Using Flash Lite's mobile "shells" on the web?

[squallsquall]

I'm to conduct web based user test's for a mobile application prototype. What I would like to do is to use the mobile "shells" found in the CS3 Device Central for Flash Lite to provide the actual interaction with the application. That way I would avoid having to design the "physical" mobile button set myself.

Is is possible, and if so, how is it done?

Thanks!

[hp3]

the "skins" from Device Central are proprietary to DC, they are not Flash applications (they are just 3 layers of bitmap masks that DC interprets).

So you will probably need to build your own Flash or HTML skins.

[squallsquall]

Ok, thanks. Let's say I take my existing Flash Lite application and expand the stage to fit some interface buttons, I'll be able to publish it on the web despite it being a Flash Lite project to start with, right?

Or, maybe I could restrain it to be controlled with the directional buttons on the keyboard only, disabling mouse clicks on the buttons?

The key issue is that I want as realistic UI usage as possible, without ways to "hop" between menu items.

[hp3]

I havent tested this but the PC player may not like fscommand2(), so you may need to remove those from your code for the web version.

Otherwise you could certainly create a Flash skin. Note that the numbers in the are "updside down" on the computer keyboard compared to phone keypad, so it would not be an accurate user interface test to require people to use the computer keyboard for number input. The arrows might be ok though.

[squallsquall]

Numeric buttons won't be used, so that won't really be a problem. The focus is on meny navigation.

Preventing the user from using the mouse is vital, though, as it would be "cheating" with regards to my test purposes. Do you know if this is possible and if so, how it's done?

Thanks a lot for your help!

[hp3]

normally for Flash Lite 1.1 developers create off screen buttons to trap button press events. You use ActionScript to show which on screen elements have focus. This would prevent mouse interaction because there is nothing clickable on the stage, only the arrow keys cause interaction.

[squallsquall]

As stated in the other thread, your suggestion is how I solved it. Thanks a lot.