[ 05.03.2009 : Update : Cocomo is now called Adobe Flash Collaboration Services / AFCS and 0.9.1 was released with some bug fixes and a new namespace ]

Hey there!
Here is, as a first English article, an introduction to Adobe Cocomo AFCS.
(Translated from French tutorial on FlashXPress )

Cocomo is an abbreviation of «COmmon COllaboration MOdel», which was the first name given by Adobe to its new online service dedicated to collaborative application development. The final commercial name is Adobe Flash Collaboration Services a.k.a AFCS

This name both references :

• a SDK that includes a Flex components library and tools dedicated to multi-users applications development. Just so you know, those components are used by Adobe for developing ConnectNow, a video conference application part of the Acrobat.com platform.
• a free online service (with some limitations), enabling creation and deployment of collaborative applications on FMS servers hosted and maintained by Adobe.

In short, Cocomo AFCS will allow us to develop applications that will use real-time communications capabilities of FMS servers, without taking care of those servers… cooool !!!

But what are the «real-time communications capabilities of those FMS servers» ???

In fact, the Cocomo AFCS servers will allow us to:

• exchange audio and video data flows, useful to create visioconference application for example,
• synchronize different types of data between multiple client applications. It allows you to add a chat to an existing application, to develop a co-navigation system, a document co-edition functionnality, some multi-users game…
• share files
• manage user rights regarding their role

This schema describes the interaction between a room, hosted on a developer account of a cocomo server, and some Flex clients : the host user (owner), an active guest (publisher), and a passive guest. The host send his webcam output, and both host and publisher can update notes on the server, these data are broadcasted to the other clients.

The library contains «high-level» graphical components, known as pods, but also some more «low-level» classes that a developer can use to create his own components (SharedModel, CollectionNode).

This schema shows an example of pods (Tchat, Notes, User management, Webcam and File sharing)

The pods are collaborative «plug’n’play» components, that we will use to create our first Cocomo AFCS applications without having to write a single line of code (Tchat, Webcam, Notes…). The lower level classes will help us to go deeper and create components that will fit more specific needs.

But, first things first : let’s create a «Cocomo AFCS Developer» account…

Cocomo AFCS Developer account creation

To create an account :

• Go to the Cocomo AFCS portal (https://cocomo.acrobat.com),
• Create a new account (you can also use your existing Adobe account)
• Choose a Cocomo AFCS account identifier («account name», room access URLs will be based on that identifier)
  1. The Account URL situation in the screen
  2. The Room instances panel (click the “Add” button)
  3. The “Download SDK” button


This capture represents the Cocomo AFCS home page. It mainly illustrates the three steps to follow:

• Once your account has been created, make sure to note your Account URL
• In the “Room instances” panel, create a new room. A room represents a “virtual meeting point” where several client application will be able to exchange audio / video flows, files or messages. Your account will allow you to create several rooms, with a single configuration for each room. A room is also identified by a URL that looks like http://connectnow.acrobat.com/yourAccount/roomName.
• Once your room has been created, download the SDK.

You’ll find within the downloaded ZIP:

• documentation
• application examples
• Air utilities: CocomoDevConsole AFCSDevConsole for your accounts and rooms management, and LocalConnectionServer, a local Cocomo AFCS server emulation that will allow you to test some of your applications features without having to connect to a “real” Cocomo AFCS server (mainly messaging)
• library sources
• library SWC for Flash Player 9 and Flash Player 10

Cocomo AFCS installation

For this version (0.9), installation will reside in including Cocomo AFCS library documentation at Eclipse’s one. To do so:

• create a ‘com.adobe.afcs‘ folder in the ‘plugins‘ folder of your Flex Builder installation
  Windows: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Flex Builder 3\plugins\com.adobe.afcs
  Macintosh: /Applications/Adobe Flex Builder 3/plugins/com.adobe.afcs
• Copy the content of the downloaded file into that folder
• (Re)Launch Flex Builder and open the help contents (Help / Help Contents)

You should now find the Cocomo AFCS API documentation

This schema is a screen capture of the cocomo documentation opened within the Flex Builder environment.

And noooow… let’s collaborate !!!
>> Next : My first Cocomo AFCS Application

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Mercredi 21 janvier 2009 à 1:38
[Dev] Flash / Flex / AIR...

Tags: architecture, cocomo, collaboration, RIA, tips, Tutoriels