ptg Working with Projects and Other Programs Introduction Adobe programs are designed to work together so you can focus on what you need to do, rather than on how to do it. In fact, the Adobe programs share tools and features for your most common tasks so you can work uninterrupted and move seamlessly from one program to another. If you need more advanced scripting features, you can use Adobe Flash Builder to work with ActionScript 3.0, yet still quickly switch back to Flash Professional as needed. As a designer, you can use the Adobe FXG file format to exchange graphic content between programs with high fidelity, which includes Fireworks, Photoshop CS5, Illustrator, Flash Catalyst, and Flash Builder. If you want to create a stand-alone applica- tion from a Flash document, you can publish it as an Adobe AIR application, which you can install or remove like any other program. In addition to developing content for comput- ers, you can also use Flash to develop content for mobile devices using Adobe Device Central CS5 to test it. In Flash, you can manage multiple document files within a Flash Project. A Flash Projects lets you group multiple, and related files together to help you keep track of complex appli- cations. Flash lets you apply version-control to ensure that the correct file versions are used during editing and to pre- vent accidental overwriting. If you want to access additional resources from Adobe, you can use the Adobe CS Live menu. Adobe CS Live is an online service that allows you to set up or manage (sign in and out) an Adobe account, access the Acrobat.com subscrip- tion-based Web site or the Adobe ConnectNow Web site (Share my screen command) where you can collaborate with others, display CS news and resources, and access an Adobe Web site with information about CS Live Services. 21 21 What You’ll Do Work with Adobe Flash Builder Exchange Content with Adobe FXG Create an Adobe AIR Application Create Content for a Mobile Device Map MIDI Sounds on a Mobile Device Create and Manage a Project Manage Project Files Test a Project Send a Document Using E-Mail Explore CS Live Services Share My Screen Use Adobe Extension Manager 505 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 506 Chapter 21 Adobe Flash Builder 4 (formerly Adobe Flex Builder) is a stand-alone program or plug-in that allows you to develop cross-platform Web appli- cations using the Flex framework, which includes compilers, component library, and debuggers. You can use Flash Builder to work with UI lay- outs and behaviors, and ActionScript 3.0. With Flash Builder 4 and Flash Professional CS5 installed, you can open Flash FLA files and edit ActionScript 3.0 in Flash Builder (New!) and test, debug, or publish in Flash Professional. You can also create or open ActionScript 3.0 AS files (either class or interface) (New!) from Flash Professional for edit in Flash Builder. Working with Adobe Flash Builder Create an ActionScript File and Open in Flash Builder Click the File menu, and then click New. TIMESAVER Click Action- Script 3.0 Class or ActionScript 3.0 Interface on the Welcome screen to create a new AS document. Click the General tab. Click ActionScript 3.0 Class or ActionScript 3.0 Interface. Click OK. Click the Flash Professional or Flash Builder option. Enter a class or interface name. Click OK. If you selected Flash Builder, the program opens, asking you to create a new Flash project. Click Browse, select the target FLA or XFL file, and then click Open. Click Finish. Edit the code in Flash Builder. To p ublish, test, or debug back i n Flash Professional, click the Publish, Test Movie, or Debug Movie button on the toolbar. When you’re done, exit Flash Builder. 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 7 5 6 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 21 Working with Projects and Other Programs 507 Open Flash or ActionScript Files in Flash Builder In Flash, open the Flash FLA or ActionScript AS document. Do the following to open a Flash or ActionScript file: ◆ Flash FLA. Open the Property Inspector, enter a document class name in the Property Inspector if blank, and then click the Edit Class Definition button. ◆ ActionScript AS. Control+click (Mac) or right-click (Win) a symbol associated with the class interface, click Properties, or click the Edit Class Definition button in the Symbols Properties dialog box. If prompted, click the Flash Professional or Flash Builder option, if prompted, and then click OK. If prompted, click Browse to select the target FLA or XFL file (as needed), and then click Finish. Edit the code in Flash Builder. To p ublish, test, or debug back i n Flash Professional, click the Publish, Test Movie, or Debug Movie button on the toolbar. When you close the tested or debugged movie window in Flash, it switches back to Flash Builder. When you’re done, exit Flash Builder. 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 6 7 5 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 508 Chapter 21 Exchanging Content with Adobe FXG Import Content From an Adobe FXG File Open a document. Click the File menu, point to Import, and then click Import to Stage or Import to Library. To o pen a sp ecific type of Fla sh file, click the File as type list arrow (Win), or the File type popup (Mac), and then click Adobe FXG (*.fxg). Navigate to the drive or folder where the file is located. Click the Adobe FXG graphic file you want to open. Click Open. 6 5 4 3 2 1 Adobe FXG (Flash XML Graphics) is a file format based on a subset of MXML, the XML-based programming language used by the Flex frame- work, which you can use to build rich Internet applications. The FXG file format allows designers to exchange graphic content between pro- grams with full fidelity. Flash allows you to import and export your indi- vidual objects or the entire Stage in the Adobe FXG file format (version 2.0) (New!). You can use the FXG file format in other Adobe programs for export (Fireworks, Photoshop CS5, and Illustrator) or for import and export (Flash Catalyst and Flash Builder). When you export vector and bitmap graphics, a separate folder is created to store the images along with the FXG file. Elements without a recognizable tag (such as some blends, gradients, masks, and 3D) are exported as bitmap graphics. 