art, life and software development

Olokun rising
My exodus from Nigeria to England has resulted in lots of changes in my life - a major shift was my professional shift from painter to web application developer. In truth a lot of that was due to circumstance and I do miss painting. I was really estatic to find the Omooba Shyllon Art foundation website. Omooba Shyllon was a collector of my work and I was really chuffed to see my old work featured in his collection. More that that it was lovely to see my paintings again.

At the beauty salon

To use the FLVStreamer tool to extract an RTMP stream you need to know the rtmp address of the target stream. Once you have that change directory to the install directory of the FLVStreamer and write the following commands:

$ ./flvstreamer-1.7_ubuntu_jackalope -r 'rtmp://[IP address or host name]: [port]/river/alpha/sample1.f4v' -o testdump.f4v

It was delightful to see that the utility could also retrieve *.f4v files. I guess this means that any H264 encoded file is extractable
. The same commands work for the rtmpdump tool.

1
1,2
1,2,3
1,2,3,4
2
2,1
2,1,3
and so on...
It was one of those days when I truly wished I had stuck to my Maths. Anyroad it was back to the grindstone to find a solution for this little pickle. This is the general idea of the solution.
You begin by extraction the data from the XML and having it in an array. Next you nest 4 'for (var i:int = )' loops, for each subsequent loop the initial count parameter is set to a +1 increment of the previous loop initial count. In the first loop you add the first item in the array to the end of the array.

var c:int = 0
for (var i:int = c; i < _list.length-3; i++)
{
_displaylist.push( _list[i] )
var b:int = i +1;

The idea being that as you loop through you set up the array so that
each item in the array has a chance at being the first item in the
loop. Having set up the loop you set up a counter which increments every time the combination algorithm is run till you get to the end of the initial array. This counter sets up a recursion of the algorithm till the end of the intial list is reached. This counter sets the value for 'c'.

This is the conplete combination function:

public function combinate(c:int = 0):void
{


for (var i:int = c; i < _list.length-3; i++)
{
_displaylist.push( _list[i] )
var b:int = i +1;
for (var j:int = b; j < _list.length-2; j++)
{
_displaylist.push(_list[i] +' + '+_list[j] );
var c:int = j +1;
for (var k:int = c; k < _list.length-1; k++)
{
_displaylist.push(_list[i] +' + '+_list[j] +' + '+_list[k] );
var d:int = k +1;
for (var l:int = d; l < _list.length; l++)
{
//trace (_list[i],_list[j],_list[k],_list[l])
_displaylist.push(_list[i] +' + '+_list[j] +' + '+_list[k] +' + '+_list[l]);
}
}
}
}

if (_count < 16)
{
//trace ('count',_count, _list.length)
_list.push(_list[_count])
_count++
combinate(_count)
}else{
var m:int = Math.floor(_displaylist.length/1000);

var mlist:Array = []
for (var n:int = 0; n < m; n++)
{
mlist.push({label: (n * 1000) + ' - ' +( ((n +1)* 1000) -1), data: n * 1000});
}
_droplist = new ArrayCollection(mlist);
drop.dataProvider = _droplist;

//print()
}
}


The prototype of the application can be seen here. Ignore the 'Upload XML' that is for the final version. you will not be able to upload anything. I hope you find it useful.

In January "Adobe announced plans to publish the Real-Time Messaging Protocol specification, which is designed for high-performance transmission of audio, video, and data between Adobe Flash Platform technologies. This move that has followed the opening of the AMF spec has been received with varying degrees of enthusiasm from the RIA community." Unfortunately for Adobe this proclaimation has come round to bite them rather painfully in the wotsits.

The problem is a tool called rtmpdump. Adobe has had to issue a DMCA removal request for rtmpdump on Sourceforge. This utility is apparently at the heart of the IPlayer desktop I was praising so fervently a few posts ago - I must confess I have not authenticated that bit of information so it may be completely incorrect - quote me not. Rtmpdump acts by presenting itself to the rtmp streaming server as the client *.swf. As a result it is able to poach rtmp stream data from the server and make it accessible for download. In itself this was not that much of a problem however, rtmpdump it seems can also extract RTMPE protected files. This is the source for Adobe's concern and mine actually (I hate setting up the framework for RTMPS and RTMPE was an easier more accessible fix - obviously no longer).
I have been told by one of this blog's readers lkcl that rtmpdump implements the SWFverification schema. My warmest thanks.

