Browsing or indexing is an option that allows the contents of a directory to be displayed in the browser when the directory does not contain an index page or default page.

For example, if you make an http call to a directory such as http://yourdomain.com/files/, it would list all the files in that directory without the need for an html page with links.

We will need to create a blank file called “.htaccess”. You can name it “htaccess.txt” while your editing it, then rename the file to “.htaccess” after the file is on your web server, and upload it in your site root.

To Disable Directory Browsing or Indexing

Type or copy and past the following line of text in to your blank file.
the word “All” for every folder in that directory follows the same rule.

Options All -Indexes

Enable Directory Browsing or Indexing

You can reactivate it by adding the following line to your .htaccess file:

Options +Indexes

Once this is added, the directory will fully index again.

Posted by Dablu as htaccess Tutorials at 6:24 AM PDT

2 Comments »

Optimization
Image editing panel
Access commonly used image editing tools, filters, and menu commands in a central location.

More import file formats
Fireworks 8 now supports import of QuickTime Image, MacPaint, SGI, and JPEG 2000 file formats (QuickTime plug-in required for QuickTime support).

Batch processing workflow optimized
Streamlined file renaming, the ability to check file dimensions when scaling during a batch process, and the addition of a status bar and log file, are just a few of the workflow optimizations.

Integrated Workflows
CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) pop-up menus
Get clean and easily customizable code that integrates well into sites built in Dreamweaver. Fireworks 8 uses CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) format to create interactive pop-up menus.

Vector compatibility
Preserve vector attributes (fills, strokes, filters and blend modes) when moving objects between Flash and Fireworks.

More slicing options
Automatically insert polygon slices when a selected object is a polygon path.

Recognize ActionScript color values
Ensure color consistency. Fireworks recognizes ActionScript color values when copied from Flash and pasted into Fireworks color value fields.

Use the “Save as” command to save bitmaps into different file types
Choose single-file output formats such as gif, jpg, tiff, in the “Save As” dialog.

Evolved open, save, and export logic
The logic used to determine the default folders in the open, save, save as, save a copy, and export dialogs is enhanced by reducing the amount of navigation required.

Less intrusive grids
Like Flash, grids now use a dotted line and a lighter default grid color.

Create Without Complexity
New blend modes
More than 25 new choices to alter the look of your colors and objects.

Perspective shadow
Add a perspective shadow to open paths and text objects.

Solid shadow
A new live filter that stamps the object it is applied to several times.

Mobile interface components
Mock up mobile interfaces quickly with bitmap interface components.

Sample buttons, animations, themes, and bullets
Get started quickly with cool new assets like buttons, animations, themes, and bullets.

AutoShape properties panel
This new panel is used to modify AutoShape properties such as the star, arrow, or smart polygon AutoShape.

Live marquee and convert selections (marquee to path and path to marquee)
Turn active selections into editable vector paths and the reverse. Get instant feedback on filters and settings applied to selections.

Autoname text
Layers are automatically named by the text you type into them.

Special characters panel
Use this new panel to insert special characters directly into text blocks.

Reshape text on a path
Edit path points when text is attached.

Workflow Improvements
Recent fonts and optimization
Recently used fonts now appear at the top of font menus. Optimization now defaults to the last settings used.

Save multiple selections
Save, restore, name, and delete multiple marquee selections within PNG files.

Select objects that share an edge in the layers panel
Shift-click to select objects that share an edge or boundary in the layers panel.

Autosave preferences
Fireworks 8 preferences are automatically saved more frequently.

Group consecutive nudges
Consecutive nudges are treated as one move.

Improved tablet support
Tablet support is improved for path scrubber tools and stroke pressure sensitivity.

Lock objects
Lock on a per-object basis in the layers panel.

Posted by Dablu as Applications at 8:58 AM PDT

1 Comment »

Flash Basic 8 is a subset of Flash Professional 8 and includes all the core functionality needed to design simple motion graphics and interactivity for delivery to the Flash Player. It is the affordable authoring environment designed for the aspiring professional.

For developing more advanced, rich interactive content, interactive video experiences, or mobile content, Flash Professional 8 is the necessary tool.

With Flash Basic 8 you can:
Add life to content
Enjoy precise control over designs by combining animation capabilities with powerful vector and bitmap tools.

Share creativity with everyone
Reach a worldwide audience consistently by leveraging the Flash Player, the most widely distributed run-time client.

Engage the audience
Build interactive content that pulls the audience in. Encourage reaction using a powerful and advanced scripting language.

Posted by Dablu as Applications at 8:50 AM PDT

4 Comments »

ExpressivenessFilters *
Create more compelling designs with built-in filter effects like drop shadow, blur, glow, bevel, gradient bevel, and color adjust. Filters are visual effects applied to MovieClips and text fields and are natively supported and rendered in real time by Flash Player.

Blend modes *
Going well beyond what other design tools offer, Flash 8 Professional offers run-time control over blend modes, allowing graphical effects to be composited for fully dynamic user interactivity.