5 6 3 4 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 21 Working with Projects and Other Programs 509 Using Adobe Flash Catalyst Adobe Flash Catalyst CS5 (New!) is a stand-alone professional interaction design tool for rapidly creating expressive interfaces and interactive content without writing code. Create interactive proto- types, portfolios, product guides, microsites, site navigation, and interfaces. You can transform artwork created in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Fireworks into interactive designs. For example, you can create screen designs or graphics in Illustrator, open the art- work in Flash Catalyst, and add interactive components to it, yet still maintain the ability to make changes back in Illustrator without affecting the Flash Catalyst content. For more information about Flash Catalyst and where to get it, go to http://labs.adobe.com/ technologies/flashcatalyst . For Your Information Export Content as an Adobe FXG File Open a Flash document. To e xport objects on the Stage, select them on the Stage. Click the File menu, point to Export, and then click Export Image (for entire Stage) or Export Selection (for selected objects on the Stage). Navigate to the location where you want to export the file. Enter a name in the Save As (Mac) or File Name (Win) box. Click the Format popup (Mac) or Save as Type list arrow (Win), and then click Adobe FXG (*.FXG). Click Save. The following constrains apply to exporting to the FXG file format: ◆ Scale-9 Grids. Exported, however only readable by Adobe Illustrator. ◆ Sound and Video. Not exported. ◆ Components. Not exported. ◆ Tweens and Animation with Multiple Frame. Not exported; however a selected frame can be exported as an object. ◆ Embedded Fonts. Not exported. ◆ Button Symbols. Exports only the Up state of buttons. ◆ 3D Properties. Not exported. ◆ Inverse Kinematics (IK) Properties. Not exported. ◆ Text Attributes. Some attributes not exported. 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 6 4 7 5 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 510 Chapter 21 Creating an Adobe AIR Application Create a New Adobe AIR Document Click the File menu, and then click New. TIMESAVER Click Adobe AIR 2 on the Welcome screen to create a new blank document. Click the General tab. Click Adobe AIR 2. Click OK. Create your application in Flash. Click the File menu, and then click Adobe AIR 2 Settings. Click the General, Signature, Icons, and Advanced tabs to select or create a digital certificate and other AIR publishing settings. Click Publish, and then click OK. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 Adobe AIR is a cross-operating system runtime that allows you to lever- age your existing web development skills in Flash to build and deliver Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) to more devices, including the web, mobile, and desktop. You can create a new Flash file for AIR from the Welcome page or the New dialog box by clicking Adobe AIR 2 (New!), or use an existing Flash file (ActionScript 3.0), and then convert it to an Adobe AIR file through the Publish Settings dialog box (New!). Before you can publish a file to Adobe AIR, you need to have a digital certifi- cate that represents the application publisher’s identify. After you pub- lish an AIR application, you can install it by using the Installer Package with the AIR extension and start the program like any other program on your system. When you no longer want to use it, you can remove it like a normal program too. See Also See “Specifying Adobe AIR Options” on page 482 for more information on specific publishing settings. From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 21 Working with Projects and Other Programs 511 Install and Start an Adobe AIR Application In Windows Explorer (Win) or Finder (Mac), navigate to the folder with the published AIR application. Double-click the installer program for the AIR application (.air), and then follow the installer instructions. Use the Start menu or Windows Explorer (Win) or Finder (Mac) to start the AIR application. To r emove the AIR ap plicati on, use the Uninstall a program link in the Control panel (Win) or drag the application folder to the Trash can (Mac). 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 Digital certificate file Did You Know? You can access gesture events in ActionScript. Adobe’s AIR 2.0, built on the same technology framework as Flash, introduces a new set of events that detect when you touch the screen called gestures. Gestures can also be used in the new Flash iPhone Packager. From the Library of Wow! eBook . access an Adobe Web site with information about CS Live Services. 21 21 What You’ll Do Work with Adobe Flash Builder Exchange Content with Adobe FXG Create an Adobe AIR Application Create Content. Programs 507 Open Flash or ActionScript Files in Flash Builder In Flash, open the Flash FLA or ActionScript AS document. Do the following to open a Flash or ActionScript file: ◆ Flash FLA. Open. Programs 509 Using Adobe Flash Catalyst Adobe Flash Catalyst CS5 (New!) is a stand-alone professional interaction design tool for rapidly creating expressive interfaces and interactive content without