June « 2009 « Stanislav Stankov

ActionScript 3 optimization techniques

06.16.09Posted by Stanislav Stankov in actionscript 3, AS3 optimizationComments Off

hi all I have planned to start posting optimization techniques in couple of series. I will start first with showing you the techniques that Joa Ebert test work faster. Here you can find them

AS3. Optimization: int vs uint

06.16.09Posted by Stanislav Stankov in actionscript 3, AS3 optimizationComments Off

Testing environment

You will find many tables that covers execution time. All this are done on machine:

Comp1
Intel(R) Core(TM) Duo CPU E8400 @ 3000Hz 3.00 GHz, 3 .00 GB of RAM with Windows XP Professional SP3, Flash player version 9.0.115.0, NOT DEBUG PLAYER

All the tests were not done using the debug player and they were not running in debug mode which is very important in specific cases. Each test case was running ten times. The result shown is always the average execution time of the ten runs. This way two tests do not conflict with the garbage collection and each test is just responsible for its own memory usage. Before each run there is a ten seconds delay in order to not conflict with the Flash player starting procedure.

From result that using uint and int in loop did not make time difference. But I suggest you use where you can int instead of uint. You can find interesting article about (int vs uint vs Number) this topics here:

Avoid ints in ActionScript, by Sho Kuwamoto, date: June 15th, 2006
Types in AS3: ints not so fast, uints slow!, by Grant Skinner, date: June 15th, 2006
Use the Correct Type for the Job, by Think, date: June 20th, 2006
Optimization: When to do it., by Keith Peters, date: June 21st, 2006

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package {

import flash.display.Sprite;
import flash.text.TextField;
import flash.utils.getTimer;
import flash.utils.setTimeout;
import flash.system.Capabilities;

[SWF(frameRate = '255')]

public class TestCase extends Sprite {
private static const n: int = 10000000;

public function TestCase() {
setTimeout(runTest, 10000);
}

private function runTest(): void {
var a: Number = 0;
for ( var i: int = 0; i < 10; ++i ) a += test06();
a /= 10;
showResults(a);
}

private function showResults(result_:Number):void {
var result_txt:TextField = new TextField();
result_txt.x = result_txt.y = 10;
result_txt.width = 300;
result_txt.text = "Iterations: [10^" + (String(n).length - 1) + "], int[ms]: " + result_ +"\nisDebugger: " + Capabilities.isDebugger + "\nversion: " + Capabilities.version;
addChild(result_txt);
}

// 1. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 4.7
// 2. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 5
// 3. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 4.4
// 4. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 4.7
private function test00(): int {
var startTime:int = getTimer();

//test start
for (var i:int = 0; i < n; ++i ) {
var a: Number = ( 1 as Number );
}

//test end
return (getTimer() - startTime);
}

// 1. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 5.4
// 2. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 5.2
// 3. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 5.2
// 4. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 5.4
private function test01(): int {
var startTime:int = getTimer();

//test start
for (var i:uint = 0; i < n; ++i ) {
var a: Number = ( 1 as Number );
}

//test end
return (getTimer() - startTime);
}

// 1. Iterations: [10^7], int[ms]: 32.9
// 2. Iterations: [10^7], int[ms]: 33.1
// 3. Iterations: [10^7], int[ms]: 32.9
// 4. Iterations: [10^7], int[ms]: 33.4
private function test03(): int {
var startTime:int = getTimer();

//test start
var k:uint;
for (var i:int = 0; i < n; ++i ) {
k++;
}

//test end
return (getTimer() - startTime);
}

// 1. Iterations: [10^7], int[ms]: 33
// 2. Iterations: [10^7], int[ms]: 32.8
// 3. Iterations: [10^7], int[ms]: 33
// 4. Iterations: [10^7], int[ms]: 32.8
private function test04(): int {
var startTime:int = getTimer();

//test start
var k:int;
for (var i:int = 0; i < n; ++i ) {
k++;
}

//test end
return (getTimer() - startTime);
}

// 1. Iterations: [10^7], int[ms]: 91.8
// 2. Iterations: [10^7], int[ms]: 91.8
// 3. Iterations: [10^7], int[ms]: 91.7
// 4. Iterations: [10^7], int[ms]: 91.8
private function test05(): int {
var startTime:int = getTimer();