Fabio Sonnati explains it thus:
"rtmpdump acted mainly as a Flash Player emulator as it mimics the rtmp(e) protocol from handshaking to encrypted streaming.
Acting as the specific SWF (thanks to SWFverification hack), Rtmpdump was able to substitute the original SWF, connect to FMS and grab the protected RTMP(E) stream."

It does seem then that Adobe feels that rtmpdump "can be used to download copyrighted works". Apparently certain Channel4 content that was supposedly rtmpe protected has already been poached by the usage of this utility.

Sourceforge has taken down rtmpdump from its site. The furore has exposed a whole gang of rtmp ripping tools. For starters there is a non-rtmpe version now renamed flvstreamer. It will do all that rtmpdump does without the support for rtmpe ripping. Then there is the get_iPlayer tool a utility providing access to the BBC IPlayer content. I do not see how that helps much though as the BBC IPlayer desktop provided the same functionality. So except stolen fruit tastes sweeter there's really no point in that. In addition the source code of rtmpdump v1.6, with the get_iplayer application removed is available here.

Adobe has just released an update for the new FLVPlayback component. The component is a more stable offering providing support for Dynamic Streaming (multibitrate) and DVR. Adobe has also released the new DVRCast application that makes it easy to add DVR-enabled live streams to your website using Flash Media Server 3.5. Both tools can be downloaded from http://www.adobe.com/go/fms_tools/. I will be putting up my experiments with the new FLVPlayback soon.

Over the last few years I have been developing and streamlining an MVC scaffold for use in my projects for MagicLantern. One of the goals of this scaffold was to provide support in the Model so I could immediately use it for Flash Media Server development without going through all the set up motions. It also had to be flexible enough to allow for easy modification by sub-classes of the Model. Highest on the list of goals though was that it had to be accessible to any developer with an understanding of MVC - no trying to learn about plugin interfaces and facades, just setup and use. I think I have arrived there with MagicMVC. It is the scaffold on which this prototype of a multiuser video chat application in Papervision3D is built.

It works nicely so far, the Model can be extended by a subclass to facillitate developer specific classes, but all that is generally needed is for the Wrapper class to send the FMIS URI to the model / subclassed model when the model is instantiated and the rest is up to the developer to do as they please. This prototype is a bit buggy as it is still in development, but it works well. Please use headphones and a microphone and PLEASE make sure you have a camera.

As a Flash Media Server developer I come across the occasional file that refuses to stream or playback. This usually leads to guess work, a bit of trial and error and then the formulation of various hypothesis as to why the file failed. Sometimes that explanation is not enough for the client or video producer who will swear that their video production tool is top notch and that the developer is the clueless one.
Thanks to Adobe and a nifty little command line utility, that bridge has now been crossed. "The FLVCheck tool can be used to analyze FLV files before they are deployed on Flash Media Server. In addition, the tool can also add or update metadata to reflect file duration correctly. The tool verifies that metadata is readable, specifies an accurate duration, and checks that the FLV file is seekable by Flash Media Server. The tool supports unicode filenames".
(FMIS Admin Guide)

The use case I am describing here is for Linux specifically Ubuntu/Studio 9,04 Jaunty however I believe the same procedure applied to Windows.

• Download the tool from HERE

• Unpack it to a folder of your choice.

• Open Terminal (or command prompt), and change directory to the folder you unpacked the tool. On my computer that was the command:

cd '/media/disk/INTERACtIVE/UTILITIES/FLVChecklinux'

To do a basic check of the video, the following is the format. Please note the command may vary in Windows:

./flvcheck [-option] <file ...>

In my case it was:

./flvcheck -f '/media/disk/MEDIA/VIDEO/Adding_a_Launchpad_PPA_s_key_to_Ubuntu.flv''

This was my feedback:

09-05-20 14:29:25 /media/disk/MEDIA/VIDEO/Adding_a_Launchpad_PPA_s_key_to_Ubuntu.flv passed

Adobe provides a list of FLVCheck errors, please take a look at the documentation to identify your unique error

Adobe has decided that with the release of Gumbo (Flex 4) the Flex Builder IDE will bear the new name of Flash Builder. I personally think its a good idea - Its always been a but funny calling myself a Flash developer when I hardly ever open Flash nowadays. It will also clear up all the confusion on the Flex/Flash argument, God knows how tired I get trying to explain to people that Flash and FlexBuilder create the same thing, a SWF. Some folks seem to think that somehow or other a Flex SWF is somehow different or more grown up. Anyroad its a brilliant idea and long overdue.

