We finally recently got to create a 'Fuzzy Felt' style drag and drop application. It's one of those things that's been sitting on our 'please ask us to build this' list for a while, right after the 'Website build for Agent Provocateur' entry.

Our lovely client Shelter came to us asking if we could build them an application that would allow users to build their own home. After the initial shock and the realisation that this didn't necessarily mean writing a CAD application in Flash, we put our thinking caps on, made it a little more light hearted and something more achievable given the budget and timescales.

The application we created allows you to select from a number of backgrounds and cut-out graphics loaded from the server on request. These can then be dragged, dropped and arranged on stage allowing you to create a custom image that can then be saved to both your desktop (using Flash) and to the server with the power of ASP.NET as a GIF, PNG or JPEG. We choose JPEG, given the photographic style of the graphics used and to keep the file size down.

This isn't particularly new but if have a look online you'll find most of the examples are in PHP, and you'll probably also find it difficult to get all of the Flash and ASP.NET source code in one place. We've done the heavy lifting (well actually Adobe and Microsoft have if you want to get technical) and being the nice bunch that we are we've decided to pull it all together for you. Not the drag and drop part of the wider application but the core part that allows you to save a JPEG from Flash with .NET.

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Shelter is a charity working to alleviate the distress caused by homelessness and bad housing. They are a leading expert in the housing sector providing a wealth of knowledge, information and services. In addition to this they undertake a variety of challenging work including lobbying government and local authorities to tackle housing issues.

The Scottish Government have committed to providing a home for everyone in Scotland by 2012 and Shelter asked us to work on their 'Countdown to 2012' campaign, to urge the Scottish Government to commit sufficient funding to build enough affordable homes to make the target of 30,000 homes by 2012 a reality.

We were tasked with developing a Flash based application encouraging users to show their support for the campaign by creating a home of their own. The application allows users to select a number of backgrounds, house styles, pets and extras to build their own home. Items can be dragged and dropped, allowing for a degree of customisation and flexibility and once complete, homes can be saved to both users' desktops and a Flickr gallery which lives on the existing Shelter website. The application also contains a countdown to 2012 and live stats showing the number of homes created and required by 2012.

Working in collaboration with Shelters' existing web team and existing technical framework we delivered the core 'Build a home' Flash application and a standalone application containing live stats and a countdown to 2012 for use within the existing Shelter website and within the Shelter Scotland Facebook page.

Since the site went live over 1,800 homes have been created, show your support by building a home for Scotland.

Helping you help Flash

The following instructions are intended for Flash CS3 users with a basic knowledge of ActionScript 3.0. You will also require a Google Analytics Profile ID.

Downloading and Installing GAforFlash, for use within the Flash IDE

1. Download the GAforFlash components @: http://code.google.com/p/gaforflash/
   
   The zip file contains 2 SWC files. SWC's are basically component files that package together a bunch of code into one compiled file that is easy to use and install. Once installed, you can access all of the methods within GaForFlash in the same way that you would access methods in your own Class libraries.
    
2. Next you have to install the SWC for use within flash.
   
   1. If Flash is open, close it for now.
   2. Then create a sub folder in: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Flash CS3\en\Configuration\Components. I named my folder 'Google Analytics'.
   3. Copy the analytics.swc (not the analytics_flash.swc) file into this new folder.
   4. When you re-start Flash, open the component library. You should see a new Google Analytics folder and AnalyticsLibrary Component.
      
      
       
   5. To use Google Analytics you have to import the component from the component library into the library of your Flash file. You can do this by dragging the component into your library from the component library, or by dragging an instance of the component onto the stage, which you can then delete. This will add it to your library as a compiled clip and allow you to use it from your ActionScript 3 code.

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It's hard being Flash. Living in a world where measurability is one the most basic attributes of everything around you. It's a bit like being the toy that gets left in the box 'cause its not got all the cool bits the other toys have.

But now, thanks to Google (we love you Google), ol' Flash has been given a new gadget and it's coming out of the box.

Earlier this year, Google released Google Analytics for Flash (gaforflash). An ActionScript 3.0 API allowing you to track PageViews and Events within your Flash applications.

It's rather good and if you are anything like us, you'll like it too.

Whether you're planning your next Flash website, creating a new widget for FaceBook or are about to produce a suite of new shiny rich media ads, I'm sure it's something you'll want to look into.

Thanks again Google. You make us feel funny in our xxxx.