//test start
var k:int;
for (var i:int = 0; i < n; ++i ) {
k = (i + 15) / 7;
}

//test end
return (getTimer() - startTime);
}

// 1. Iterations: [10^7], int[ms]: 91.8
// 2. Iterations: [10^7], int[ms]: 92.3
// 3. Iterations: [10^7], int[ms]: 92.2
// 4. Iterations: [10^7], int[ms]: 92.2
private function test06(): int {
var startTime:int = getTimer();

//test start
var k:uint;
for (var i:int = 0; i < n; ++i ) {
k = (i + 15) / 7;
}

//test end
return (getTimer() - startTime);
}
}
}

AS3 Cross Plot

06.16.09Posted by Stanislav Stankov in actionscript 3, AS3 optimizationComments Off

I had to create Cross plot for one of my university exam (of Computer Aided Geometric Design). Here is little more info. Note that source files are available

Parametric Bezier curves are composed of coordinate functions: each component is a Bezier function. For two-dimensional curves, this can be used to construct the cross plot of curve. Image shows the decomposition of a Bezier curve into its two coordinate functions. A cross plot can be very helpful tool for the investigation not only of Bezier curves, but of general two-dimensional curves. We will use it for the analysis of Bezier and B-spline curves. It can be generalized to more then two dimensions, but is not as useful then.

Cross plot

You can see the example here.
Source files

info about program:

cross plot lines & symbols counter printscreen

Printscreen:

cross plot printscreen

AS3. Optimization: initializing Object and Array

06.16.09Posted by Stanislav Stankov in actionscript 3, AS3 optimizationComments Off

Testing environment

You will find many tables that covers execution time. All this are done on machine:

Comp1
Intel(R) Core(TM) Duo CPU E8400 @ 3000Hz 3.00 GHz, 3 .00 GB of RAM with Windows XP Professional SP3, Flash player version 9.0.115.0, NOT DEBUG PLAYER

All the tests were not done using the debug player and they were not running in debug mode which is very important in specific cases. Each test case was running ten times. The result shown is always the average execution time of the ten runs. This way two tests do not conflict with the garbage collection and each test is just responsible for its own memory usage. Before each run there is a ten seconds delay in order to not conflict with the Flash player starting procedure.

From result we see that initializing objects and arrays with new constructor is slower then directly with {} and []. So it may be useful to keep in mind that when you creating objects or arrays use:
var array:Array = [];
var obj:Object = {};

instead of
var array:Array = new Array();
var obj:Object = new Object();

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package {

import flash.display.Sprite;
import flash.text.TextField;
import flash.utils.getTimer;
import flash.utils.setTimeout;
import flash.system.Capabilities;

[SWF(frameRate = '255')]

public class TestCase extends Sprite {
private static const n: int = 100000;

public function TestCase() {
setTimeout(runTest, 10000);
}

private function runTest(): void {
var a: Number = 0;
for ( var i: int = 0; i < 10; ++i ) a += test03();
a /= 10;
showResults(a);
}

private function showResults(result_:Number):void {
var result_txt:TextField = new TextField();
result_txt.x = result_txt.y = 10;
result_txt.width = 300;
result_txt.text = "Iterations: [10^" + (String(n).length - 1) + "], int[ms]: " + result_ +"\nisDebugger: " + Capabilities.isDebugger + "\nversion: " + Capabilities.version;
addChild(result_txt);
}

// 1. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 28.6
// 2. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 28.7
private function test00(): int {
var startTime:int = getTimer();

//test start
for (var i:int = 0; i < n; ++i ) {
var obj:Object = new Object();
}

//test end
return (getTimer() - startTime);
}

// 1. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 22.1
// 2. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 22.1
// 3. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 22.6
private function test01(): int {
var startTime:int = getTimer();

//test start
for (var i:int = 0; i < n; ++i ) {
var obj:Object = { };
}

//test end
return (getTimer() - startTime);
}

// 1. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 58.8
// 2. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 58.8
private function test02(): int {
var startTime:int = getTimer();

