MyGeekProject

So I was amazed how long it took me to finally get this up and working. Actually I am quite embarrassed once I figure it out how easy it is. I scoured the web for days looking for any tips on how to get this going until I installed all of the plugin information and got things going. Before we begin you should know that I am doing this via Eclipse and a few plugins so if you don’t have this stuff at your beck and call then stop now and keep looking.

I am assuming that you checked out my previous post for the installing Eclipse and also the Red5 plugins? Here are the links to the posts:

For Mac OS X. Includes the Flex plugin as well please download the red5 plugin like linux below:
http://www.mygeekproject.com/?p=506

For Linux Ubuntu (Should work for other flavors). Install eclipse and then just add the plugin:
http://www.mygeekproject.com/?p=498

Ok now we need to get the Red5 Recorder software which is at this link:
http://www.red5-recorder.com/

Now open eclipse and after you have everything installed. Read and watch the video in this post. Make sure read the part about building the application, “OK, now for building the applications…”. I am going to breeze through this pretty fast. Here is the post to read: http://www.mygeekproject.com/?p=506

Ok so here we go really fast…

Create a new Dynamic Web Project and call it “red5recorder”. Your now have two main folders, one ends in “Client”. Expand the Eclipse project “red5recorderClient” so you see the structure. Note that the red5recorder.zip file you download loaded has the same set of files. I opened up (2) windows and just removed all of the files from the eclipse project and replaced them from the “red5recorder.zip”. I then did a refresh in eclipse just to make sure it could see the files I swapped out.

Now you will need to Right click on the main red5recorder project (not the red5recorderClient) and then run as Server. It will go through and compile everything for you and move a copy of the files into the Red5 Server. Then Right click on the red5recorderClient and either Run as OR debug as. The application should work fine and the application should be working as planned.

I will post more about this coming up very soon and how to embed this into a webpage and also into a form. Keep watching for more posts.

Most people don’t know this but you can change the Java version from 1.5 (default) to 1.6 just by dragging the preference.

Open -> Applications -> Utilities -> Java -> Java Preferences

It is a bit slow so give it a few moments. Once it is open you can choose the Java version just by dragging it in the list. I needed it for changing the versions of Red5 compiling the programs.

So this is a bit of a tricky to explain but one that I think will help most people. Also let me say this is quite easy to do once you have everything in place, took me forever to figure out until I found this video online, I must have watched it like 100 times (really not kidding.)

http://www.onflex.org/ted/2008/09/360flex-sj-2008-building-red5.php

So here is what I did to get everything setup. Please note I am on Mac OS X 10.5.x, I am sure that windows will be very much the same in overall. Please note that I like linux and wish they had the flex plugin for that platform but not yet.

First, I got the latest version of the eclipse 3.4.2 (newer version should work), I installed it on my machine.

Second, I got the flew plugin for eclipse which is a 30-day trial and apparently will be free eventually but not yet. I installed it on my machine.

Third, I downloaded the latest version of Red5 on my machine which in the case of the Mac was the 1.5 version. I installed it (not an installer but rather a folder with the files) in my Sites directory.

Fourth, I tested the red5 server from command line to make sure everything was in order and then once it worked I quit the server.

Fifth, I then started up the eclipse IDE and then added a new server, I told it that it is a Red5/Flew server and set up all of the paths to the start up scripts. I then tested the server by starting it up from the GUI. Everything worked.

OK, now for building the applications, now again watch the videos, it was not apparent to me the first 50 times.

First, Create a New -> Dynamic Web Project. Type in the name of the project which will eventually be loaded into the webapps/ folder of the Red5. Choose wisely as most of the linux systems don’t like spaces and special characters, try “myproject” for example. Then choose the Target Runtime which should be the Red5/Flex. Then the Project Facets, choose the Red5 Application Generation. This actually creates the container for the application.

Second, On the left side of eclipse you will see what looks like (2) projects. One is the Client which installs on the Red5 and the other is all of the Java hooks needed to compile the application to run.

Third, I want to PUSH the application over to the server by right clicking on the PROJECT (not the one ending in Client) and say “Run as” then “Run on Server”. Then choose the Red5 Server you setup above. It should then boot up the Red5 server and don’t worry it moved the files to the directory and then starts it up. I would double check to make sure it did everything.

Fourth, You want to then test the application by right clicking on the actual “xxxClient” folder and then either “Debug as” or “Run as” Flex Application. You should now see the application come to life.

Now you can install some cool applications from the web. I will post the one for red5recorder in my next post. Hope this works for everyone, again watch the video.