flash & flash builder, general questions

[VooDoo_Chicken]

Hi, some background: I have Flash cs3 and Flash cs5.5. I have not yet installed 5.5, as my hard drive is nearly full and I would need to install it in different hardware, and cs3 already fits my current needs. I also own a recent copy of Flash Builder (given for free as an upgrade to the one included in 5.5), even if I have not installed it yet.

I intend to make mobile apps using actionscript3, based on previous developments I already have

1. To make native apps for mobile devices, do I need Flash Builder or can I release Flash native apps directly from Flash 5.5?

2. To make native apps written in actionscript using Flash Builder, can I just install Flash Builder or do I have to install Flex and addictional packages than just opening Flash Builder and tell it yes, yes, next, next,

3. can I acces the gyro sensor of mobile devices from actionscript?

4. from the simple path of just using old flash files made in cs3 or previous versions (even using actionscript 1 or 2) and opening these in Flash builder, and telling it to release for android or ios, which additional steps are required?

So far my plan is to keep doing things in cs3, and buy an additional copy of Flash Builder standard (just the Flash Builder, nothing else) to install in another device, make everything in Flash cs3, and once they are ready for deployment, load them in Flash builder and tell it to release as native apps for android and ios. I intend to buy another copy of FBuilder, since to install the one I already own I probably would have to install the whole studio, and I want as less hastle as posible right now

tnx

[Jbarrett]

I am new to flash builder, and not much of a flash programmer (primarly web and desktop development) however I don't think it works quite like your envisioning.  Flash builder is not flash, The similarities are in its use of action script and adobe air.  You can't take a flash application and simply load it into flash builder to turn it into a mobile app. 

[Aaron Beall]

1. Flash Pro CS5.5 can create mobile apps.

2. You can use Flash Builder to write AS3 without using Flex. You can also use Flash Builder to write your AS3 for a Flash Pro project, giving you best of both worlds. This is what I do.

3. It's not built in to the AS3 API, but you can do most anything with AS3 "native extensions": http://www.adobe.com/devnet/air/native-extensions-for-air/extensions/gyroscope.html

4. Unfortunately it's not going to be that simple. Flash Builder cannot open FLA files, and AIR (which is how mobile apps are compiled) requires AS3, not AS1 or AS2.

So I think your simplest route to update your CS3 FLA projects to be mobile apps would mean you need to use Flash Pro CS5.5. You won't need Flash Builder.

Hope that helps.

-Aaron

http://abeall.com

[VooDoo_Chicken]

tnx Aaron, that was really helpul, maybe you can answer me two more questions. As I said before, I already have cs5.5, though I have not installed it yet so I don't know the details of it.

1. can the Flash cs5.5 export native apps just like the Flash builder, or is there any difference between those made with Flash builder and Flash pro?

2. You said Flash Builder can not open Fla files, so how can I start making something in flash and finish it in flash builder, is it possible? if for example, flash builder can only open .as files (or text files writen for actionscript) but all sprites are in a flash file, can i make a workflow between both utilities, if neither flash builder can open flash files, and flash can not understand extensions (I believe there is no way to compile in flash pro using the gyro extension, since it is not intended for flash pro)?

tnx again

[Aaron Beall]

1 - Yes Flash Pro exports apps just like Flash Builder. The only significant difference is that Flash Builder apps are often built using the Flex framework, which itself has nothing to do with AIR apps.

2 - If your project depends on FLA source files then you won't really be able to use Flash Builder to compile it. However, if you can compile your FLA into SWF or SWC assets you can then use those compiled assets in a Flash Builder. Also, you can use Native Extensions in Flash Pro, too. Even though some developers forget about Flash Pro, you can do almost everything with Flash Pro that you can do with Flash Builder. http://www.adobe.com/devnet/air/articles/using-ane-in-flash.html

Cheers.

-Aaron

http://abeall.com

[VooDoo_Chicken]

tnx Aaron, that was really helpful. What I get from your answer is that a swf would be like a dll for a project made in flash builder, so I can make some parts in Flash and then 'build them' or link them (so that's where the name came from..) in Flash Builder.. but as you say, I can do everything in Flash (or everything that matters to me).

So the new plan is, make things in Flash (the one I have already installed), install Flash cloud in some spare equipment so I can export to mobile and keep the 5.5 to install full when I upgrade hardware

once again, tnx

[moccamaximum]

A little late to the party, but I only wanted to add, that flash cs 5.5 is not out-of-the-box ready for handling the newest air versions (which you definitively want to utilize for mobile development)

The process to get cs 5.5 to work with air 3.5+ can be painful:

http://www.yeahbutisitflash.com/?p=2949