2 Replies Latest reply: Jan 6, 2009 5:28 AM by matedobray RSS

    No bone tool in AS2??

    matedobray Community Member
      In Flash CS4, the bone tool only works if the document is in ActionScript 3.0! The bone tool is not even scripted, why is it limited to this language? I always did my programs in AS 2 as it came before AS 3, and when AS 3 came out I never learned it because it was just completely different and offered nothing interesting or new to me. I got Flash CS4 BECAUSE of the Bone tool, and now I can't use it unless I spend a year learning AS 3 just for this one feature! I don't need anything else in AS 3! It's like forcing us to learn AS 3 for just one feature... If I can't use the Bone tool, I'd rather stick with CS3 as it has less bugs and runs a lot faster than CS4!

      Anyone having a similar problem?
        • 1. Re: No bone tool in AS2??
          Newsgroup_User Community Member
          matedobray,

          > In Flash CS4, the bone tool only works if the document
          > is in ActionScript 3.0!

          This is true, and it's because there is no IK API for ActionScript 2.0.

          > The bone tool is not even scripted, why is it limited to this
          > language?

          Actually, the Bone tool relies on JSFL, so in a sense, it is scripted --
          but in a behind-the-scenes way. I'm not sure why there isn't an AS2
          equivalent, but it might have to do with the amount of math involved when
          the armature is set to Runtime in the Property inspector (AS3 is
          significantly faster than AS2).

          Fortunately, you can use the Bone tool to accomplish your animation,
          then convert your armature poses to a frame-by-frame version. That
          potentially adds a lot to your workflow, so my suggestion might not be
          especially helpful (for example, you would probably have to convert, then
          copy/paste your converted animation into an AS2 document). Worth a shot,
          though.

          > I always did my programs in AS 2 as it came before AS 3,
          > and when AS 3 came out I never learned it because it was
          > just completely different and offered nothing interesting or
          > new to me.

          There are numerous improvements to AS3, not the least of which is a
          sense of internal consistency that should, in theory, make ActionScript
          easier for you to work with. That said, I can empathize with how
          disorienting the update feels. For what it's worth, I find these articles
          to be helpful, as well as encouraging:

          http://www.insideria.com/2008/01/actionscript-30-is-it-hard-or.html
          http://www.insideria.com/2008/07/the-charges-against-actionscri.html

          You might even be able to mix-and-match your AS2 and AS3 content, using
          some of the techniques described in this book (full disclosure, I'm a
          co-author) ...

          The ActionScript 3.0 Quick Reference Guide (O'Reilly)
          http://tinyurl.com/2s28a5

          > I got Flash CS4 BECAUSE of the Bone tool, and now I can't use it
          > unless I spend a year learning AS 3 just for this one feature!

          Well, yes and no. You can certainly use this tool for AS3 FLAs that
          don't use any programming. Many (most?) Bone tool scenarios are probably
          aimed at animation, rather than scripted, movies anyway. By way of
          encouragement (I hope!) I don't think it should take you a whole year to
          learn AS3, especially after you check out the articles I referenced.

          Is it different? Yes. No doubt. But it is surmountable. If you
          already have some comfort level with AS2, you can bank on that to have a leg
          up on the update.

          > I don't need anything else in AS 3! It's like forcing us to learn AS 3
          > for just one feature...

          There are other Flash Player 10 features that require AS3 (native 3D
          rotation comes to mind), so you might find more that interests you than just
          the Bone tool. In any case, I hope you stick with it and see if you can
          roll with the changes!


          David Stiller
          Co-author, Foundation Flash CS4 for Designers
          http://tinyurl.com/5j55cv
          "Luck is the residue of good design."


          • 2. Re: No bone tool in AS2??
            matedobray Community Member
            Thanks a lot for your answer, you gave me a lot of good ideas here, I'm not so lost after all :D

            Thanks!
            Mate