How do you use AIR's WebKit/htmlloader?

[chris.campbell]

Hi everyone,

A long standing issue in AIR has been the inclusion of an older version of WebKit.  The request to update this library has come up many times in the forum and is in the top 10 on the community driven Uplist feature page.  As with the recent and ongoing physics discussion, we're not committing to any changes purposed below at this time,  as we're purely in an investigation mode at this time.  We realize that this is an important feature and we need further clarification on what you're looking for.  Please read on for questions from our development team.

We are exploring updating WebKit, but due to our modification of the WebKit source, this will be difficult, and updating WebKit will change the HTML DOM, possibly breaking content authored for our existing DOM.

So we are also exploring leaving HTMLLoader alone, for now, but providing a reasonable alternative.

StageWebView was originally written as a replacement for HTMLLoader on mobile (because we could not use our WebKit on mobile, StageWebView took advantage of the browser provided by the platform).

But it was extended to the desktop as an unsuccessful solution to this problem.

On mobile, content was probably newly written (so it could be tested with StageWebView), and the browsers were similar enough to our WebKit that the DOM impact was minor.

But on the desktop, forcing older content written for our WebKit to run on Internet Explorer 8 (as an example) was a disaster due to the differences in the DOM’s. We resolved this by making HTMLLoader versus StageWebView on the desktop a choice.

Which gets to the questions (for desktop development only).

Which is more attractive, an embedded web browser or using the system browser? Is it valuable to provide both?

For instance, using the native browser can save on code size (perhaps 6 MB), but you must create and test portable HTML, and you face the risk that future updates to the system browser breaks your content.

How much interop do you need between AS and JS?

Hearsay suggests another problem with StageWebView is there is no interop between ActionScript and JavaScript, whereas HTMLLoader had a lot of support.

Would StageWebView be sufficient if it exposed an ExternalInterface, or sandbox bridge, level of functionality? For instance, if AS could register a list of functions which could be called from JS (and vice versa), would that be enough? Or is there something else that HTMLLoader does that is essential?

For instance, one of the ideas being explored is to provide an entirely new class (perhaps as an ANE) which links an unmodified version of the latest WebKit source as a static library. By using unmodified source, we can more readily update to newer versions of WebKit.  As well, if we leave the existing classes unchanged, we don’t risk breaking existing content. But if we use unmodified WebKit source, we may find some of HTMLLoader’s functionality impossible to match, which is why I’m interested in understanding the essential functionality, so we can decide if a sufficient, minimal (so it’s easier to support without customizing Webkit) interface for it.

Thanks,

Chris

[gperry91]

We want to use the WebView as a wrapper for CreateJS content made with Flash. Think about it... I can write a game in JavaScript, use Flash to lay out the scenes, and then wrap that content with Adobe AIR to release as an app. With a little batch scripting, I can publish an extremely portable HTML5 game in a couple of clicks, with an IPA, APK, and AIR installers all included. It's much more simple than using PhoneGap, seriously.

It's not an ideal solution when it comes to file size, but it would have a lot of upside in my eyes. Currently, it just runs too slow. Most of the content loads correctly, but the frame rate is like 10% of Chrome.

[Born2code]

yes that's why we need Adobe to update to the latest rending engine.. (i.e.: WebKit)

[thx1138]

Yes. I need an update as well. New websites are not loading because SVG and data uri images are not supported in the old webkit. Many pages are not viewable.

BTW There is an odd file with the AIR webkit dll. It is named Notice_WebKit.txt. It says:

Under the terms of the GNU Library General Public License, you are permitted to make changes to the Webkit library for your own use, and Adobe delivers with the installed Adobe software the object code that links with the Webkit library, as required by the GNU LGPL. You are also permitted to reverse engineer only those portions of the Adobe software that link with and utilize the Webkit library, and only to the extent necessary to debug your changes to the Webkit library. Any other reverse engineering, decompiling or use of utilities or tools to trace, probe, or reveal Adobe software and trade secrets embodied therein, is expressly prohibited. Adobe software contains valuable trade secrets and employs methods protected by patents of Adobe Software Incorporated.