//test start
for (var i:int = 0; i < n; ++i ) {
var array:Array = new Array();
}

//test end
return (getTimer() - startTime);
}

// 1. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 23.7
// 2. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 24
// 3. Iterations: [10^5], int[ms]: 23.6
private function test03(): int {
var startTime:int = getTimer();

//test start
for (var i:int = 0; i < n; ++i ) {
var obj:Array = [];
}

//test end
return (getTimer() - startTime);
}
}
}

Getting data from XML, AS3

06.16.09Posted by Stanislav Stankov in actionscript 3, PHPComments Off

Actionscript3 & PHP & MySQL & XML

I’m gonna post series of tutorials:

Getting data from XML, AS3
Getting data from MySQL, AS3 + PHP + MySQL file
Uploading file with AS3 + PHP
Send email with AS3 + PHP

How to parse a simple XML file. This is our structure:

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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<data>
<users>
<user>
<id>18</id>
<name>bobanman</name>
<avatar><![CDATA[]]></avatar>
<registerData>13-07-2008</registerData>
<email>bobanman@msn.com</email>
</user>
<user>
<id>20</id>
<name>ilya</name>
<avatar><![CDATA[]]></avatar>
<registerData>15-07-2008</registerData>
<email>ilya@asymmetric.co.il</email>
</user>
</users>
</data>

First we will build XML parser. This is my favorite ways to parse it like this:

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// parce XML
private function parseXML($rawData_:String):void {
var xmldoc:XMLDocument = new XMLDocument();
xmldoc.ignoreWhite = true;
xmldoc.parseXML($rawData_);

var out:Array = [];
const imax:int = xmldoc.firstChild.firstChild.childNodes.length;
for (var i:int = 0; i < imax; i++ ) {
//collect data from XML
out[i] = getUserDTO(xmldoc.firstChild.firstChild.childNodes[i]);
}

// all user data goes here :)
trace(out);
}

// create UserDTO from XMLNode
private function getUserDTO($xmlNode_:XMLNode):UserDTO {
return new UserDTO(int(XMLNode($xmlNode_.childNodes[0]).firstChild.toString()),
XMLNode($xmlNode_.childNodes[1]).firstChild.toString(),
XMLNode($xmlNode_.childNodes[2]).firstChild.toString(),
XMLNode($xmlNode_.childNodes[3]).firstChild.toString(),
XMLNode($xmlNode_.childNodes[4]).firstChild.toString());
}

You can also parse it using XML class, but like I say I prefer to do it this way

so with this script we will retrieve all the data from XML file.
This is one way also to get data from DB, create with server side language xml files like this and to parce them. Other options are AMFPHP or ASQL but we will cover these two in future topics.
So the we have to load the XML and get set all data into lets say array object.

So full script goes like:

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package {
import flash.display.Sprite;
import flash.events.Event;
import flash.net.URLLoader;
import flash.net.URLRequest;
import flash.xml.XMLDocument;
import flash.xml.XMLNode;

[SWF(frameRate = '30')]

public final class DocumentClass extends Sprite {

public function DocumentClass():void {
loadXML();
}

// load external XML
private function loadXML():void {
var ulloader:URLLoader = new URLLoader(new URLRequest("data.xml"));
ulloader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, completeHandler);
}

// parce XML
private function parseXML($rawData_:String):void {
var xmldoc:XMLDocument = new XMLDocument();
xmldoc.ignoreWhite = true;
xmldoc.parseXML($rawData_);

var out:Array = [];
const imax:int = xmldoc.firstChild.firstChild.childNodes.length;
for (var i:int = 0; i < imax; i++ ) {
//collect data from XML
out[i] = getUserDTO(xmldoc.firstChild.firstChild.childNodes[i]);
}

// all user data goes here :)
trace(out);
}

// create UserDTO from XMLNode
private function getUserDTO($xmlNode_:XMLNode):UserDTO {
return new UserDTO(int(XMLNode($xmlNode_.childNodes[0]).firstChild.toString()), XMLNode($xmlNode_.childNodes[1]).firstChild.toString(), XMLNode($xmlNode_.childNodes[2]).firstChild.toString(), XMLNode($xmlNode_.childNodes[3]).firstChild.toString(), XMLNode($xmlNode_.childNodes[4]).firstChild.toString());
}

