I just downloaded Flex. Do I also need an IDE to compile my .as files? I don't see any executable files in the Flex SDK that I can load an .as into. Can someone sort me out?
I will explain the differences:
Flex or Flex SDK: Is a set of components and UI controls for creating desktop, web and mobile applications, inside the Flex SDK there's a bin folder which contains executable files for compiling your .as code to .swf files.
Flash Builder and Flex Builder: Is an IDE based on the Eclipse platform, it comes bundled with the Flex SDK. Flex Builder was the name until version 4.x when it was renamed to Flash Builder. It is the IDE developed by Adobe and it's a good product to get started with ActionScript development.
Adobe Animate is fine for making Flash apps and games, the problem is that it lacks a powerful code editor.
If you are on Windows you can use Flash Develop which is free. If you are on OSX you can try Powerflasher FDT, its free tier allows you to make web and desktop apps.
Regardless of your choice, always keep in mind that you need to download the latest AIR SDK and Flex SDK (both free) to ensure maximum compatibility with the latest versions of Android, iOS, Windows and OSX.
Related
I've tried using an [Embed] tag in my flash ActionScript file for the first time.
[Embed (source="../art/room.dae", mimeType="application/octet-stream")]
When I tried to run, Flash posted a warning:
I downloaded the latest Flex SDK from adobe and pointed the path there, but it still has no effect. I then did some searching which said I should just press the Update Library Path button and everything would work, but this is having no effect for me. (Although I'm not entirely sure that the path I'm using is the correct one - I didn't write it down before trying the downloaded SDK).
Any idea how to get this to work?
You can try installing a Flex SDK by using the very comfortable Apache Flex SDK Installer.
However usually Flash Builder or Flash Develop are used to develop Flex applications (in ActionScript and MXML) - and not Flash Professional IDE.
If you try to use Flex components from Flash Professional IDE - most likely they won't work.
I'm working on an app that will run on desktops and mobile devices. I have Flash Professional CS5. However, I am working on a project that really just needs AS3, and dealing with the complications of integrating AS3 with Flash has already taken a fair amount of time.
There's a link that says "Free, open-source framework | Adobe Flex". When I click on it it takes me to a page with Flash Builder 4.7 Premium for $700. I'd rather have something free...
Adobe's Flex SDK, Apache's Flex SDK, and Adobe's AIR SDK include mxmlc compilers. They can all be downloaded free of charge. These compile .as code into .swf binaries. The AIR SDK has the latest compiler from Adobe.
flashdevelop.org is a free IDE (that downloads one of the above to compile, and sets up your environment automatically). Similarly, Flash Builder is a paid IDE from Adobe.
Take your pick. I like to use Adobe AIR SDK under wine on Linux, personally. =)
I have created an app in Flash CS5.5 and would like to put admobs advertisements in it.
I am having problems figuring out where to put the .jar file that comes with admobs.
All the tutorials say put it in "build path", but there is no build path option in Flash Pro CS5.5
Flash Develop and I are not on good terms right now, and I am currently using Sublime Text 2 for coding all of the as3 and xml.
Can someone give some advice on how to get this working with the programs I am using?
JAR files are for Java applications and will not work with Actionscript.
Depending on the platform that you are targeting you will have to choose an alternative way to deploy AdMobs. For instance, if you are trying to use AdMobs on an AIR app targeting Android or iOS you can use an ANE (AIR Native Extension) such as this one.
I have a codebase for a Flash Builder project that loads in assets from a Flash Professonal project swf, and as such, they share the same codebase to compile from (so the code in the FB project can link to MC's in the Flash Pro)
Issue is, the code I am using has Flex 4.6 code in it (namely built in JSON support). That builds fine in FB, but when I update the Flash Pro swf, I get an error, probably because I have Flex 4.6 code and Flash pro CS5.5 isn't using Flex 4.6 to compile. Is there a way in Flash pro to target Flex 4.6 as the builder?
Thanks!
-Steve
actually found a solution for you Adding player 11 support to cs5
just for your records... before 11.x you'd have to include as3corelib.swc for its JSON functionality: https://github.com/mikechambers/as3corelib
Flex SDK 4.6 comes with complete source code under /sdk/frameworks/projects directory, as the source codes are broken into "projects", you would need to merge the projects together to get the entire framework source under one logical source tree.
Once you have this source tree created, you may add that to your Flash's compile path to gain the benefit of Flex SDK. But if you need Flex just for mere JSON support, then the target of Flash Player 11 would be a much better solution.
I have been trying to figure out whether it is possible to use only flex sdk for mobile development.
Do I really have to purchase and use Flex Builder? are there free tools that would allow me to package my application for, say, iOS or Android?
In the past I have developed several SWF applications using flex sdk and emacs only. Can I do the same for mobile platforms?
Appreciate any help.
FlashDevelop is the most popular, efficient and simplest free alternative to FlashBuilder. I develop using both of them (depending on which team I work with) and I prefer FD by far.
You can use the AIR SDK and its associated command line tools without using Flash Builder (although there are several steps involved in producing the mobile applications). You can get the AIR 3 SDK here:
http://www.adobe.com/special/products/air/sdk/
Yes, you should be able to do that. FlashBuilder is only a convenience IDE for development. As long as you have the (freely available) SDK, you can use any editor to write your code and then compile against the SDK.
All you need to ensure is that unlike a standard flex app, you would need the additional necessary mobile device files. You can check this out for reference (ignoring the FlashBuilder part) - http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash-builder/articles/hello-world.html