WTF??? this is pissing me off

[absolutezero342]

why is it this word art crap can and has been done in Java, Flex, C/C++ and probably a dozen other languages but I can't find ANYTHING on getting word art in AS? here's another great example of what I want (notice it's done in Java):

http://www.technologo.com/tl/appletframes.asp?sku=lite&fwid=660392137&fwro=true &orgn=&langBar=

notice the text stuff under "Decoration"....I would even settle for it being done in another language if I could somehow interface with it dynamically from my AS code! Is Java really that much more powerful than AS3 or have some capabilities/classes that AS3 doesn't that allows this to be done easily?
thx!

[neznein9]

I think it's pissing everyone else off that you refuse to do the research for yourself and expect the community to bail you out. If you want a freelancer post it on the jobs board.

[absolutezero342]

"bail me out"? that's laughable! haven't done research? also, laughable!
the problem appears to be no one has experience in this area, and why I'll never know! yes, you're right that it looks like the only one who can help me is me because this seems to be such uncharted territory! the only problem with that is, it's not uncharted territory! it's being done, just not in AS3! the question here is why? do I need to learn a new language to support this?

what I'm saying is, this seems to be easier to have done in a different language and I'm wondering why? what makes Java so different with respect to this?

btw, I did offer to contract this out to a freelancer to save me work and time and no one seems to even know where to begin with this (no surprise). if you're tired of reading the posts, then don't read them, but I'll post what I like until I get the answers I need.

[691175002]

It has been done in flash and its not very difficult. I recall seeing several "Grafitti" webtoys that are very similar to word art.

It is neither difficult nor any more difficult in flash. We have both a drawing API and text support. The reason why few people bother to do it is because dynamic wordart is rarely needed in small webgames/toys and if you wanted it that badly it would be quicker and look better to create a bitmap sheet of a font or use a similar technique.

If you really want it so badly just port it over from Java. Actionscript and Java are very similar and you could hack together most of the required font drawing using bitmaps or similar.

By the way, your implied comments about flash and its developers are not helping your cause.

PS: Your linked java applet doesn't even have real word art, its just simple transformations like scaling and skewing applied to run of the mill text.

[cancerinform]

Your link does not work. Do you mean something like this:

http://wordle.net/

[691175002]

His link points to:

http://http//www.technologo.com/tl/appletframes.asp?sku=lite&fwid=660392137&fwro=true &orgn=&langBar=

Which can be made valid with some minor surgery.

[cancerinform]

What's so difficult to do that? If you want to do wordart as in here:
http://wordle.net/
use textfields with embed fonts or start getting acquainted with the new text classes in flash 10.

[maximillion]

this is where i am with some of those very same things.. maybe we can work together... let me know. Sorry this works for arcing text in flash... warping like they do is a different story....
i am working on something very similar to that project but i am having some trouble as well. hit me up and let me know where your issues are and ill help as much as i can.

import fl.controls.TextInput;
import flash.events.TextEvent;
import fl.events.ComponentEvent;

var varForInput:String;

onstageTI.addEventListener(Event.CHANGE, changeHandler5);

function changeHandler5(event:Event){
	varForInput = onstageTI.text;
		trace( varForInput );
	}
	

var rad:int = 120;
var center:Object = {x:stage.stageWidth/2, y:stage.stageHeight/2};

var textformat = new TextFormat("Arial",12,0x000000)
textformat.color = 0x000000;
// -------------------------------------------------

cb.addEventListener(Event.CHANGE, arcText);
function arcText (event:Event){
	if(event.target.selected == true){

function toRadians(d) {
	return d*(Math.PI/180);
};

function toDegrees(r) {

	return r*(180/Math.PI);
};

function convertAnglesForRotation(angle) {
	var newAngle = 0;
	if (angle>=0 && angle<90) {
		newAngle = 90-angle;
	}
	if (angle>=90 && angle<270) {

		newAngle = -(angle-90);
	}
	if (angle>=270 && angle<0) {
		newAngle = 90+(360-angle);
	}
	return newAngle;
};

function drawArcText(container, varForInput, txtformat, radius, centerx, centery) {

	var letters = varForInput.split("");
	var textformat = txtformat;
	for (var i = 0; i<letters.length; i++) {
		var mc = new Sprite();
		container.addChild(mc)
		var rotationAngle = toDegrees(Math.PI-((Math.PI/(letters.length-1))*i));

		var positionAngle = Math.PI+(Math.PI/(letters.length-1))*i;
		
		var letter = new TextField()

		letter.autoSize = TextFieldAutoSize.LEFT;
		letter.text = letters[i];
		letter.setTextFormat(textformat);

		letter.embedFonts = true;
		letter.x = -letter.width/2
		letter.y = -letter.height/2
		mc.addChild(letter)
		mc.x = centerx+Math.cos(positionAngle)*radius;
		mc.y = centery+Math.sin(positionAngle)*radius;

		mc.rotation = (convertAnglesForRotation(rotationAngle));
	}
}

var arc = new Sprite()
drawArcText(arc, varForInput, textformat, rad, center.x, center.y);

trace("arcing now...");
addChild(arc)

	} else{
		trace("i am not checked!")
		}
}