Two new features have been added to HummingBird, the open source Adobe Flash Parallax class – please download the new Zip file – the new HummingBird will work fine with any previous files. http://hummingbirdflash.wordpress.com.

Two new samples are provided to demonstrate the features:

AUTO ANIMATE: By setting a randomize property between 0 and 10 you can automatically animate your HummingBird scene. O is off, 1 simulates infrequent clicks and 10 simulates frequent clicking. The clicks are set to alternate between a click near the top and a click near the middle and then on the stage randomly in the horizontal.  Click below to see sample:
http://flashfeathers.com/feathers/samples/hummingbird/auto.html

MOUSEDOWN OBJECT: HummingBird originally worked just on mouse over and all the time. Now you can pass a mouseDownObject as the last parameter. This will make HummingBird only work when you mouse down and drag on that object. Damping still applies when you mouse up. Click below to see sample:
http://flashfeathers.com/feathers/samples/hummingbird/pressText.html

Hummingbird is being used to create Opartica II code named Tunnel.  Tilator III might also be on the way or perhaps they will merge.  The originals are at http://opartica.com and http://danzen.com/tilator.

In building the app, more features are being added to Hummingbird such as the option to operate only when the mouse is down.  Look forward to an update to the zip soon.

Hummingbird is the Flash Parallax open source ActionScript class.  It lets you do those cool 3D looking effects where layers move at different depths.  Hummingbird is part of the Flash Feathers Advanced Interfaces at http://flashfeathers.com from inventor Dan Zen.

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HUMMINGBIRD – Flash Parallax Examples

“Now try taking 3D Parallax into Business Applications…”

HummingBird lets us apply mouse driven parallax effects with a single line of code. This effect has caught on in the entertainment industry but there is much room to experiment with parallax to enhance the feel of business applications. Videos | Setup Code | Download

HUMMINGBIRD SAMPLES

Dan Zen Talk
HummingBird Logo
Flododo – (any user and pass)
Dan Zen Menu
Holiday Card

Dan Zen has just launched a new 3D Parallax menu with HummingBird.  The addition of HummingBird took about 10 minutes of development time – mainly to position the HummingBird logo at the bottom right corner.

In doing so and testing in Safari on the Mac – it was discovered that if you go to another window the HummingBird driven holder would disappear.  When you went back to the window it would seem to come back from far away.  This led to a suspicion that the X and Y position of the mouse is set to some large number when the mouse is not in the window.  The HummingBird class and thus the Zip have been updated to account for this.

The use of HummingBird on the menu is quite subtle.  Dan Zen also used HummingBird for his holiday card at http://www.danzen.com/holiday2009/.  Here the effect is greater and indeed forms the essence of the feature.

HummingBird is a free open source Flash Class that lets you easily make a MovieClip hover as you move your mouse around.  This shows a 3D parallax effect when your clip has nested clips with different z properties set.

HummingBird is available at http://hummingbirdflash.wordpress.com and is part of a series of advanced open source interface classes by inventor Dan Zen called Flash Feathers at http://flashfeathers.wordpress.com. Have a look over the sample CODE and VIDEO.

SETUP

• Make a holder MovieClip on the stage
• Add other MovieClips, TextFields, etc.
• Set their z depth property in the properties pannel
• Increase the scale of your clips if you need to
• Make a new HummingBird object
• Pass the holder clip and movement parameters

That’s it!  The holder clip will float around as you move your mouse. Very handy

FRIENDS AND DONATIONS
Please let us know if you use HummingBird and we will add you to the Friends area at left.  If you use Robin for a commercial venture and would care to donate that would be super!

FEATHERS
HummingBird is one of a selection of open source solutions called Flash Feathers available at http://flashfeathers.wordpress.com.

Dan Zen

-09-