modules
• Set up the proper destination site and domain along with the Subversion respository
• Combed through source code to keep formatting and variable naming consistent
• Fixed some bugs
• Updated codebase to use the latest public release of Apollo (beta 1) and Flex Builder 3 (beta 1)
• Rewrote the MIDI proxy to be usable with all MIDI devices and not dependent on Processing (to reduce memory and processing overhead).
• Rewrote the input interface so that media can be controlled via on-screen UI elements (sliders and buttons)

I’ve still got some more items to go. I want to make sure folks have proper documentation and tutorials for creating their own media, filters, and transitions. I also want to make sure that simply getting the projects set up in Flex Builder 3 is very straight forward (i.e. step-by-step instructions). There will be a 1.0 release in mid-September; I have an Adobe Edge Newsletter article being published on visp, so it has to be done.

Thanks for your continued patience, everyone.

I want visp to be useful (and usable) for anyone that decides to try it out. So, I’m deciding to hold off on releasing for just a bit longer until the next public alpha / beta of the Apollo runtime is released. I might do a small “preview release” of my own that supports the current public alpha version of the Apollo runtime, but if I do, then the release will not have all of the functionality in it that will make it a useful application.

I’ll try to work toward that this week, as I’d love to get it into peoples’ hands. Thanks for your patience.