flash/php webcam profile picture--integrate flash in php web app

Question

I have a php/mysql we app and want to let users take a snapshot of themselves via webcam for their profile similar to how it works on Facebook and Google+ and then upload using php to my server. My problem is I know next to nothing about Flash. My understanding from other posts is you must use flash on the client side as indeed FB and Google do. I have found a tutorial and script that see to do this using actionscript and PHP.

Here is the tutorial.

http://www.beautifycode.com/webcam-flash-php-upload-to-server

My problem is I do not know how actionscript works. My knowledge of flash is pretty much limited to playing a flv or swf file. I have done some searching on Google and SO and it seems you put the actionscript in a fla file but I don't know how you access that from the html page.

I am assuming that the client must have flash but that no flash is needed on the server side. We just grap the jpg from the user and then upload it using normal php techniques.

Can someone point me in the right direction on integrating Actionscript and flash in a php/mysql web app?

Thanks.

Answer 1

First, you need something to build a .swf file containing a Flash "movie" with. Typically, Adobe Flash is used for this.

You'll have to learn some ActionScript. It isn't very difficult if you are familiar with other languages.

Build your Flash movie, compile it to a .swf file, and embed that file onto your page using SWFObject or similar. From there, you can work on server-side part, which it sounds like you already know how to do.