The Honolulu Rapid Transit Project uses 3D maps and graphics to educate the public. It is perhaps one of the most innovative uses of 3D urban models for helping people understand where the rail is and how it will impact the community. The website, honolulutransit.org host a map which links to many of the planned stations. For some reason, there is no link anywhere on the site to find it! Below are two screen shots:
I am so glad, I didn’t say this. However, I need to hand it to Tom Arah, he really provided a convincing blog entry. I you haven’t read the blog on “I’m Sorry, Dream Weaver ….” I can’t even write it. You could at least have skirted the “in your face” issue by focusing on the reality of how many tools are needed to actually develop web applications.
Wow! It’s good so much attention is being brought to shine on financial guru’s. The buying and selling decisions over other business is not my focus and it’s not my intent to promote a particular investment. But if your growing a company, if we’re successful enough, the test of fire from the short seller is going to draw attention sooner or later. Look, investment money has long been known to be a two edged sword. There needs to be simple values we all agree on. The reason all of us are working is to foster a good life for ourselves, our family, our friends, our neighbors, our world. Yes and eventually our enemy too. Focusing our short lives on a negative outcome is not a good thing. The details of investing our out of my realm to judge. I do believe each of us is called upon to lead with good and right decisions. Those decisions need to be made with honor and in-line with our values. All should do so with a full measure of empathy for all parties and hope their actions are not the root of anyone’s misfortune. I really appreciate this wikipedia article on the subject of Socially Responsible Investing.
I am reporting I managed to implement the Flex 3 Tree Control. I need to blog about this soon, but for now, a list of sites and resources used or referenced which you might find useful monkeying with your own data navigation issues.
1) Ellery Chan, it helps to have a mentor or other mythical creature to get you started and keep you out of trouble.
2) Converting Database queries
3) Hierarchial data objects
4) of course livedocs on the Flex Tree
5) Flex 3 Cookbook, I used the pdf version, purchased from o’reilly, but the additional chapter 19 is what 
really helped and it’s online for free. However, you may also want to buy it, for chapter 5. Lists, Tiles, and Trees
I like these two sites for simplicity and content. The names are cool and the way they were made is unique and awesome. Riley Engines content was created by a 3rd Grader and David Irick provided the expertise. David’s website, twentyone -157 studios, contians some cool content.
I would imagine the first time anyone has seen the ocean topo’s are on National Geographic and then maybe on Google Earth. Would be nice to know the actual numbers of users and frequency of use for GE. However, I just noticed the Hawaii 3D, or 3D Hawaiian Islands which was pretty cool. It would be great if this was more than an image, and it would not take much for them to render this in a 3D interactive content. Still, for what it is, I like the content and it makes a pretty picture too. Enjoy:
I need to say, I am really excited about this. First, I have always liked the tree component, and entirely amazed at being able to use it. Like the hammer, I think it’s going to be the best fix-it tool in my bag. On investigation, most of the examples seem to be from the Flex 2 period and either too complex to carry out the simple task, or so terse it left me wondering what was going on. I was getting a little frustrated until I rediscovered if I read the instructions, sometimes this pays off too.
The Adobe Flex Tree Control is really a challenging component. Before leveraging this awesome tool an understanding of just what is going on with the server side is vital. My configuration is not important, but I guess I should discuss this for a bit.
There are a few server components you need to have inplace before trying this at home. A relational database is not required, but unless your totally locked into useing an xml database, which is entirely possible, you need to be well versed with the dbms of your choice. You need to have a reasonable understanding of how to either generate your SQL or write your own. A major part of my experience has been within a Windows environment, so an understanding of ODBC or ADO is not required, however, the other routes are not easy, which means your going to need to connect directly through a TCPIP connection, DBMS propritary communication port, or utilizing a JRE2 based connection. One of which your going to need to understand. Another item your going to need to know how to do is configure your internet server. You are also going to need to pick a webpage application type. If you understand all of that, then I am speaking to the right person.  My system configuration: Windows XP professional (with latest ODBC jet dll’s), apache 2, php, and a MS Access database.
The php is used to connect to the database using a dsn-less connection:Â
1) Define the php page content
2) Define the php xml page output
3) bound the xml content with a root item; echo(”
4) Define a query, update, or delete
5) Connect to the database and test connection
6) Design your SQL
$sql =”SELECT
7) get the next row from the query result table and assign to variables
parse xml from the data names and use variable names for xml labels and values
9) close the connection
The field names from an sql Access query are posted with minor editing into the php page. think about the content that needs to be fed into the Adobe Flex Tree component. A hint, your nodes are going to be where you have primary key’s or foreign keys which is where a logical relationship exist between the data elements. The xml content needs to be parsed to create the content and you need to include both the content of the field and your labeling of the node and or the leaf of the tree. You can either code this… or I prefere to use a spreadsheet to parse it out.
Now that you have your sql, and xml nicely formated in your php file, test it to make sure the content is what goes into the Tree Control.
I have seen in a couple of places that the Flex Builder 3 could provide a split screen, but not a true split screen. Which is not true any more. If you want to edit your code using the “True” split screen mode, that is, you can edit in any duplicate window and it updates automatically.
Real simple, just right click on the tab of your editor and click on the context menu item “New Editor” to create the duplicate, but then, left click-hold and drag the tab down to the BOTTOM of the editor view. This is where I got stuck, so don’t panic. I didn’t realize you must drag it down towards the bottom of the window, until you see a line appear across the editor, then let go…
Hence, my insane preamble the day before. If you would like some more details on the IDE go to McCunes: what-my-eclipseflex-builder-setup-looks-like
I hope someone is helped by this.
Cheers,
HPP
Sorry, it doesn’t exist.. but I’m really in need of more screen real estate, without using any physical space. That way, life has an overlay, with an adjustable opacity, that way you can focus.. or participate but stay in touch… or take a break but still be working… There are about 50 reasons I need one, and all of them come down to being carefree and totally organized. Please, I am so together. not.
What’s going to happen when we can have a HUD 24/7 ?
I love this map! yes.. this is a repost, and well, if I knew how to keep this somewhere near the top.. i would…
…hey, the map was removed since i found a Wordpress Sticky plugin to keep my favorites near the top
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