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C
codeBeastAdobe
Inspiring
July 29, 2011
Answered

Flash builder why??? instead of flash professional IDE

  • July 29, 2011
  • 3 replies
  • 3541 views

Sorry if I sound ignorant but most developers and companies have said it is nonsense to use flash professional IDE instewad of flash builder.

I am totally ignorant and thought that flash builder was FLEX - ie: I have no idea of how to program in flex - I can only code in AS3. I am off track here. What is the advantage of flash builder? ALL the tutorials I read are on flash and almost never on flash builder - Am I getting confused? Id flash builder like an environment for coding in AS3 but adding a lot of functionality to mnake it all easier - ie: no difference in coding or the swf produced etc...

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Andrei1-bKoviI

In addition to what other guys said, Flex Builder (now it is named Flash Builder), Flash IDE, FlashDevelop, FDT and other programs are just development environments that come with some additional perks. The output is the same - swf that is not different at the core no matter what environment you use.

Conceptually you can write code in a notepad, point swf compiler to it  and you will get swf.

Although Flash IDE has improved over time as a development tool - it is not a match to more sophisticated environments like Flash Builder, FlashDevelop or FDT. Note that other than Flash IDE environments are based on programs that are used by developers in other languages like Java. For instance Flash Builder is based on Eclipse. This is telling because for many reasons Flash IDE cannot live up to what more robust platforms evolved into. Unlike other tools and frameworks it is very hard (sometimes simply impossible) to accommodate Flash IDE for industrial strength development. Deployment and version control are the major headaches in Flash IDE.

Flex is just a library that is developed on a top of AS3 the same as you build your own classes (this is statement is 95% true). Of course, as mentioned, there is an additional xml-based way to develop Flex application but at the end it all is translated into AS3 and compiled. So, Flex application in essence is just a Flash application (and word Flash here is used as a name of technology at large).


If you hesitate over what to accept as a main tool, you should remember that Flash IDE is a legacy tool that Adobe inherited from Macromedia. With introduction of Flex/Flash Builder Adobe clearly demonstrated a commitment to a more enterprise oriented technology. Latest Flash Builder version comes with an attempt to integrate Flash IDE into workflow. Basically, the only step left is to somehow slip timeline development environment into Flash Builder and let Flash IDE die. This is my personal opinion though.

In addition, Adobe is trying hard to integrate their products into one framework/suite so that graphics are developed where they are more native (Illustrator, PhotoShop, etc.) and export them into Flash format and programming tasks are accomplished in Flash Builder. This is called Adobe Catalyst.

I have a notion that Adobe is generally very eager to kill Flash IDE. The only thing that stops them is, perhaps, they don't want to piss off already agitated crowd of designers who are reluctant to embrace OOP.

The point is that in conjunction with the fact that Flash IDE is natively a very inconvenient tool to use for true OOP development, I would recommend to anyone to move away from Flash IDE toward something more sophisticated.

Granted, it is sometimes necessary to use timeline for creating graphics but with the advent of physics and 3D libraries - timeline starting to look more and more lame even for animations.

In my view there are practically no redeeming qualities in Flash IDE at this point.

3 replies

A
Andrei1-bKoviICorrect answer
Inspiring
July 29, 2011

In addition to what other guys said, Flex Builder (now it is named Flash Builder), Flash IDE, FlashDevelop, FDT and other programs are just development environments that come with some additional perks. The output is the same - swf that is not different at the core no matter what environment you use.

Conceptually you can write code in a notepad, point swf compiler to it  and you will get swf.

Although Flash IDE has improved over time as a development tool - it is not a match to more sophisticated environments like Flash Builder, FlashDevelop or FDT. Note that other than Flash IDE environments are based on programs that are used by developers in other languages like Java. For instance Flash Builder is based on Eclipse. This is telling because for many reasons Flash IDE cannot live up to what more robust platforms evolved into. Unlike other tools and frameworks it is very hard (sometimes simply impossible) to accommodate Flash IDE for industrial strength development. Deployment and version control are the major headaches in Flash IDE.

