Documentation

 

Using FlashUI from C++

Overview

This section discusses how to use the Flash UI System within C++.

Access IFlashUI Interface

To get access to the IFlashUI Interface from anywhere you can simply include the IFlashUI.h header file and use the global gEnv->pFlashUI.

#include <IFlashUI.h>

Since the FlashUI is implemented as an extension, which could be disabled for some reason, it is always good choice to check this pointer.

if ( gEnv->pFlashUI )
{
  // ...
}

UIArguments and UIData

For easy argument passing between Flash and C++ we are using the type TUIData as variable data and the struct SUIArguments as a set of TUIData. Each function and event uses these types for passing data between Flash and C++.

TUIData

The TUIData type is a CConfigurableVariant with strict conversation.

Examples:

bool bOk;
TUIData data( 7 );
int iVal;
float fVal;
string sVal;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( iVal ); //bOk = true; iVal = 7;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( fVal ); //bOk = true; fVal = 7.f;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( sVal ); //bOk = true; sVal = "7";

bool bOk;
TUIData data( 11.f );
int iVal;
float fVal;
string sVal;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( iVal ); //bOk = true; iVal = 11;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( fVal ); //bOk = true; fVal = 11.f;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( sVal ); //bOk = true; sVal = "11";

bool bOk;
TUIData data( 11.3f );
int iVal;
float fVal;
string sVal;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( iVal ); //bOk = false; iVal = undefined;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( fVal ); //bOk = true; fVal = 11.3f;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( sVal ); //bOk = true; sVal = "11.3";

bool bOk;
TUIData data( string("11") );
int iVal;
float fVal;
string sVal;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( iVal ); //bOk = true; iVal = 11;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( fVal ); //bOk = true; fVal = 11.f;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( sVal ); //bOk = true; sVal = "11";

bool bOk;
TUIData data( string("11.5") );
int iVal;
float fVal;
string sVal;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( iVal ); //bOk = false; iVal = undefined;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( fVal ); //bOk = true; fVal = 11.5f;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( sVal ); //bOk = true; sVal = "11.5";

bool bOk;
TUIData data( string("11.5 foo") );
int iVal;
float fVal;
string sVal;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( iVal ); //bOk = false; iVal = undefined;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( fVal ); //bOk = false; fVal = undefined;
bOk = data.GetValueWithConversion( sVal ); //bOk = true; sVal = "11.5 foo";

SUIArgument

The SUIArgument struct is a collection of TUIData. It provides some basic functions to set/add/get data to this argument list. It also converts between separated strings (default delimiter is "|") and list of TUIData and provides a function to access the values as a pointer to a SFlashVarValue vector (Scaleform data type, for more information look into IFlashPlayer.h).

Example
// fill some arguments
SUIArguments args;
args.AddArgument( 12 );
args.AddArgument( 7.3f );
args.AddArgument( string("foo") );
args.AddArgument( string("12") );

// get arguments as stringlist
const char* stringlist = args.GetAsString(); // stringlist="12|7.3|foo|12";

// copy arguments from string list
SUIArguments args2;
args2.SetArguments( stringlist );

// get arguments
bool bOk;
int arg1;
float arg2;
float arg3;
float arg4;
bOk = args2.GetArg(0, arg1); // bOk = true; arg1 = 12;
bOk = args2.GetArg(1, arg2); // bOk = true; arg2 = 7.3f;
bOk = args2.GetArg(2, arg3); // bOk = false; arg3 = undefined;
bOk = args2.GetArg(3, arg4); // bOk = true; arg4 = 12;

// iterate thru arguments
for ( int i = 0; i < args2.GetArgCount(); ++i )
{
  TUIData arg = args2.GetArg( i );
  // ...
}

// change delimiter for string lists
args2.SetDelimiter(",");
const char* stringList2 = args2.GetAsString();//stringlist="12,7.3,foo,12";

UIElements

Each Flash asset that is defined in the xml can be accessed by the IFlashUI interface. See also UI Element.

