FF helper applications, creating/editing FFXML externally

Not having vector drawing capabilities beyond the Bezier Curve component has made me consider writing some Flash-based helper applications that would either create FFXML files or directly modify existing files.

I would assume based on the various ffbatch and ffcat apps that this is possible. Does anyone have experience in making (or editing) FFXML externally and opening it back in FF successfully? Any known problems or limitations?

My two current ideas are:

1) Text input helper app, which would enable one to input a line of text. The app would create a filter (ffxml file that you can open into FF as a filter) from which you could copy the Bezier Curve Control information that would hold the ASCII codes of the input characters.

2) Bezier drawing helper app which would enable one to draw several bezier curves on one canvas. The app would create a filter with these curves turned into groups. This would enable you to draw custom vector shapes much easier than currently.

You might be able to get the vector information into FF, but you still would have to use the built-in components to render the result, which would be very tricky.

Ok, sounds good -- I'll proceed with caution. Just wanted to find out that it can be done before putting too much time into it. I'll make the text input app first, that should be fairly straightforward.

There's hope. I got it working to this point.

I agree with Skybase..
This will be very interesting to see how this develops..

I guess what happens now is I figure out how to add kerning (letter spacing) information into it.

Another piece of good news: Since I'm doing the letter lookup by script, there is really no limit to the amount of text that can be input (as long as the text doesn't overlap itself, and even that can be handled to some degree).

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What about a way to import a vector file?

Most fundamentally, this would require a better LUA programmer than myself.

I could probably handle the Flash end of things for creating the input/conversion tool and could store Bezier curve information in a similar manner to text by using the Bezier Control component.

But then we come to the real issue: FF doesn't render these type of vectors, so we would need a fast-drawing Script-based solution to that. I can script a slow bezier drawing component, but that is not going to cut it.

Sphinx? Inujima? Anyone?

25 random bezier curves at higher accuracy, about 30 seconds. I guess that's not too bad, considering the script has to calculate and draw 1600 points.

Thaat's pretty cool. Question: how are those lines being drawn?