Flex is just a library that is developed on a top of AS3 the same as you build your own classes (this is statement is 95% true). Of course, as mentioned, there is an additional xml-based way to develop Flex application but at the end it all is translated into AS3 and compiled. So, Flex application in essence is just a Flash application (and word Flash here is used as a name of technology at large).


If you hesitate over what to accept as a main tool, you should remember that Flash IDE is a legacy tool that Adobe inherited from Macromedia. With introduction of Flex/Flash Builder Adobe clearly demonstrated a commitment to a more enterprise oriented technology. Latest Flash Builder version comes with an attempt to integrate Flash IDE into workflow. Basically, the only step left is to somehow slip timeline development environment into Flash Builder and let Flash IDE die. This is my personal opinion though.

In addition, Adobe is trying hard to integrate their products into one framework/suite so that graphics are developed where they are more native (Illustrator, PhotoShop, etc.) and export them into Flash format and programming tasks are accomplished in Flash Builder. This is called Adobe Catalyst.

I have a notion that Adobe is generally very eager to kill Flash IDE. The only thing that stops them is, perhaps, they don't want to piss off already agitated crowd of designers who are reluctant to embrace OOP.

The point is that in conjunction with the fact that Flash IDE is natively a very inconvenient tool to use for true OOP development, I would recommend to anyone to move away from Flash IDE toward something more sophisticated.

Granted, it is sometimes necessary to use timeline for creating graphics but with the advent of physics and 3D libraries - timeline starting to look more and more lame even for animations.

In my view there are practically no redeeming qualities in Flash IDE at this point.

C
codeBeastAdobeAuthor
Inspiring
July 30, 2011

Thanks for that extensive reply.

I only have some questions then

a) You mention mxml - but I don't HAVE to use it at the moment if I don't want to do I? ie: I can carry on using AS3 and even import all my .fla files into flez builder and all my existing programs will work the same.

b) You say version control - what do you mean?

c) And all my graphical UI's - how do I import them - ie: Is there a graphics side to flash builder

A
Andrei1-bKoviI
Inspiring
July 30, 2011

"a) You mention mxml - but I don't HAVE to use it at the moment if I don't want to do I? ie: I can carry on using AS3 and even import all my .fla files into flez builder and all my existing programs will work the same."

No, you don't have to use mxml at all. You can continue using your classes by writing them and compiling application in Flash Builder. You may never need to use mxml at all.

FLAs are a bit different story. You cannot edit FLA's grapics and timeline code in Flash Builder - you will still have to use Flash IDE for these tasks.

"b) You say version control - what do you mean?"

Version control is a tool/work flow that keeps track of application changes. In a simplistic way - it is a software that you tell to monitor particular files/folders. Basically it is a database of history of development. in other words, you don't loose your work and, say, even if someone screws up code badly - you can always go back and reinstate code at any point. But, again, this is a bit too simplistic.

Version control allows to keep changes history of not only text files but also binaries (swfs, images, etc.)

Another important and very convenient aspect of version control framework is code distribution from a central location

There are many free tools to do that. One of the most popular at the moment is SVN.

As far as Flash Builder is concerned - it has native mechnism to hook your application with version control software.

"c) And all my graphical UI's - how do I import them - ie: Is there a graphics side to flash builder"

No, there is no graphics side per se (as it shouldn't). But Flex SDK/compiler has more features that allow you to pull graphics (and other MIME types) into application at compilation.

I know it is confusing but, again, when you use Flex SDK - you don't have to use mxml. SDK is just a library of classes/packages.

A
Anonymous
July 29, 2011

I think Flash Builder and Flex are more for web applications whereas Flash is more animations and graphics.

you still do your programming with actionscript, but Flex just takes the hassle out of building the UI by using MXML to layout views.

<s:HGroup  x="10" y="10" >

     <s:Label text="Username"/>

     <s:TextInput id="usernameInput" prompt="Input username"/>

</s:HGroup> 

that can be done with just AS but its a lot simpler to read and write using mxml, which also has data binding, state control, transition effects.

if you are a designer and need graphics, timeline, animations etc then stick with flash

if you are a developer and want easy prebuilt components so you can concentrate on coding then go for Flash Builder and Flex.

B
birnerseff
Inspiring
July 29, 2011

while flash builder is commonly associated with flex, it c

an also help with actionscript-only projects

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