12 Replies Latest reply: Aug 15, 2014 3:10 PM by psurace99 RSS

    Component Inspector removed in Flash CC!!! Any way to get this back?

    StealerOfCandy Community Member

      We have customised components panels that are the backbone of our workflow.

       

      Flash CC has removed the Component Inspector and now displays custom panels in an accordian space inside the Properties panel!!!

       

      NOT COOL!!

       

      The custom panel looses focus on a single keypress.... We have custom XML editor in a custom component panel. So it's basically now useless!

       

      There doesn't seem to be a way to separate the accordian panels within the Properties panel.

       

      Any ideas?

        • 1. Re: Component Inspector removed in Flash CC!!! WTF! Any way to get this back?
          Ned Murphy CommunityMVP

          Submit your request to the Adobe - Wishlist & Bug Report
          -----------------------------

          http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform

          • 2. Re: Component Inspector removed in Flash CC!!! WTF! Any way to get this back?
            Nipun Asthana Employee Hosts

            Hi,

             

            Component Inspector was used to set parameters for custom components with Custom UIs in Flash CS6. The same functionality has now been integrated within the properties panel itself.

            Other than that, Component Inspector was used to set Bindings and Schema as well but it was only supported for AS1 and AS2 documents.

             

            So now we just have to look out at a single place - *Properties Panel* to set parameters for all kinds of components (having either basic parameters or a Custom SWF UIs).

             

            Let us know if there is anything that you find missing with the new design.

             

            Thanks!

            Nipun

            • 3. Re: Component Inspector removed in Flash CC!!! WTF! Any way to get this back?
              StealerOfCandy Community Member

              Yeah.... what's missing is that it loses focus on 1 KEYPRESS!!! That's not a "feature"!

               

              Having a separate panel was useful because it allowed LARGE windows. The properties panel is ok for small parameters..... not good for textfields or large complex displays.

               

              Can you create custom panel windows and redirect there instead?

              • 4. Re: Component Inspector removed in Flash CC!!! WTF! Any way to get this back?
                Nipun Asthana Employee Hosts

                Well, the properties panel being used for component parameters can be debated as a personal preference as 'All in one place' against a Dedicated panel. The properties panel can always be resized as per need and its other sub sections be minimized to maintain focus on what you are currently working on.

                 

                Regarding the focus loss issue, it's probably happening because of the use of MMExecute function in your component workflows(unsupported in Flash CC). In case you are using it, can you please modify your component to use the ExternalInterface workflow as the mode of communication between your component and your SWF UI. I' tried out with several components following the below workflow and there doesn't look like any focus issue or any other break.

                 

                Please refer to the below link for any help regarding the same.

                http://jeffkamerer.com/blog/2009/04/03/custom-component-ui-with-actionscript-30/

                • 5. Re: Component Inspector removed in Flash CC!!! WTF! Any way to get this back?
                  maskedbacon

                  The fact that Flash CC no longer works with components like DoubleClick is ridiculous. The components window within properties doesn't even display the right content from DC components, so developers like myself are forced to revert back to CS6. I'm not sure if the Flash team is suicidal or not, but ads are basically the last place Flash is used these days. One would think Adobe would make the effort to support and work closely with its most important vendors, collaborators, etc.

                   

                  In terms of UI, forcing users to use an all-in-one is a big no-no. A consolidated panel is nice and handy in certain circumstances but every sub-panel should be able to break out so users can customize their workspaces. On smaller monitors, the properties panel becomes scrollbars within scrollbars within collapsing regions (which is both crazy and annoying).

                   

                  Please listen to your customers, Adobe!

                  • 6. Re: Component Inspector removed in Flash CC!!! WTF! Any way to get this back?
                    Hechicero

                    Nipun, I don't think that it is a MMExecute problem : in the example link you give, the ExternalInterface is called by the click event of an update button, not after a keypress/change in a textfield... I've tested both methods, calling the ExternalInterface/MMExecute via the change event of a textfield : focus is lost in all cases (but not fire any blur event, keep the focus skin,etc)...

                    Also I have problems with the stage resize  event of my custom panel, it does'nt seems to work in the new "all-in-one" property panel... 