I have tried using a new version of webkit.dll and the version number is the same or the app immediately closes (using AIR 3.6 not tried newer). I have spent a few days on this. New websites do not load and some are broken, even Adobe sites because of img data uri not showing.

[Harry248]

@gperry Try to set stage.frameRate to a very low value (like 4) while the webview has focus. This will speed it up considerably.

[gperry91]

I'm already doing that, unfortunately. It's slow.

[caiocanalli]

Hello Chris, okay?

Any news related to this topic?

Upgrading is easy, difficult or almost impossible?

In addition, there are plans to update the Adobe Air SQLite? This is also a constant request from the community.

Thanks and hugs.

[Born2code]

Hi Chris,

We personally we don't mind any of your proposed solutions. using ANE is fine, or an entirely new embedded WebKit is fine as well...

As long as Adobe provides a stable integrated latest browser solution, we are find with any option!

If ANE is the best route, it's 100% ok by us, but we would like to be able to choose which browser to launch, as we are interested in Chrome (not IE) and obliviously in a  chromeless running mode

as always thanks,

Regards,

Sean - http://DigitalSignage.com

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[matthewdl]

The HTML half of AIR hasn't been a priority of Adobe's since AIR... v1.5 probably. Even if Webkit is updated, you can't expect it to match something like Chrome's performance unless you also use V8, at which point you might as well use Chromium, at which point you might as well be using NW.js and not Adobe AIR (which uses Chromium + Node.js). - Link: NW.js . I switched an HTML/CSS-based app from AIR to NW.js about a year and a half ago, and holy crap was it orders of magnitude better.

If you're doing anything HTML-based, it's not Adobe's priority. The priority for AIR moved a) to Flash-based, even though Flash was dying, and b) to mobile away from desktop.

I mean, even if this is updated, look at the length of time to get a modern web engine. Do you really think AIR is going to keep up? It might be painful, but I would highly recommend abandoning AIR.

[Born2code]

for us having any newer HTML5 would sufficient... we dont need super fast rendering, more needing a HTML to support all the newer JS/CSS.

every case has its own pros and cons...

[Ylazy]

Agree with you Born2code‌. No need to be fast but we need all pages to be loaded with no error.

[Guest]

I need the newer JS and CSS also. An upgrade to the latest webkit would be great.

This issue has been passed by for so long. We really need an improvement with this ASAP.

[nemenv]

So AIR 21 is now on labs.adobe.com and still no sign of this?

[Guest]

At a year and a half later from the first post from Chris on this subject matter and my development team has moved on to web tools built with HTML5 and JS combined with browser plugins to get our needs met. Honestly it speeds up the update cycle since I don't have to issue app updates that have to go through IT in order to get internal AIR apps updated.

I have always been a huge AIR and Flash supporter in my office, but now it is starting to feel like it isn't worth the effort to defend uses of Flash and AS3. I hate being a negative person on this with how much I love the development tools Adobe has built, but I am starting to understand others outlook on it when the last response from Chris was almost 6 months ago.

[Guest]

Don't give up. Keep demanding this issue gets fixed. Please demand an upgrade to the latest WebKit so that we can use HTML5 and JS! Adobe promised us that Actionscript and Javascript would be first class citizens in AIR. They owe it to us to fix this issue immediately.

[Colin Holgate]

I'm sure I must be missing something, but currently we're making a demanding iOS app that uses StageWebView to play HTML5 Canvas files. What things do you need to do that you can't do in StageWebView?

[Guest]

StageWebView doesn't do you any good on Windows and Mac OS. Nor does StageWebView do you any good if you want to have the ActionScript API access. StageWebView is also not part of the display stack and is visually on top of everything. So if you wanted to have a small web view window with graphics on top of it, you couldn't do that. So lots of downsides/limitations to StageWebView.

