Are you using FlashDevelop and want to get start using Starling Framework? Here’s a quick tip how to setup your first Starling project!

Note: I’m using the latest FlashDevelop4 RC-1

• Installed the Flex SDK. I install the latest Flex SDK 4.5.1
• Make sure you have download player playerglobal.swc here and add it to your Flex SDK folder ({flex_sdk_folder}\frameworks\libs\player\11.0)
• Download the Starling Framework. You can get it from github or download from Starling website
• Create a new AS3 project.
• On Project Property, change output Flash Platform to version 11.0
• On project property, add -swf-version=13 into additional compiler options
• Add Starling folder ({starling_folder}\starling\src\) as ClassPaths
• Create a new Class (just named it Screen1 or any name…) and extends it from class Starling’s Sprite (starling.display.Sprite). So far leave it empty:

package
{
	import starling.display.Sprite;

	/**
	 * Dummy Starling Sprite
	 * @author Abiyasa
	 */
	public class Screen1 extends Sprite
	{

		public function Screen1()
		{
			super();
		}

	}

}

• Modify your Main.as to add Starling object:

package
{
	import flash.display.Sprite;
	import flash.events.Event;
	import starling.core.Starling;

	/**
	 * ...
	 * @author Abiyasa
	 */
	public class Main extends Sprite
	{
		private var _starling:Starling;

		public function Main():void
		{
			super();

			this.addEventListener(Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE, init, false, 0, true);
		}

		private function init(e:Event = null):void
		{
			removeEventListener(Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE, init);

			_starling = new Starling(Screen1, this.stage);
			_starling.start();
		}

	}

}

• If you compile your project now, you’ll get 2 error messages:

C:\dev\starling\starling\src\starling\events\TouchMarker.as(22): col: 9: Error: unable to resolve ‘media/textures/touch_marker.png’ for transcoding
C:\dev\starling\starling\src\starling\events\TouchMarker.as(22): col: 9: Error: Unable to transcode media/textures/touch_marker.png.

• The starling framework is trying to get media folder, which is available at {starling_folder}\starling\media\. Unfortunately, you cannot have linked folder on FlashDevelop, so what I did is to copy the folder media to {starling_folder}\starling\src\starling\events\. Note: please let me know if you know better solution 😉
• Now compile your project! Everything should be OK and an empty blank screen will be displayed.
• Empty screen is boring, so let’s add something to our screen. Modify our Screen1:

package
{
	import starling.display.Quad;
	import starling.display.Sprite;
	import starling.events.Event;
	import starling.text.TextField;
	import starling.utils.VAlign;
	import starling.utils.HAlign;

	/**
	 * ...
	 * @author Abiyasa
	 */
	public class Screen1 extends Sprite
	{
		protected var _box:Sprite;

		public function Screen1()
		{
			super();
			this.addEventListener(Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE, init);
		}

		protected function init(event:Event):void
		{
			this.removeEventListener(Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE, init);

			createBox();
		}

		protected function createBox():void
		{
			// create box sprite
			_box = new Sprite();

			// create quad (box shape)
			var q:Quad = new Quad(128, 128, 0x009ee1);
			_box.addChild(q);

			// add text
			var text:TextField = new TextField(100, 100, "Hello World", "Verdana", 16, 0xFFFFFF);
			text.vAlign = VAlign.TOP;
			text.hAlign = HAlign.LEFT;
			text.x = 10;
			text.y = 10;
			_box.addChild(text);

			this.addChild(_box);

			_box.x = 100;
			_box.y = 100;
		}
	}

}

Hello Starling

• Click here to see the result/demo. You can download the source code here
• Enjoy 😉

Bonus: Starling with animation. source code included

I love to try new toys. By the time this blog is posted, both FlashDevelop4 and Away3D 4 are in beta version, and so does Flash Player 11. I really can’t wait until we have Flash player 11 or AIR 3 on desktop and mobile device 🙂

Here’s what I’ve done to setup FlashDevelop 4 beta with Away3D 4 (assumming that FlashDevelop4 and Flex SDK 4.5.1 have been installed):

Edit (July 2013): This tutorial has been updated for FlashDevelop 4.4.x, Flash Player 11.3, and Away3D 4.1.4. Continue reading →