> Last I heard the Flash player was single threaded. > If that's still true, the question of synchronization is moot.
Multiple threads have been in the player for some time now. There are multiple threads in the flash player as follows: Single Thread of Execution – AS Execution & DisplayList Rendering N Threads of Execution – Network operations These two types of player threads synchronize data by using the event model. In AVM1, onData, onLoad, onXML were all fired after data has arrived from network operations into the event processing area of the main execution loop/thread. I posted a helpful article on the Player Mental Model here: http://www.powersdk.com/ted/2005/07/flash-player-mental-model-elastic.php Separate player instances are not limited in parallel code execution. If the need arise(most time it does not) you can have processing occurring in one player that runs in parallel to another player instance and communicate across SWF boundaries with LocalConnection. Loading one SWF file into another does not produce a separate player instances as the loaded SWF files simply extend the player they are loaded into. There is one and only one _level0! :) Flash needs to support both Async and Sync models: http://www.powersdk.com/ted/2005/11/macromedia-please-add.php As for threads in AS, I think this would be a mistake. The introduction of race conditions, blocking, and other techniques would not be ECMA compatible let alone easy to work with. The current direction of player development will introduce major leaps in player performance that should remove the need for threading in the long run. At Spark Europe the Flash Player team talked a bit about Flash Player 9 and hardware based GPU rendering. In Player 8.5, graphics rendering is currently the limiting factor within the player as the performance ceiling on AS3 performance has been massively lifted ( Thanks Gary, Edwin, & Team ). With hardware based rendering, the CPU based rendering will move to being GPU based for 2D operations. This will allow the player to internally cycle 20+ times faster and provide more resource to the ActionScript engine. We are very likely to see another huge multiple in player performance in Flash Player 9+ atop the performance gains in Flash Player 8.5. I think many are missing the fact that FP8.5 is laying the foundation for dramatic player performance moving forward. A better question to ask: If the player was 20 times faster than 8.5, would you still need threads? Also at these speeds, we would have cycles to waste on Synchonous code. :) Just remember, Adobe is always listening! Speak up if you want something. My 2 cents, Cynergy Systems Corp. Theodore Patrick Sr. Consultant [EMAIL PROTECTED] tel: 1.866.CYNERGY http://www.cynergysystems.com -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 268.2.1/278 - Release Date: 3/9/2006 -- Flexcoders Mailing List FAQ: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/flexcoders/files/flexcodersFAQ.txt Search Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexcoders%40yahoogroups.com Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/flexcoders/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