<UIElements name="HudElements">
  <UIElement name="HUD">
    <GFx file="HUD.gfx" layer="1">
      <Constraints>
        <Align mode="fullscreen" />
      </Constraints>
    </GFx>

    <functions>
      <function name="SetHealth" funcname="myHealthMc.mysubmc.setHealth">
        <param name="Health" desc="Players current health"/>
      </function>
    </functions>

    <events>
      <event name="OnButton1" fscommand="onMyButtonPressed">
        <param name="Arg1" desc="Some argument"/>
        <param name="Arg2" desc="Another argument"/>
      </event>
    </events>

    <variables>
      <variable name="SomeVariable" varname="someVariable"/>
      <variable name="TextField" varname="_root.myTextfield.text"/>
    </variables>

    <arrays>
      <array name="SomeArray" varname="_root.mc2.someArray"/>
    </arrays>

    <movieclips>
      <movieclip name="MovieClip1" instancename="_root.Mc1"/>
      <movieclip name="MovieClip2" instancename="_root.Mc1.subMc"/>
    </movieclips>

  </UIElement>
 </UIElements>

To have acces to the "HUD" UI element just use the GetUIElement() function.

#include <IFlashUI.h>
// ...

if ( gEnv->pFlashUI )
{
  IUIElement* pHUD = gEnv->pFlashUI->GetUIElement( "HUD" );
  if ( pHUD )
  {
    // ...
  }
}

Variables and Arrays

To get or set a variable you can simply access them trough the IUIElement interface.

Note that if you want to access a specific element, you will have to use the name, that is defined in the XML for this element and not the real name in your flash asset.

pHUD->SetVar( "SomeVariable", 12 );
pHUD->SetVar( "TextField", string("Some text") );

// iVar can be undefined if "SomeVariable" has no valid integer (e.g. string)
int iVar = pHUD->GetVar<int>( "SomeVariable" );

// more safe you can check if TUIData is your expected type
TUIData text;
pHUD->GetVariable( "TextField", text );

// set array
SUIArguments myArray;
myArray.AddArgument( 12 );
myArray.AddArgument( 17 );
myArray.AddArgument( string("str") );
myArray.AddArgument( 23.f );
pHUD->SetArray( "SomeArray", myArray );

// get array
SUIArguments myArray;
pHUD->GetArray( "SomeArray", myArray );

MovieClips

To get access to your defined MovieClips you can use the GetMovieClip() function:

IFlashVariableObject* pMC = pHUD->GetMovieClip( "MovieClip1" );
if ( pMC )
{
  // ...
}

The returned IFlashVariableObject can be used to modify this MovieClip. Check IFlashPlayer.h for more information.

Functions

To call a defined function you can simply use CallFunction() method. You can pass SUIArguments as arguments and optionally a TUIData pointer as a return value.

SUIArguments args;
args.AddArgument( 80.f );

TUIData res;

pHUD->CallFunction( "SetHealth", args, &res ); // You can use the SUIArguments::Create<T>(...) if you only have just one argument you want to pass

Events

To receive events from flash you have to create an IUIElementEventListener, and register to your IUIElement.

Callbacks:

  • OnUIEvent - This is called, if an event (fscommand) is triggered from flash. This function is only called if the event is found in the UI Element XML file.
  • OnUIEventEx - This is called, if an event is triggered from flash and it is not found in the UI Element XML file.
  • OnInit - This is called, when a new Flash UI Element has been initialized.
  • OnSetVisible - This is called, when an UI Element changes visibility.
  • OnInstanceCreated - This is called, when a new instance of an UI Element has been created. A instance has an instance ID greater than zero ( the base instance of each element is 0).
  • OnInstanceDestroyed - This is called, when an instance of an UI Element has been destroyed.
class CHUDEventListener : public IUIElementEventListener
{
public:
  virtual void OnUIEvent( const SUIEventDesc& event, const SUIArguments& args )
  {
    if ( event.sDisplayName == "OnButton1" )
    {
      int arg1;
      int arg2;
      if ( args.GetArg( 0, arg1) && args.GetArg( 1, arg2 ) )
      {
        // do somthing
      }
      else
      {
        // args don't are interger or doesn't exist
      }
    }
    else
    {
      // event is not "OnButton1" event
    }
  }
};

// ...

