Performance on iPad

[AGSmithUS]

Hi,

I build one sample app on iPad and tried it using flash builder 4.5 but performance is unacceptable. It's take long time to load and after that scrolling, touching event are not smooth. Sometime you need to click several time to get it happened.

It was simple list based app shown in example.

[Yacine__Dooprod_]

Hi !

There are many ways to optimize your app.

And if you do it right, you can create *almost* what you want!

What are you trying to do exactly?

And how you do it?

[AGSmithUS]

if you have any sample app, let me know. I looked around to find the performance on ipad and i found one over here. trying the gpu render didn't help.

http://devgirl.org/2011/05/04/using-menus-in-your-flex-4-5-mobile-application/

Simple menu app.

I also compiled the expense tracker sample from flex.org site and compiled to ipa and got horrible performance. Not sure what to do.

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flex/samples/expense-tracker-application.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_...

This is critical for me to find the performance on iOS so that I can really decide flex is the way to go for my future app or not.

[Yacine__Dooprod_]

Ok, i never use flex yet, i work with Flash / Flash Builder / Air 2.6 !

Never create a Flex project. But i will try!
Sorry !

BUT i saw a video with really smooth application, like this one:

And i have a sample for you if you want to try, and another link with "flex tips"

- A "swipe application" sample : http://www.riagora.com/2011/05/swipe-on-mobile-items/
- Some tips for flex app : http://www.riagora.com/2010/12/tips-for-flex-mobile-apps/

Good luke, and give us some update with all that!

[AGSmithUS]

I will try the swipe sample and let you know but I coudn't understand the below statement.

"In the video, I’m using the “June update” of Flex and AIR for mobile applications. That’s why it performs very well. "

I am using the Flash builder 4.5 released version.

[AGSmithUS]

Sorry I am not able to try the sample app for swipe. It' say that archive is not valid.

[Yacine__Dooprod_]

AGSmithUS wrote:

Sorry I am not able to try the sample app for swipe. It' say that archive is not valid.

OK! So is there a way to make your app just with Flash Builder / Air, as an AS Project?
Can you code your application without Flex?

[Joe ... Ward]

" OK! So is there a way to make your app just with Flash Builder / Air, as an AS Project?

Can you code your application without Flex?"

Create an ActionScript Mobile project.

[Yacine__Dooprod_]

Create an ActionScript Mobile project.

Yep !

I wanted to know precisely if AGSmithUS can work without Flex, because in his first message, he said: "This is critical for me to find the performance on iOS so that I can really decide flex is the way to go for my future app or not."

So yes, i hope he can consider an AS Mobile Project with FlashBuilder or even work with Flash 5.5!

[Dronius]

This app (with smooth twitter list) done with internal AIR 2.7 beta build, not 2.6. Because of it, smoooooth

[Dronius]

The current version of AIR 2.6 is not recommended for export to the iOS, Adobe promises to improve performance in AIR 2.7.

[Yacine__Dooprod_]

Dronius wrote:

The current version of AIR 2.6 is not recommended for export to the iOS, Adobe promises to improve performance in AIR 2.7.

I thought Air 2.6 was done to improve Flex too...
You mean that Adobe not recommanded Air 2.6 for iOS > just for Flex app?
Or for all application (flash / flash builder project)?

Thanks!

[Colin Holgate]

Although Arno has publicly talked about AIR 2.7 (see a nice write up here: http://sonnati.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/more-informations-about-flash-player-11-air-2-7-and-above/ ), AIR 2.6 is enough better than the old packager, and CS5.5 has many features that help in other ways, that you should be able to do at least as well as you have in the past.

One good thing, the device requirements are hopefully the same with 2.7 as 2.6, so you could make an app now, get it in the store, and do an update whenever 2.7 is made available.

[AGSmithUS]

When are we expecting AIR 2.7?

[Dronius]

I believe june/july.

[Joe ... Ward]

Using Flex on iOS isn't recommended with AIR 2.6. There are some specific performance/display quality issues that affect Flex.

Also, in the article by Fabio Sonnati referenced by Colin, be aware that many of the things he talks about aren't planned for AIR 2.7 and will likely be introduced over the next few releases after 2.7. AIR 2.7 focuses mainly on improved performance on mobile.

[Colin Holgate]

That's a relief that it's just Flex that isn't recommended. I know of lots of people who have made AIR 2.6 apps with either Flash CS5 or CS5.5, so it seemed odd to read that it wasn't recommended!

[AGSmithUS]

Agree. They are making so much buzz about using flash builder 4.5 to develop mobile app and now we are hearing that it's not recommended.

[Colin Holgate]

You can make ActionScript Mobile Projects in Flash Builder, so the thing not being recommended is probably more about Flex components than the fact that you use Flash Builder as your code editor.

[AGSmithUS]

But my understanding is that only part missing is the builder for iOS on Flex and they are going to give in June so are they going to make any enhancment in June update for iOS?

[Colin Holgate]

You can get Flash Builder 4.5 now, and the product page says this:

"Building applications for Apple iOS

Flash Builder 4.5 includes full support for building ActionScript® applications for Apple iOS. Flex support is planned to be available later in 2011."

So, that implies that it's only the Flex parts that are delayed, you could still make iOS Apps with Flash Builder now.

I guess that June counts as "later in 2011", but apart from you saying June, I haven't read that date anywhere else.

[Joe ... Ward]

The release of Flash Builder and Flex framework support for iOS will be coordinated with the release of AIR 2.7, so yes, the combined release will include performance enhancements. (Sorry, I can't give an exact date.)

[iBr3nt]

The "sometime in June" comment was made by Deepa and friends during the announcement at 360Flex. They suggested that we'd see formal Flex Mobile Project support for iOS and PlayBook then. For now, as has been stated, ActionScript mobile projects are the currently supported way to export to iOS, and for now you have to use a non-supported workaround to get PlayBook dev to work with Flash Builder 4.5.

iBrent

[LaurentXavier]

Hi,

I have similar problem with perfomance on iPad.

I try to create and build an Action Script mobile Project (so without Flex component). I just add an image in my stage and add some "pinch touch" event + touch event.

The touch event is to move my image and the pinch is to zoom in/out.

This is a very simple project with only one image. But the performance is not very good at all. Not smooth at all.

I'm not using un-optimised FLEX component...

It's a problem with the iPad and SDK 2.6 ? If I test this project on an Android tablet it will be ok ?

I'm using Flash Builder 4.5 and I export the project using the IDE.

[Colin Holgate]

With 2.6 you may still need to do things to help the performance. For example, this in your added to stage listener:

cacheAsBitmap = true;

cacheAsBitmapMatrix = new Matrix();

If you do those then the GPU will be used for doing the scaling. Remember to set GPU as the rendermode in the app descriptor file too.