I remember the first time I was assigned the role of Interactive tech lead on a BBC project. I was gripped with fear - I had heard all the things no developer likes to hear - they were stuck in 19th century development practices - the project would have to be done in Actionscript 2 (I had 3 years of AS3 development at that time) and so on. What a load of rubbish!!! Perhaps I've been lucky to be on projects that are cutting edge but so far I have found the BBC very eager to embrace and deploy new technology, some times when even I as the developer have had my misgivings. They are simply amazing. My jaw dropped with the introduction of the IPlayer - which has left all the competition drowning in their wake. Then they blew me away when one day I went to BBC.co.uk and discovered that the news was on 24 hours live via Flash Media Server (no more use for a teevee in the house). I could listen to the radio and teevee online, simply fabulous. Now they have done it again.
The BBC have now implemented an Adobe Runtime desktop player through which you can now download the videos you wish to watch on thte IPlayer and watch them at your own convenience offline. I'm never offline so I guess in my case I watch them as local videos. It will save them a huge load of cheddar to be sure as they will have no need to pay for the streaming bandwidth used up when episodes are watched repeatedly. Its a masterstroke. Best of all they did make sure there was support for Linux Ubuntu 8.10 being the officialy supported distro. How cool is that. I sincerely hope they continue to go down this route. Long live the BBC!!!

I got these wonderful instructions on updating the Adobe AIR framework for FlexBuilderLinux from Alexis Tejada's blog. They worked for me.

• First of all, backup your sdks/3.x.x folder of your flex builder installation.
• Download the Adobe Air SDK Framework from here.
• Go to the sdks/3.0.0/ folder (in the Flex Builder installation directory).
• Delete the “runtimes” folder.
• Extract the latest Adobe AIR SDK and copy its contents into sdks/3.0.0/, overwriting existing files.
• Go to sdks/3.0.0/bin/ and rename adl and adt as adl_lin and adt_lin (if adl_lin and adt_lin already exist there, remove them).
• Go to sdks/3.0.0/runtimes/air/ and create a symlink “Linux”
  pointing to the “linux” folder in the same directory, go to your
  sdks/3.0.0/runtimes/air/ in the console and type: ln -s linux/ Linux
• Create a new air project
• Project -> Properties -> Build Path -> Library Path -> remove airglobal.swc from under Flex
• Project -> Properties -> Build Path -> Library Path ->
  Add SWC -> add airglobal.swc from previous version (found under
  framework/libs/air in you sdks/3.x.x backup)
• Run

Go and watch the new Star Trek, 'Live long and prosper'!!

Unfortunately there are still problems with this fix and its a hit and miss. We just need to hope Adobe builds the proper support for AIR into the new SDK

I've had a few problems connecting to other Windows computers on my network since I installed Ubuntu / UbuntuStudio 9.04. This solution worked for me.

gksu gedit /etc/samba/smb.conf

Find the [global] section, and insert this line:

Code:

client lanman auth = yes

You need to reboot after saving the samb.conf

When you log back in use the LAN IP address smb://192.162.x.x to find the computers you want to share files with. Make sure file sharing is enabled.

N.B: This works nicely for Ubuntu < -- > Windows filesharing. Its not that straight forward for Ubuntu < -- > Ubuntu filesharing. In my experience Samba only works properly between Ubuntu machines whan they are the same version (Intrepid to Intrepid or Hardy to Hardy)

I tried to use KStreamripper in Ubuntu Jaunty and came up with an alert which stated  'dcopserver  not running'. I tried a number of Google results none of which worked for me. However looking at all the results it seemed the problem was permissions based so I opened my 'User settings' panel, opened my  'Group Settings', selected my account < username > and ticked the root and username boxes. When I opened Kstreamripper again it was fine. It may be neccessary to reboot but, that worked for me.
Good Luck!

I love Papervision - no secret about that and my love for Pixels and Pixel3D. One thing I did miss in the newer builds was the Camera3d hover method. Useful as it is I felt the Camera3D orbit did not do the job with much the same finesse as the hover method did. A little refactoring of the existing Camera3D class was all that was neccessary to get back a hover method.
The refactored Camera3D class is HERE

The dreadful nature of Amarok 2 in Ubuntu 9.04 pushed me to trying out Exaile. Still there are things that Amarok is peerless at. Its Shoutcast station list is extensive so I started to find a way to get Amarok 1.4 back. I found this blog entry that just does the job, http://nomad.ca/blog/2009/apr/3/amarok-14-jaunty-ubuntu-904/ . If you want Amarok 1.4 back go there.

These are the steps:

Add the PPA to your sources by creating a new file for the Amarok PPA:

Then in that new file add the following two lines:

Add the key for the PPA:

Now update your sources, remove Amarok2 and install Amarok1.4:

Enjoy!!