// Registering the listener
CHUDEventListener eventListener;
 
if ( gEnv->pFlashUI )
{
  IUIElement* pHUD = gEnv->pFlashUI->GetUIElement( "HUD" );
  if ( pHUD )
  {
    pHUD->AddEventListener( &eventListener );

  }
}

The OnUIEvent callback function will only handle events, which are defined in the UI Element XML file. There is also a OnUIEventEx callback function, which will trigger for other fscommands coming from your UI element.

Instances

If you want to have more than one instance per Flash Element, you can just call GetInstance() to you UIElement. You have to pass an instance ID. If no instance of the element exists with this id, it will be automatically created.

if ( gEnv->pFlashUI )
{
  IUIElement* pHUDInstance0 = gEnv->pFlashUI->GetUIElement( "HUD" );
  if ( pHUDInstance0 )
  {
    IUIElement* pHUDInstance1 = pHUDInstance0->GetInstance( 1 );
    IUIElement* pHUDInstance2 = pHUDInstance0->GetInstance( 2 );
    // ...
  }
}

To iterate through all created instances you can use the IUIElementIteratorPtr.

IUIElement* pHUD = gEnv->pFlashUI->GetUIElement( "HUD" );
if ( pHUD )
{
  IUIElementIteratorPtr instances = pHUD->GetInstances();
  while ( IUIElement* pInstance = instances->Next() )
  {
    int instanceID = pInstance->GetInstanceID();
    // ...
  }
}

Raw IFlashPlayer Interface

You can always access the IFlashPlayer of any IUIElement by using the GetFlashPlayer() function. For more information look into IFlashPlayer.h.

IFlashPlayer* pFlashPlayer = pHUD->GetFlashPlayer();

Once you access the IFlashPlayer Interface, you will have direct access to IFlashVariableObjects in Flash. Since you can create IFlashVariableObjects through the IFlashPlayer Interface, you must make sure that you call Release on them, once you don't need them anymore. This is also very important, if you unload any IUIElement. Since unloading can be done through code or Flowgraph, you should implement the IUIElementEventListener interface on your custom HUD code and Release all created and not yet released IFlashVariableObjects within the OnUnload() callback.

UIActions

Each UIAction (Flowgraph) can be accessed and executed via code. To start an action you have to use the IUIActionManager.

UIActionManager

The IUIActionManager provides simple functions to start/stop or disable IUIActions.

if ( gEnv->pFlashUI )
{
  // The Name "MyAction" is the name of the UIAction FlowGraph
  IUIAction* pAction = gEnv->pFlashUI->GetUIAction( "MyAction" );
  IUIActionManager* pActionManager = gEnv->pFlashUI->GetUIActionManager();
  pActionManager->StartAction( pAction );
}

UIActionListener

You can create an IUIActionListener to listen to actions events.

class CUIActionListener: public IUIActionListener
{
public:
  virtual void OnStart( IUIAction* pAction )
  {
    CryLogAlways( "Action %s was started", pAction->GetName() );
  }

  virtual void OnEnd( IUIAction* pAction )
  {
    CryLogAlways( "Action %s is done", pAction->GetName() );
  }

};

// ...
if ( gEnv->pFlashUI )
{
  IUIActionManager* pActionManager = gEnv->pFlashUI->GetUIActionManager();

  CUIActionListener* pActionListener = new CUIActionListener();
  pActionManager->AddListener( pActionListener );
}
Access IFlashUI Interface
UIArguments and UIData
UIElements
UIActions
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