Google has been releasing new stuff left and right. Sure Google Talk is cool, but what about that new Google Sidebar. Though Sidebar (and Google Desktop) is currently Windows only that will not stop development. Sidebar features user customizable panels and a full API for creating your own plug-ins. Unfortunately that API is based on the Microsoft Windows Component Object (COM) and may be something Flash developers don't want to deal with. Then how do we get into plug-in development? Via Flash and the ActiveX plug-in display. Sidebar's settings include a Panels and Alerts box. You can view the ActiveX plug-ins installed on your machine (including Flash) by:

1. Click the menu arrow button at the top of Sidebar
2. Select "Add/Remove Panels..."
3. Check the "Show ActiveX plug-ins..." box
4. Check the box next to "Shockwave Flash Object" (and other plug-ins if you want)
5. Click OK.

Now to add your Flash file to the Sidebar. Click the down arrow on the new panel and select Options to view the Flash panel's properties. If you're using an online Flash file type its URL into the Movie URL box (the file path should also work here). Select Quality and other properties to change the display. Click OK and see your Flash in the sidebar. Now you can use a Flash-based RSS reader or a Flash mp3 player or a Flash anything inside your sidebar. Plus Flash developers now have and easy in for all Sidebar users, all we need is someone to make a panel creation plug-in that asks for a URL and automatically inserts our Flash.

Click through for Disclaimer and screen shots via the Wireless Weblog.

Disclaimer: I found out all my Sidebar and Google Desktop information via the Google Desktop page, the Unofficial Google Weblog, Mike Outmesguine of the Wireless Weblog and the Google Group devoted to Google Desktop Plug-ins. I do not have Google Desktop installed personally. Screen shots below:

Add new Panel to sidebar

Flash panel properties

FlashInsider logo in Sidebar

So you open a new project and need to add a scrolling text box but you're tired of the UIScrollBar component (included in the Flash 7.2 update), what do you do? Careful even that scroll bar should follow some rules of design. Jakob Nielsen's latest useablity column dives right into the best ways to create scroll bars and will even show you some of the worst ones he has found. He starts with five basic rules including the always broken "Avoid horizontal scrolling." Neilsen is known for an infamous Flash Usability report he produced before Flash MX was released. After you check out his opinions tell me why you break the rules or even when a client has forced you to.

Ericd.net has tutorial up that describes a way to import your tag cloud into a Flash using MX 2004 Professional and the XML object. He uses an external ASP page to load a personal TagCloud (tag based RSS aggregator site) RSS feed. The ActionScript in the Flash project creates an XML object that is loaded with the ASP loaded RSS. This is then parsed and dynamically formatted into a text box inside the Flash Project.

This project could also be accomplished using the XMLConnector component that is bundled with the default install of Flash MX 2004 Professional. This would allow the developer to pass multiple RSS calls to the TagCloud feed, but might slow down the project. Maybe another version of this could also be built for the non-coder out there. Have the HTML of the page the Flash Project is on include a reference to where the feed you want to call is located or even just a reference to the TagCloud username and either create the feed link using ActionScript in a distributed SWF. Or, pass the username to the ASP feed reader (if the component isn't used) and have the ASP grab the feed based on username.