XML+CMSMS+Flash=Zen

Summary

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Being primarily a front-end UI designer, I don't have nearly as much back-end experience as I'd like to have; although I've come quite a ways over the years. I've recently been working in conjunction with a colleague on a project that involves CMS Made Simple, Flash, XML and ActionScript and the result thus far is pretty cool. I did the preliminary template design and the CSS and my coworker has been working on the Flash and content portions...

The header of the website was created in Flash and is nearly all dynamic. The before and after photos are pulled from an external images folder with the help of XML, and the XML is actually updated via the admin panel of our CMS Made Simple installation. It's a really awesome and user-friendly configuration. Once you are signed into the admin control panel, you have free range to change the X and Y coordinates of the images, the excerpt text, the before and after images (via a file upload input), the before and after weights, etc.

The beauty of it all is that there is never the requirement to create a new SWF file. It's all entirely updated through an interface that even the least tech savvy users can figure out. Absolute perfection! As a bonus, the information pulling into the header is also randomized every time the user navigates to another page or hits the refresh button. This was done through a simple Smarty variable in the back-end of CMSMS.

The other positive aspect of this is that the client has free range to update the 'Success Stories' section entirely through a user interface similar to a word processing application. The developer never has to get involved just to create a new SWF file, add imagery, etc.

Unfortunately since it's still in development stages, I can't post a URL immediately. It should be completed within the next few days though and I will be sure to post an update complete with URL.

• Filed under Web Design
• by Daryn
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