This week we look at JFXtras extending the JavaFX SDK, individual AIR code signing certificates, session support between Flex and PHP with ZendAMF, and using community contributions at SilverlightContrib. All this and more on the Weekly RIA RoundUp at InsideRIA.

JFXtras 0.1 Released

James Weaver highlights JFXtras, an open-source project that adds enhancements to the existing JavaFX SDK. Currently this project includes (taken from James's blog):

• Dialogs - The JFXtra Dialog provides a drop-in replacement for a Stage that will pop-up a real Java Dialog. This includes support for an owner window, modality, alwaysOnTop, the ability to hide the taskbar icon, and many other features.
• Layouts - The JFXtra Grid provides an advanced layout container (example shown above) that can be used for JavaFX nodes and wrapped swing components.
• Testing - JFXtras provides a declarative Unit Testing facility that allows you to do write JavaFX tests in the JavaFX language. It is modeled after best-of-class behavior-driven and fluent testing patterns to make tests easier to read and maintain.
• Asynchronous Worker - Working on the theory that developers deserve their share of rope, JFXtras provides an asynchronous worker wrapper that allows you to execute pure JavaFX code on a background thread.

This current release of JFXtras is available on Google Code.

James Weaver: JFXtras 0.1 Release: Utilities and Add-ons for the JavaFX Language

JFXtras at Google Code

First Issue of Flasher Magazine Released

Lee Brimelow, Evangelist at Adobe, recently released the first edition of Flasher Magazine. This magazine will cover topics relating to Flash, Flash Catalyst, and Flex. This first edition includes an interview with Ryan Stewart on Flash Catalyst, an interview with Chuck Freedman of Ribbit, and some insight into the Flash community worldwide.

Lee Brimelow (Adobe): Flasher Magazine Issue 1 is now live!

Flasher Magazine

ZendAMF Gains Session Support

ZendAMF was recently updated to include session support between Flex and PHP. Wade Arnold covers this new feature in a new post on his blog. He walks the user through the process of creating the needed PHP and Flex code to take advantage of the session support. He also explains what is required to get this latest functionality in your installation of the Zend framework.

Wade Arnold (Adobe): Zend Amf now with php session support

Learn Your Way Around SilverlightContrib

SilverlightContrib is an open-source collection of controls and enhancements for Silverlight. Getting started with SilverlightContrib may be a bit tricky for new developers, but Justin Angel from the Silverlight Toolkit team at Microsoft recently wrote a post that gives all of the needed information for getting started with SilverlightContrib. In his post he covers everything from visiting the site, including the needed .DLL's into your project, and reading the documentation.

Justin Angel (Microsoft): Tour around Silverlight Contrib

SilverlightContrib

AIR Developers can Now Purchase Individual Code Signing Certificates

All AIR applications are required to be signed by a code-signing certificate. Up until now, companies could acquire these certificates from companies such as Verisign and Thawte. Individuals could not go through the process (which required a business license) to receive the certificate, so individual developers had to use only self-signed certificates with their AIR applications (which resulted in an extra security warning in the installation process).

This week Chosen Security announced that they would be selling certificates for AIR applications to individuals. The certificates start at $199 for a one year certificate.

Ryan Stewart (Adobe): Adobe AIR Certificates for Individuals Now Available

Chosen Security AIR Certificate

Read more from David Tucker.