To me, just updating the internal Flash plugins WebKit to the latest one available would be the best option. I have made heavy use of the HTMLLoader object in the past with internal company apps to speed up production time. At this point, the latest version of AIR nets you a Mac OS app at 65MB minimum from a blank FLA AIR project with the runtime embedded and 13.6MB for an Android apk. I don't have an Apple dev account so I can't say what the iOS apps come out to. So any original argument over file size increase concerns, to me anyway, are irrelevant at this point with all the other features Adobe as added to AIR. Maybe file size concern when it comes to embedded runtimes could be addressed by letting you explicitly choose which features you want your AIR app to have access to. Or just have Flash CC's look at all the classes used when publishing an app and not bundle features that aren't used in the app.

[nemenv]

I have pretty given up any hope of this happening - I am currently laying some ground work to rewrite my app with TypeScript and Electron, meanwhile it would be nice for this to happen to improve the AIR app experience for users while the new app is built.

[Guest]

I would like to see StageWebView(false) supported on Android.

useNative:Boolean (default = false) — When useNative is false, a version of WebKit embedded within AIR is used as the source of the StageWebView created.

I then need that embedded WebKit with AIR to be updated to the latest version.

Will this ever happen?

[Guest]

I found this today. Has anyone tried this out? It looks like it might be way better than what adobe currently offers us

http://www.myflashlabs.com/product/rich-webview-ane-adobe-air-native-extension/

[bman22]

Thanks. This worked for me! You saved my app with this great ANE.

[tufik12]

Great ANE, but i need the same ANE by Windows/MAC too....

[wigginsry]

OK, I'll join the StageWebView madness discussion.

Using Windows 10 (all updated as of this post) with useNative set to true.

Agent String reported is:

"Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 10.0; WOW64; Trident/7.0; .NET4.0C; .NET4.0E; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.0.30729; .NET CLR 3.5.30729)"

I've tried not using native - it's better, but not perfect (javascript errors, svg issues).

I've tried compiling using AIR 21.0 as well as the AIR 23 beta (23.0.0.230) - no luck.

I've also tried HTML Loader, but - as expected - it was no better than stagewebview nonNative.

I'm only concerned about Windows desktops (it's a kiosk application, and I have control of everything except for that it's running Windows - so if there's a way to change the default web rendering, I'm up for it (changing the default browser doesn't appear to affect StageWebView))

I'm a tad frustrated, and given that some of these issues seem to have been identified years ago - I'm not convinced I made the right choice doing this particular application in AIR (Adobe Animate CC 2015.2). Sometimes... just sometimes.. I miss my Macromedia Director days.

[User_Unknow]

I use Google Chrome in Kiosk Mode

[Born2code]

I really hope that by next release Adobe will have an updated WebKit or include an ANE for Windows with latest / greatest web kit... waiting Adobe....

[FredericCox]

I've responded in this thread before with my thoughts and requirements. However, I have just started a new version of our internal CRM tool where we are going to force our employees to work inside our CRM system (and not the browser).

Think of it as a Trac/Jira ticketing system (we use Redmine). I have several HTMLLoader instances and perform the following functions with it:

- Loading a page by setting location

- Using locationChanging and locationChange events to alter the UI (so user can not browse to certain pages, or we provide different UX for them)

- Manipulating the contents of the page using the domWindow (getElementsById, getElementsByClassName etc..)

- Manipulating the contents of the page using innerHTML, setting the title property, ..

- Automating user tasks like auto-login by filling in forms and sending them with doc.getElementById("login-form").children[0].submit();

- Fixing a hash issue (not scrolling to correct ID when # is in the URL being loaded) by setting  webview.domWindow.document.location.hash

- Using oncontextmenu and onclick events on the domWindow's body. This way we can prevent the user on doing certain actions and providing a custom context menu in our application.

- Getting selected text from the page using target.ownerDocument.getSelection()

As you can see we need a lot of HTMLLoader's functionality. The application works very well and I'm really pleased with the results but the problems we are facing now are:

- Loading newer websites (HTML5) is not working well (they render badly since the developers don't support such old browsers), so I need to provide a "open page in system browser" option now.

- Drag/drop does not work (user is not able to drop a file on a HTML field like it works in the browser)

- Mouse-over (title tag) is not working like it does in the browser