                    • 7. Re: Component Inspector removed in Flash CC!!! WTF! Any way to get this back?
                      Nipun Asthana Employee Hosts

                      Can you share your test file/components along with repro steps to illustrate the problem you mention. It'll be really helpful!

                      We fixed a bug related to focus in text fields within components, and if you find any more related issues please help us identify and fix them ASAP.

                       

                      Also, please share your concerns regarding the use of Properties Panel for displaying component parameters at the below link so that it gets highlighted.

                       

                      http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform

                       

                      Thanks!

                      Nipun

                      • 8. Re: Component Inspector removed in Flash CC!!! WTF! Any way to get this back?
                        Nipun Asthana Employee Hosts

                        Can any one of you please share a Component-test file to help replicate the focus issue urgently. We're doing a related fix and want to make sure that this issue is also addressed.

                         

                        Many thanks!

                        Nipun

                        • 9. Re: Component Inspector removed in Flash CC!!! WTF! Any way to get this back?
                          maskedbacon Community Member

                          Hi Nipun,

                           

                          My issues are very much UX-related as opposed to bugs, so I'm not sure if that's what you're asking for right now.

                           

                          To see how the double-click components have issues performing in the all-in-one panel, download them from http://dl.google.com/dl/studio/components/flash/DclkStudioComponents_en_2_4_1.mxp

                           

                          By default, it seems as though the component parameters panel displays DC content in "show all" mode. Use the loader component, for example, and you'll see only one option available (a check box for stop timeline). If you right click and select 100%, the other options show up. I didn't realize this, but there was a scroll-bar that was almost completely off-screen in the component parameters panel so the other options were hidden.

                           

                          I would really urge you guys to consider making two changes to how the all-in-one panels work. The properties panel is a huge problem with smaller screens but there are simple solutions.

                           

                          1) All panels should be able to 'break out' of the properties bar and independently resized. I imagine the simplest way of doing this would either be a 'new panel' button like in the library or dragging out of properties should clone the panel and collapse the all-in-one version so it no longer takes up screen real-estate. That would make the all-in-one panel even more intuitive and welcomed since there'd be a simple way to find, access, and manipulate panels you need on a regular basis.

                           

                          2) Scroll-wheel / touchpad scrolling needs to stop changing values without a click in properties panels. There is no other software that does this (it is unexpected behavior), and it causes absolute chaos since the properties panel forces you to scroll all the time (again, especially on smaller screens). Once you click on a value, it makes sense that scrolling up and down will increase/decrease the value, but without that click it is just crazy.

                           

                          I appreciate your responsiveness and willingness to address our feedback, and I hope this was helpful.

                           

                          Thanks,

                          David

                          • 10. Re: Component Inspector removed in Flash CC!!! WTF! Any way to get this back?
                            Nipun Asthana Employee Hosts

                            Hi All,

                             

                            Thanks for all your inputs.

                            Most of the issues seen while using old components in Flash CC were due to presence of MMExecute calls in their Custom SWF UIs. Since this was disabled in Flash CC, runtime errors were causing unexpected behaviors like auto reload/collapse or property values getting lost etc.

                             

                            As requested by a lot of users, we're enabling MMexecute functionality once again through Custom Component UIs, for executing JSFL commands and interacting with the Flash IDE. We have also fixed all the focus related issues with textfields reported so far. (Including Hechicero and StealerOfCandy's issues mentioned above)

                            All of these changes will be available as part of the upcoming Flash CC update very shortly!

                             

                            Please note, however, certain things are different in Flash CC from CS6 and remain to be unsupported, such as - AS2 components or any AS2 code used within Custom UI swf, use of xch variable and using mmexecute to set the inspectable properties directly (ExternalInterface should be used instead). Due to this, old components that are incompatible in Flash CC must be updated taking care of these differences. (DoubleClick component shared above is also very old and incompatible and needs to be updated for Flash CC.)

                             

                                 "Also I have problems with the stage resize  event of my custom panel, it does'nt seems to work in the new "all-in-one" property panel... "

                             

                            We've verified Custom UIs with default size, static as well as resizing with different scale-modes and they all appear fine within the Properties Panel now. You also have options to Show All, view 100% or zoom using the context menu on right click. If you find it incorrect in some particular case, please share your test file/code.

