Want to use Yahoo! Maps in Flash 9 or Flex 2? Vote for it. Let your voice be heard! The Yahoo! Developer Network suggestion board has a topic with digg-like voting that is getting some strong interest, and I want to see the votes jump into the triple digits. If you’re unfamiliar with the current sitation, the Maps API targets ActionScript 2. There have been a thousand different ways to use LocalConnection to communicate with the AS2 version of Yahoo! Maps from Flash 9. Let me tell you, it feels like the big ugly hack that it is.
Now, though I work at Yahoo!, my team doesn’t control this particular API. As a result, we’re pushing hard to let the Maps team know that developers want a first-class API for Flex 2 and the cutting edge of the Flash Platform. To help our efforts, I urge you to vote for an ActionScript 3 Yahoo! Maps API. Not only will you have a proper API without hacks, but it will be running 100% in AVM2, and you should see a nice speed boost in your applications.
As a disclaimer, hundreds of votes don’t guarantee that the Yahoo! Maps API will be released for Flash 9. I’m an employee of Yahoo!, but I can’t promise you guys anything. This is not an announcement of future plans or anything of that nature. I just want to see developers get the tools they need.
I’d just like to point out my example of using Yahoo Maps within Flex 2 *does not* use Local Connection as the link above suggests.
Sorry about that Tim. I guess I got a little too excited in my search for Flex 2 Maps solutions.
Voted! BTW, will this API can be used free anywhere? Also, I wonder, are there any limits on requests/month etc.?
I can’t give any hard facts on this API because it hasn’t been released and isn’t even announced. You should look at the license terms for the ActionScript 2 Yahoo! Maps API to get a general idea of how it might work if it will ever exist.
Ok, so now I am using LocalConnection
I just released a component which should let people easily get started with the maps API in their Flex 2 apps.
http://www.timwalling.com/2007/03/05/get-your-map-on-first-release-of-flexmap/
Could be short lived depending on the timeframe for an updated API from Yahoo!, but I figured why not.
Beta available:
http://developer.yahoo.com/flash/as3_api_libraries.html
Andrisi, the beta for the Yahoo! API libraries contains a Maps “communication kit”, which allows you to use the old AS2 Maps component within AS3. Unfortunately, it is not a native AS3 component.
Any update on an AS3 version?
Thanks,
Steven
Steven, there is nothing I can officially report at this time.
Thanks Yahoo!
http://www.insideria.com/2008/02/more-on-maps-yahoo-maps-relase.html