Publishing Animate files

[jackh8500410]

Hi all,

I've managed to publish my application as a Win & Mac Projector. The only confusion I have, not being an Apple expert, is how the user is to run the Mac version?

I see the Windows one is [AppName].exe. The page I've seen about exporting says Mac is exported as a [AppName].app. But when I click on it, it just takes me into the file structure.

If I put the [AppName].app onto a Mac machine, would that then become a launch-able app?

Thanks,
Jack

[Colin Holgate]

Each projector you've given shows the same error message about being corrupt.

In the full project are there more swfs? If there are, and they all sit next to the projector, you could use the projector I made:

http://colin.scienceninja.com/LRSSMac.zip

[sciencegal]

Having you make my Mac projectors (for life?) is not a solution.

The conclusion from all of this is that you cannot make a functioning Mac projector from the Windows version of at least CS5 and Animate and probably every version in between. This is something that needs to be fixed by Adobe which I requested 5 years ago. If it cannot be fixed the option should be removed from the Windows version.

[Colin Holgate]

Have you tried making projectors from Animate? There have been eight major releases since Flash Pro CS5, so it is quite likely the problem was fixed in one of those updates. But even if it was fixed I'm sure you're not going to want to rewrite your AS3 code into AS3, which the later versions require.

Let's see if Mohan has any new ideas.

[Mohanaraj]

Hi,

We do not see this issue at our end i.e., Mac Projector files created on Windows run without any issues on Mac. If you are facing any issues with a specific AS3 file, we would like to take a look at if you share the AS3 fla. The one you have shared is AS1 fla that cannot be compiled in Animate CC.

Thanks!

Mohan

[sciencegal]

I have to disagree. I and the original poster cannot produce a functioning Mac projector from the windows version. If it is launched on a mac you get a corrupt file error.

This Mac projector was created with the windows version of Animate, yesterday, on my last day of trial. Colin got a corrupt file when he tried to launch it.

http://www.imagecyte.com/testprojector.zpp.zip

This is the fla from Animate  http://www.imagecyte.com/testprojector.zip

[Colin Holgate]

You have a typo in your link. It should be:

http://www.imagecyte.com/testprojector.app.zip

Mohan, does the team have a way to test a problem in older versions? I don't have a CS5 Windows serial number, otherwise I could try it.

[sciencegal]

Actually, it really doesn't matter. I decided a month or so ago to just release my applications in the future for Linux and Mac to run in a browser. The Windows projector always works. There are too many issues on Macs trying to get the app to work consistently.

I was simply searching through the support questions before deciding to buy Animate which I usually do before buying any software - when I came across this thread saying that the projector for a Mac was showing a corrupt file. It caught my eye since I had so much trouble with this issue. When I used the Mac projector from CS5 all of my Mac customers complained that they were getting the corrupt file error. Out of desperation, and at not a small expense, I replaced it with the much older projector which was working - until the Sierra upgrade.

I still do not understand Colin why you got a corrupt file error with the projector I published out of Animate. I was wondering if zipping the file is causing the corruption.  I appreciate that you made a projector for me but since it was made with AS3 will it load files exported in AS2?

If I buy Animate it will only be to create an Android application. I will not be using it to develop computer apps.

[Colin Holgate]

We have a new discovery that may help. I'm on a more recent version of macOS than anyone you know, and there has been a change in the security settings. Previously you could set it so that the system would allow apps from anywhere to open ok, in my version that's been taken away, and could account for the corrupt error message.

That means that the projectors you are making are likely to work ok for most Mac users. I've asked Adobe to think about anything that can be done to projectors to make them work correctly with the new security settings.

[sciencegal]

See the fact that Apple changes things so drastically especially if the application does not come from Apple is the reason why I am, in the future, only going to offer my Flash based application for Macs to run through a browser.  In the 15 years that I have this application out all I have done is try to keep one step behind in keeping it working for Macs. The most recent problem with the Sierra upgrade causing the bizarre black screen is one example. The pathways are correct since the swfs still load okay in a browser.  Every time I get it working they throw in a new monkey wrench, so I just give up. My plan is to make a watered down version for Android (probably using Animate)which will make up for the lost Mac sales. With the technology changing so fast I have to think ahead if I am going to spend 9 months developing something which will be obsolete by the time I am finished.

[Colin Holgate]

So you can be mentally prepared for it, making Android apps will require ActionScript 3. Also, CS5 was very early days for publishing to mobile, not that you want to but you can't use that for making iPhone apps, you would need at least CS5.5, and CS6 would be better.

[sciencegal]

I am prepared to learn AS3. I enrolled in a Java/AS3 online course (it appears that java isn't too different than AS3) and as well as a companion course in creating Android Apps using Android Studio. I will learn how to use Android Studio (after spending 4 days getting it installed and set up) but will probably end up using Animate in the end because I think it will have more capability with graphics and I am so much more familiar with the timeline based interface. This has been a long decision making process. I have 3 or 4 books sitting here that I bought a few years ago that help transition between AS2 and AS3. I have just been dragging my feet because it will be difficult - more work than fun. But, once into it I might change my mind about that.

On exporting for iOS... I heard a rumor a year or so ago that Apple wouldn't approve any application made for iOS if it was created in Flash. Is this true?

[Colin Holgate]

AS3 was created to appeal to Java programmers. If you're just doing AS3 there wouldn't be any need to learn Java.

For about six months Apple refused to accept apps made in anything except their own Xcode tool. Eventually they gave in, and allowed us to use other tools, not just Flash. That was over six years ago.

One thing that is true is that the app requirements rule out the use of CS5. With CS5 you could only build for the iPhone 1 and iPad 1.

[sciencegal]

Thanks for the clarification on all of those points, Colin. I plan to use CS5 to make at least one addition to my desktop application since buyers keep asking for more. Since it is complex and already coded in AS2 it would be a major nightmare to recode it. It is too complex and requires more interactivity than a touch screen to try to reissue it for a mobile device anyway. As long as AS2 is okay to use on desktop computers I will continue to use it for that, except that I will have to expect Mac users to run it in a browser. I am completely aware that AS2 cannot be used for mobile device applications. I just hope that once I get AS3 under my belt they won't come along in the near future and say that it is obsolete and now we have to use AS4 🙂

I appreciate this enlightening discussion.

[jackh8500410]

I've been able to test my app on a Mac and it's working exactly as it's supposed to. I agree that the resources may not work - this could be my fault not putting the resources folder in the correct location.

Mohanaraj​ - thanks for offering to look at it. I think it's sorted now.

Thanks,

Jack