                             

                            maskedbacon,

                            Appreciate your suggestions in terms of usability especially with the small screens. We couldn't take this up for now but its really advisable to report your concerns using the wish form so that they get voted up/prioritized appropriately.

                             

                            Thanks!

                            Nipun

                            • 11. Re: Component Inspector removed in Flash CC!!! WTF! Any way to get this back?
                              pwwo

                              Hi, thank you for listening to the community and responding.

                               

                              Where can we find information on using ExternalInterface (instead of MMExecute as you mention) for communication with Custom Component UIs? I'm not able to find the documentation on the updated work-flow for creating Custom Component UIs in Flash CC.

                              • 12. Re: Component Inspector removed in Flash CC!!! WTF! Any way to get this back?
                                psurace99 Community Member

                                Has any of this stuff ever been figured out?

                                 

                                I am presently using the Double Click component to build in Flash CS6.  Unfortunately for me a lot of the people I work with require me to stay "back" a version or 2.

                                 

                                I posted in the wrong place before but I am having HUGE HUGE problems and I don't know who is is, Adobe, or Double Click that's causing them.  I have installed on my computer Flash CS6 and Flash CC 2014.  I noticed things like my "Exit Name" in my "newly horrible component inspector thing that I can't move or re-size" don't populate if I open a file that WAS populated in CS6.

                                 

                                Here was my post earlier in the wrong forum because I am frantically trying to fix this, it's SO inefficient I can't even explain.  Caps for me isn't yelling, it's just emphasis :-)

                                 

                                "Hi there everyone,

                                 

                                I'm having a problem I hope we can get to the bottom of as I am an independent professional working with Flash to make advertisements.

                                 

                                My timelines are always very tight but something new has been happening and it's happened with After Effects as well, and quite frankly this NEEDS TO STOP RIGHT NOW.  There is no time to always remake a file because it won't open.

                                 

                                My business is based on replicating files after one is created however since installing CC (which is now CC 2014) my Adobe programs have been giving me hell.  At random certain files are corrupted and are not letting me back into them.  This has happened both in Flash and After Effects, I am here about Flash today.

                                 

                                There is no error code and there is no more information other than "An error occurred opening "file path".

                                 

                                This as I said has ONLY STARTED SINCE I'VE INSTALLED CC and BEYOND.  IT HAS TO STOP AND I NEED A SOLUTION PLEASE.  I've rebuilt files over and over assuming it was me and my fault, but once After Effects started doing it to me I realized it's ADOBE and not me or my setup.

                                 

                                Obviously there is no way to troubleshoot an error of this kind as there isn't a code or anything.  I've first assumed it was a component I had in Flash, it's not because as I said After Effects is doing it to me also.  Also that component is essential to doing my work and cannot be removed, alternately I've used this component PLENTY before CC came out, this never happened once.  Second I assumed my HD was failing, it's not plenty of other work all over the HD doesn't do this in other applications (including and ESPECIALLY  NON ADOBE applications).  I am at a total loss.

                                 

                                I am also however a BIG proponent of the CC concept, but it's starting to appear to me that something different must be happening in this deployment of software because as a user of Adoobe Photoshop since version 3 and Flash since it was "MACROMEDIA" FLASH 3...this has never happened before, even as a CS6 user it never happened until I installed CC, and I don't USE Flash CC because my clients need CS6.  This issue also has never happened regardless of OS either Mac or PC.

                                 

                                What did you do differently Adobe, why do my files just die?  Does anyone else have this problem?

                                 

                                Please Please Please help, I cannot keep rebuilding files that die on me, when you're replicating you do "Save As" a lot, and if my "master" dies then there is no save as it's "start over".  I've done this 6-8 times already, I need a resolution.

                                 

                                Windows 7 Ultimate

                                Dual Xeon 8 Core

                                40 GB Ram

                                512 SSD

                                 

                                ...more than enough for a program like Flash.

                                 

                                -Patrick"

                                 

                                If anyone can help me that would be FANTASTIC, I'm getting nervous about this one.

                                 

                                -Patrick