'Suitable tool for simple interactive web application

I want to create not complex interactive web application. It has some pinboard and user can create many simple objects on this pinboard (e.g. many small circles). After this user can:

  • move these objects
  • delete some of them or create new ones
  • make multiple selection and move/rotate elements of selected group
  • place members of the selected group in some special order (grid, line, circle, etc)
  • Zoom in/out pinboard

I think that I can use Flash/Flex or JavaScript/SVG/VML for this purpose. Disadvantage of Flash is that user must have plugin. Minus of JS/SVG/VML is that there aren't such powerfull developing tools as in Flash case, but if we use some library (like http://raphaeljs.com/) application won't require flash plug-in.

I'm finding right tool for this aim. So give me some recommendations, please. Thanks in advance.



Solution 1:[1]

I believe that you can achieve your goals without Flash using HTML(5), JavaScript and not the least the Canvas element present in HTML5.

Bottomline is, unless you today require your application to animate a lot of objects with framerates approaching three digits, the above should suffice fine and will also pair you with a prospective Web development platform. I am often sceptical of the new stuff, but HTML5 and Canvas are fairly standardized, patent-free and are being actively adopted.

The only benefit of going with Flash that I can think of is being backed by a rich API that does 2D as well as 3D, and the fact that you can later port your ActionScript code to say, JavaScript when you finally decide to go with HTML+JavaScript instead. Aside from having to perhaps rewrite part of your drawing stack, your ActionScript code will require minimal (syntactic mostly) changes.

I would still advise you to go with my first suggestion, unless you need live (camera) video publishing, 3D, sound editing and few features not available easily outside Flash Player. Which I don't think you will need.

Solution 2:[2]

You might want to have a look at existing similar projects, such as SVG Edit (MIT license).

Sources

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Source: Stack Overflow

Solution Source
Solution 1
Solution 2 Erik Dahlström