Flex Roadmap is Extremely Disappointing

KirkMower · ‎02-23-2014

http://blogs.esri.com/esri/arcgis/2014/02/21/esris-roadmap-for-web-developers/

...and baffling considering that the best ArcGIS Server applications have been built with it. I am very angry about this, but I am only person. Everyone here should comment above.

MataH · ‎03-03-2014

Kirk,

... as in the near future browser plugins will be history, and Flash player is a plugin that flex uses. Progress means change and you have to get use to it. ....

Hello all,
this "plugin" thing is quite a mistery to me.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I can see it, running HTML5 features in a browser is nothing more than relying on an "embedded, invisible" plugin than can understand CSS and JS code.
Anyway if you want one language, to be executed on several platforms, you need a specific runtime on each platform.
Don't get blinded by the "magic" HTML5 plugin-free solution: it's a lie!

HTML5 is the future.... maybe. But We have today a real "plugin-inside" solution with Flash Player/AIR.
(I won't mention the "HTML5 multi-plugins" incompatibility issues... IE, Chrome, Firefox, Desktop/Mobile versions;
neither the JS language/framework itself: great new features every month, but still Stone-Age compared to Flex/FB/AIR!)

MichaelVolz · ‎03-07-2014

Mr. Robert Scheitlin:

I read that ESRI will be creating a Javascript/HTML5 Viewer that is tentatively due out in July. Do you foresee yourself creating configurable widgets in Javascript, much like FlexViewer, where GIS people can just configure these widgets instead of developing these widgets themselves?

Your Flex widgets are awesome and this similar functionality in Javascript would greatly enhance the Javascript/HTML5 environment.

RobertScheitlin__GISP · ‎03-08-2014

Michael,

That is my plan, but be warned that there is really not anything out there (publically) that even resenbles a dialog type widget like we are use to in Flex, so there is already a hurdle to use a Dojo Dialog to even get to a basis of the look and feel of our widgets.

KevinMacLeod1 · ‎03-19-2014

Hi Flex people. I dabbled in Flex for a while, it was so nice and easy. JS requires knowing HTML5, CSS3, Dojo, and probably at some point ASP.NET, C#, MVC, etc. You have to do all the nuts and bolts yourself. But, it is nice learning it all.

However... Now, as someone mentioned ESRI is making a Javascript "Builder" template finally for the Javascript API. To be released this summer. Join us in the JS forum for discussion on it. I hope it can provide even some of what Flex used to in terms of both functionality and ease of use. http://forums.arcgis.com/threads/5357-Sample-Javascript-Viewer/page2

We all liked Flash because it was quick, simple, and worked. It provided a rich UI without line by line programming. Add your voices to ours in the JS forums. It has been a long time coming because so far ESRI has crippled the JS API by leaving out essential things like a Table of Contents widget. (yep, no TOC, seriously. Comes up every week on the forum). Then there is that sweet Google StreetView/Bing widget in Flex. Would love is someone ports that to us in JS! So, Your support will help improve the JS API! See you in Javascript forums my future colleagues.

KomanDiabate · ‎03-19-2014

Guys,
This still doesn't make sense rno matter how you look at it...
If you can do everything you want with Flex: Desktop/Web/Phone/Tablet/TV/Iphone/Android, why reinvent the wheel, it's already working.

AaronNash1 · ‎03-20-2014

I know its funny, just the other day I was tasked with making a web application for determining sanitation service day. Couple days of easy coding and I had a fully functional web app for searching by address and returning a users sanitation service day. Day later someone else said, would love to have that on my tablet for field research, 15 minutes of coding and I had it running on an android tablet with GPS integration. Flex is such a dynamic framework

DavidColey · ‎03-24-2014

Hi Robert-
Just thought I'd let you know that I have been making the move over for to JS since about September of 2013. We've been able to work out many idosyncracies with AMD, classes, aliases, dgrid, where to place and call modules, CSS syntax, working with feature layers and cached services at the same time and more. Now, I am not trying to recreate the viewer in the JSAPI. But if ESRI comes out with a 'viewer' we will certainly take a look. I'm at 3.6 with the FlexViewer and don't really anticipate taking it to a greater release (unless you come up with some sort of must-have at 3.7 or 3.8:).

As far as any of the current JS templates that esri has out (property and community lookupds), I have found it much eaiser to construct my own templates as most of the esri code is still in legacy format, and of course like everything else I'd rather build my own code than deconstruct theirs where possible. In the meantime, I spending much more time on the Javascript API forums. I have two colleuges, Jeff Pace and Ken Buja, that have provided invaluable tips and answers. Also, for those that must have a TOC dijit, please see:

http://gmaps-utility-gis.googlecode.com/svn/tags/agsjs/latest/examples/toc.html

See you in the forums--

RobertScheitlin__GISP · ‎03-24-2014

David,

You will be pleased to hear about the WebApp Builder then. It is the JavaScript API's new Viewer App. It will be in Beta 28th of March 14. It is a multi-device scalable app. It has some maturing to do still but it looks very promising.

RoyceSimpson · ‎04-08-2014

I've been actively developing in Flex/esri ags Flex API since 2009. I love it. It allows the developer/gis pro to get past the coding learning curve and get right down to the bass tacks of creating cool sites. Shouldn't it be that way? Now, I'm digging more and more into html/js/css and am realizing what a sucky transition it is. Html/js/css is like the wild west. There are 20 different libraries, frameworks, etc. that actually do little to assist in truly making it easier for devs to create cool UX sites. Every Tom, Dick and Harry JS dev has their own MVMVMMMCCCC****** framework that is being touted as the next killer thing. And let's not get into the whole text editor/IDE roundabout discussion.

In my opinion, the dust really needs settle on the html/js/css world for me to really fall in line (and it may never settle). Web devs really hate the plugin. I get it but now, us Flex devs are faced with world of 20 different browsers with 20 different versions, all needing attention in the code. Html/js devs are totally cool with all this. I find it totally wacky but am faced with the reality that I need to assimilate or perish. Fug it. Time to start learning html/js/css/angular/ember/brackets/notepad++/typescript/grunt/dojo/leaflet/knockout/backbone/marionette/webstorm/bootstrap/responsiveDesign/node.js/this/that/theOther No problem, sign me up! Can't wait to make map apps like I did in Flex! Oh what fun!

There, I'm done whining. Now, back to that Jasmine demo. 😉 Good luck all.

PS - I'm on the web app builder beta and although it is pretty cool and easy to work with, it will need to grow 1000% to make it any better of an option than just using AGOL maps.

MichaelVolz · ‎04-08-2014

Royce:

You said:

PS - I'm on the web app builder beta and although it is pretty cool and easy to work with, it will need to grow 1000% to make it any better of an option than just using AGOL maps.

Did you get an E-mail invitation? I ask because I read that it was supposed to be released on 3/28/14, but I have been able to access the beta site yet.