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Flash Tools for Developers: Function Grapher - Description of the Templates

Author(s): 
Doug Ensley, Barbara Kaskosz

The compressed file fun_grapher.zip contains all templates and code referenced within the article, and the twenty-four page Developer's Guide ( fg_guide.pdf ) gives detailed instructions for some specific customization tasks. You will find below a brief description of each of the templates including (if you click on the screen image) active versions of each to demonstrate its functionality. In addition, we list some of the specific customizations that are addressed within the Developer's Guide.

The Flash 8 programming environment can be borrowed on a 30 day trial basis from macromedia.com. Try out Flash using these templates. We think you will be hooked!


Template 1

Template 1 consists of the essential Grapher which graphs up to three functions in a single window and displays coordinates of points when the mouse passes over them. The user can also draw directly on the graph by moving the mouse while down. The source code for this applet can be easily modified to

  • change the colors of background, border, axes and graphs;
  • change the size of the "graphing board" and reposition the instructions and controls on the screen;
  • turn off or on various features like the display of coordinates on "mouse over" and the drawing function with "mouse down"; and
  • change the number of functions that can be entered to be graphed.

Click here for Template 1 demonstration


Template 2

Template 2 demonstrates how the essential Grapher in Template 1 can be easily extended to include the trace functionality common to many graphing programs and devices. Like Template 1, the source code for this applet can be easily modified to

  • change the colors of background, border, axes and graphs;
  • change the size of the "graphing board" and reposition the instructions and controls on the screen;
  • change the size and color of the "trace symbol" (a cross in our case); and
  • change the number of functions that can be entered to be graphed.

Click here for Template 2 demonstration


Template 3

Template 3 gives another example of the extensibility of the essential Grapher in Template 1. In this case, we have added a simple calculator to the screen using the same parsing methods already present within the graphing program. The source code for this applet can be easily modified in the same ways outlined in Templates 1 and 2.

Click here for Template 3 demonstration

Doug Ensley, Barbara Kaskosz, "Flash Tools for Developers: Function Grapher - Description of the Templates," Convergence (May 2006)