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Table of Contents
Developing Flash Lite applications with dynamic layouts
Understanding the importance of dynamic layouts
Mobile devices can be used at any time in any environment. Take that into consideration during development and try to offer the best optimization for each situation. For example, in bright, daylight conditions darker fonts against a lighter background work well. Conversely, lighter fonts against a darker background are more legible in darker conditions. The sample application we're building will automatically switch to the appropriate theme (based on the device's current time), but since we cannot anticipate exactly how, where, and when our applications will be used, we'll also include functionality to allow the user to switch the theme of the app on demand.
Portrait and landscape orientations each have their individual benefits. In situations that require the display of several lines of text, it may be best to display the content vertically in order to eliminate the need to scroll. In other situations, you may wish to use a larger font, but want to avoid causing display issues with excessive word wrapping. Additionally, visual content such as pictures and videos may display best in landscape mode, due to their aspect ratios. Mobile devices are not tethered to a desk, therefore mobile development offers some unique challenges and opportunities.
The images below illustrate a few of the benefits of the individual themes used in the Bacardi® Mobile Cocktail application (see Figures 1 and 2).
Figure 1. The Bacardi® Mobile Cocktail application displayed with a night / landscape theme
Figure 2. The Bacardi® Mobile Cocktail application displayed with a day / portrait theme
As you examine the photos above you'll notice that the night/landscape theme features a larger, brighter font with a darker background. In the day/ portrait theme the font is smaller, darker and there is more screen real estate to display the vertical list. Additionally, more of the background image is visible in the portrait layout. The Bacardi® Mobile Cocktail application is designed to switch screen orientations on demand allowing the user to decide which layout best suits their needs at any time. Spend some time considering the requirements for your mobile content. In some cases, you may decide it is best to assign a specific orientation per section.