FlashType—high-quality font rendering engine
A revolutionary new font rendering engine that provides clear, highest-quality font rendering, FlashType makes small fonts look amazingly clear and greatly improves readability. Choose from several options for font rendering, each optimized for different use cases. Optimize font rendering with the new custom anti-aliasing feature in Flash Professional.

Bitmap caching
Supports unneeded re-rendering of vector objects by simply flagging an object as a bitmap. Even though the object gets cached as a bitmap, the vector data is still maintained so, at any point, the object can be converted back into a vector again.

Custom easing control *
Easily, intuitively, and precisely control the velocity of animated objects through an intuitive graph that provides independent control of position, rotation, scale, color, and filters.

Improved text tool
Resize a text field using new, improved text handles. Text fields can be resized by grabbing any of the four handles.

Enhanced stroke properties
Select from a variety of cap and join types. Apply a gradient to a stroke as well as a fill. Render stroke intersections better with stroke hinting.

Advanced gradient control
Tighter control over gradients such as changing the focal point of a radial gradient and selecting from different overflow modes.

Video
Higher-quality video codec
Flash Player 8 adds a new, far more advanced video codec, On2 VP6. This codec provides superior video quality that is competitive with today’s best video codecs at a much smaller file size.

Alpha channel support *
Support for a real alpha channel at run-time. This revolutionary new capability provides the unique ability to overlay video composited with a transparent (even semi-transparent) alpha channel over other Flash content. Create dynamic presentations such as splashing water, smoke and fire effects, as well as presenters shot in front of a blue screen.

Advanced video encoding options *
The advanced video encoder, available within the Flash authoring tool, as a plug-in to professional video editing tools, as well as a stand-alone tool, provides advanced encoding options that will allow developers to optimize quality and file size of video content.

Stand-alone video encoder *
Advanced encoding options for creating Flash Video files using either the new, high-quality On2 VP6 codec or the Sorenson Spark codec. This encoder also includes a batch-processing capability to encode multiple video files at once.

Video Encoder plug-in for professional video editing tools *
Export video directly to Flash from leading professional video-editing and encoding tools such as Avid Xpress/Media Composer, Apple Final Cut Pro, Discreet Cleaner, and Anystream Agility.

Embedded cue points *
Embed cue points directly into Flash Video (FLV) file so events can be triggered dynamically during playback. Used in conjunction with the new Flash Video component, easily coordinate the playback of accompanying graphics and animations when individual cue points are reached.

Video import workflow
Centralized video workflow in one dialog presents all available options for deploying Flash Video, whether it is via the Flash Communication Server for streaming video, via progressive download of external FLV files over HTTP, or a number of other options. The new video import dialog also jump-starts great video experiences by instantiating the new, light-weight, easily-skinnable video component and pre-populating it with all required parameters for deployment.
(Flash Basic supports embedded video only)

User Experience
Improved, easily-skinnable video component *
Easily customize and change the look and feel without adding a great deal of file size to video projects. This new component also works with multiple deployment options including streaming and progressive download.

Script assist (formerly called normal mode)
Normal mode is back, only it’s much better. Script assist provides a visual user interface for editing scripts that includes automatic syntax completion as well as descriptions for the parameters of any given action.

Advanced library
With multiple files open, the library for each open file will be consolidated into a single panel that acts like all other panels in Flash - it stays where it’s put. Navigate between open libraries more easily using the new drop-down list at the top of the library to access any other open library.

Object drawing model
Visualize shapes as objects by toggling a new object drawing mode to represent shapes as objects, along the lines of vector drawing tools such as way Adobe Illustrator and Macromedia FreeHand.

Improved panel management
Improved panel management optimizes workspace as the user sees fit. Group panels together in tabbed-panel sets, ala Dreamweaver and Fireworks. Reduce on-screen clutter by grouping most commonly-used panels together. Assign custom names to each panel group.

Stage pasteboard expansion
For projects that require large graphics that extend far beyond the size of the stage in Flash, view objects much further off-stage. To expand the size of the pasteboard, just drag an object close to the edge and the pasteboard will automatically grow to fit.

Undo/redo options
Switch between “object-level undo” and “document-level undo.”

SWF Metadata
A new metadata property for the SWF file format improves searchability of SWF files by Internet search engines. Now Flash authors can add a title and description to a SWF file, allowing search engines to more accurately reflect the content represented by the SWF file.

Mobile Authoring
Interactive mobile device emulator *
Build content once and test it on a wide variety of devices using preset profiles for every mobile device that supports Flash Lite. Configure the testing profile to include multiple devices. Filter the supported device list by target content type to easily determine which handsets support screen savers, wallpapers, in-browser content, stand-alone player, and so on. Reduce development time and simplify planning for delivery.

Improved actions panel *
By combining the new script assist feature with the new target language drop down in the actions panel, it is now far simpler to use different versions of the ActionScript language. For understanding the syntax used by Flash Lite 1.1 better, the new Script Assist feature will do most of the work for you. These improvements add up to a far better development experience for mobile content developers new to Flash Lite.

Posted by Dablu as Applications at 8:49 AM PDT

No Comments »