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. =)
Related
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.
I was wondering if adobe air would come out for the apple watch or is there any way to develop with adobe air for iWatch? Thanks!
WatchOS 2 apps require submission to Apple using LLVM BitCode. Apple can than compile to native code (currently S1/arm7v) as they update the watch framework and/or hardware and the developer does not have to resubmit their apps to handle those changes.
Adobe has not publicly mentioned adding any additional platforms to Air and it would require a major investment to place a AS3/Air front-end on the LLVM compiler. I, personally, highly doubt this feature will ever be seen.
Learning X-code (or license and learn Xamarin/C#) is the only way to go right now (unless someone knows of other third-party development env. that support WatchOS2/WatchKit).
Add your Vote of support to additional Air platforms:
Open Adobe bug/tracker for Windows Phone 8/10 (open since 10/2013): https://bugbase.adobe.com/index.cfm?event=selectBug&CFGRIDKEY=3648920
Open Adobe bug/tracker for WatchKit & Android Wear:
https://bugbase.adobe.com/index.cfm?event=bug&id=4069595
I did few speed checks and looks like compiler in flash professional doesn't do optimizations. I am using flash professional cs5.5. Is there a way in flash professional to turn on compiler optimizations?
Do you mean option version between release and debugging version in Flash Professional?
Adobe offical note:
When compiling your project in Flash Professional, you do not have the option of choosing between release and debugging version. The compiled SWF file is a release version by default.
Adobe link
Hope useful to you. :)
Well the title say it all.
So far i've been using flash IDE and publish it as AIR to make desktop app. But the down side of this is that users have to install adobe AIR in their computer before they can use this app.
So:
1. Is there a way to make desktop app without users installing adobe AIR using Flash IDE (coz AS3 is my favorite lang so far).
2. Is there another language or software I can learn, so when ever I make desktop app or perhaps mobile app users can just install it in their devices whithout having to install anything else.
I need all the insights I can get, So thanx in advance to all you guys :)
Since FlashBuilder 4.6 and Flash Professional CS6 you should be able to export your release build as "Signed application with captive runtime". If you choose so, the user will not need to install the AIR runtime.
MDM Zinc as .exe file! or else. http://www.multidmedia.com/ also for desktop Apps.
regards aktell
Users cannot use AIR apps without having AIR installed.
But do you really need AIR functionalities? Because you can publish .exe files with Flash, which simply embed Flash Player inside. If you target Windows platforms and you don't need anything special from AIR - this is a good choice.
Other than that - there are a lot of languages that can publish desktop apps, just browse around. .NET is one of the most used ones.
I'm building a program in Actionscript 3 and would like to convert the .SWF file to an EXE without using Flash Pro CS5. I found http://swf-to-exe.com/ and it works well, but I'm wondering if there is another way to do this. In the long run we'll need Mac executables, too, and if I can avoid putting it all in Flash I'd like to do that.
The most simple way is to create projector file with Flash Player, but you have to do it for every OS. It embed the hole Flash Player into the resulting *.exe file.
Steps for exe:
Download 11.2.202.235 Flash Player vesrion
Open flashplayer_11_sa_32bit.exe
Open swf file with this FP or drag and drop swf on player
File->create projector
As I know the last FP version, where projector feature works is 11.2.202.235, for Mac it can be another version. There is the description of this #Bug 3363321 in Adobe bugbase
Adobe AIR is the standard solution for packaging SWF applications natively. The AIR SDK is freely available and includes the mxmlc compiler which will compile .as to .swf, and the adt packager will package your SWF and assets for Android, iOS, Windows, and OSX.
It looks like you want to bundle natively for Windows to produce an executable. Do you have a programming environment? You may want to check out the free Flash Develop IDE.
Ah, so you are using Flash Develop... Good, onward.
In Flash Develop, I created an "AIR AS3 Projector" type project named DesktopTest. I then modified the Packager.bat file according to the article I posted above. Change the OUTPUT and call adt lines and leave the other lines of the file in-tact:
set OUTPUT=-target bundle %AIR_NAME%
And:
call adt -package %OPTIONS% %SIGNING_OPTIONS% %OUTPUT% %APP_XML% %FILE_OR_DIR%
You then need to run CreateCertificate.bat once (right-click, execute). After that, compile your project and run PackageApp.bat. For my project named DesktopTest, this results in a DesktopTest sub directory that is my compiled app, with a DesktopTest.exe in it.
SWF converted to EXE is most likely a projector file, it still needs a Flash Player. Depending on build it could have the FP compiled into itself and thus don't need a Flash Player externally, but it comes with a cost or larger file-size.
Now with AIR, you have a choice to make a Flash project that will run natively trough the AIR virtual machine (that can be included for compilation time, so the user doesn't need to install it separately). But still, there WILL be a SWF file in that EXE or APP package.
Good thing about AIR - it works universally on both Win and Mac. Mobile platforms are also supported.
You can build AIR projects without buying Flash Professional, CC or Flash Builder. Just download the SDK and compile your code.
If you're using Windows, you can do it very easily with FlashDevelop - it's a powerful IDE that works out of the box. And it's free too!
http://www.flashdevelop.org
Get MDM Zinc. It has everything you need for crossplatform flash development.