// exterenal xml loaded. Parse it then
private function completeHandler(info:Event):void {
info.target.removeEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, completeHandler);

parseXML(info.target.data);
}
}
}

class UserDTO

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package {

public final class UserDTO {

private var _id:int;
private var _name:String;
private var _avatarURL:String;
private var _regDate:String;
private var _email:String;

public function UserDTO($id_:int, $name_:String, $avatarURL_:String, $regDate_:String, $email_:String):void {
_id = $id_;
_name = $name_;
_avatarURL = $avatarURL_;
_regDate = $regDate_;
_email = $email_;
}

public function get id():int {
return _id;
}

public function get name():String {
return _name;
}

public function get avatarURL():String {
return _avatarURL;
}

public function get regDate():String {
return _regDate;
}

public function get email():String {
return _email;
}

public function toString():String {
return "[ UserDTO id='" + _id + "' name='" + _name + "' avatarURL='" + _avatarURL + "' regDate='" + _regDate + "' email='" + _email + "' ]";
}

}
}

So now lets create PHP file that give us the date from MySQL with same structure.
Getting data from Mysql, AS3 + PHP + MySQL file

all files in this tutorial

5005: Unknown error optimizing byte code

06.16.09Posted by Stanislav Stankov in errorsComments Off

more about this error 5005: Unknown error optimizing byte code

Solving:
1. my computer -> properties -> advanced -> environment vars -> then make a new var like this:
JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS
-Xmx256M

2. File >> Save and Compact
3. Close Flash,
4. Open Flash

Compile worked

Sort Array with Objects

06.16.09Posted by Stanislav Stankov in actionscript 3Comments Off

Sort array by properties ID. Array have only VideoDTO objects.

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var data_arr:Array = [];
var k:int = 0;
while ( k < 20) {
data_arr[k] = new VideoDTO(String(Math.random()*5),Math.random()*10+5,"img","title");
trace(data_arr[k]);
k++;
}
data_arr.sortOn("ID", [Array.NUMERIC]);

trace("===============");

k = 0;
while ( k < 20) {
trace(data_arr[k]);
k++;
}

VideoDTO class

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package {

public final class VideoDTO {

private var _id:String;
private var _engine:int;
private var _imageURL:String;
private var _title:String;
private var _duration:int;
private var _views:int;
private var _rating:Number;

/*------------------------------------
Constructor
------------------------------------*/
public function VideoDTO($id_:String, $engine_:int, $imageURL_:String, $title_:String = "", $duration_:int = -1, $views_:int = -1, $rating_:Number = -1):void {
_id = $id_;
_engine = $engine_;
_imageURL = $imageURL_;
_title = $title_;
_duration = $duration_;
_views = $views_;
_rating = $rating_;
}
/*------------------------------------
Public methods
------------------------------------*/

public function duplicate():VideoDTO {
return new VideoDTO(_id, _engine, _imageURL, _title, _duration, _views, _rating);
}

public function get ID():String {
return _id;
}

public function get engine():int {
return _engine;
}

public function get imageURL():String {
return _imageURL;
}

public function get title():String {
return _title;
}

public function get duration():int {
return _duration;
}

public function get views():int {
return _views;
}

public function get rating():Number {
return _rating;
}

public function toString():String {
return "[ VideoDTO id='" + _id + "' title='" + _title + "' engine='" + _engine + "' imageURL='" + _imageURL + "' duration='" + _duration + "' views='" + _views + "' ]";
}

public function dtoDestroy():void {
trace("destroy VideoDTO = " + _title);
_id = null;
_engine = 0;
_imageURL = null;
_title = null;
_duration = 0;
_views = 0;
_rating = 0;
}

}
}

ActionScript 3 optimization techniques

AS3. Optimization: int vs uint

AS3 Cross Plot

AS3. Optimization: initializing Object and Array

Getting data from XML, AS3

5005: Unknown error optimizing byte code

Sort Array with Objects

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