Flex/Flash Builder development vs others?

[pctechtv]

Does Flex/Flash Builder development application build have an advantage over others? The little bit I have picked up seems to show that it can create a Android IOS and Blackberry app all in one project (of course build specific have to be dealt with). I have not seen any up to date ways of learning Flex via Flash Builder 4.7. Everything I am finding seems to be 3 to 4 years old. I am still working with the material but can tell it is somewhat outdated. Understanding what it does it seems like a good platform to learn but I wonder why the lack of attention to the learning base?

[rewb0rn]

Flex is stable, but did not receive any feature updates in the recent past so there is no need for new documentation. Also the buzz is mobile right now and Flex performs pretty slow on mobile devices, therefore it is not as much in the focus anymore.

According to Chris Campbell, Flash Builder is unlikely to see new features added in the near future as other development tools are more popular and Adobe has no interest to develop products that are only used by a fraction of the community. Popular alternatives are FlashDevelop and Idea IntelliJ.

[pctechtv]

Thanks I am lost right now because we need to build an application that can take in a users microphone input, than store it to a database like PHP. I was thinking that Flash was a good idea for this (knowing it would leave out the iPad option). Some one told me we cant leave out the iPad/iPhone option because a lot of user would try/prefer to access it this way. Some suggested that if the application was built in Flex via Flash Builder that it could do both? I can't find enough information on this being the case. I will take a look at FlashDevelope and Idea IntelliJ.

Do you know if Flash and this Actionscript AIR type development can make an application cross platform/device? Thanks so much for the help.

[rewb0rn]

Hi, I never worked with audio from a microphone, but Flash and Air definitely are capable of that. To answer your question: Flash will work in the browser on desktop computers but not on mobile devices like iPhone or Android. You can use Air to package an application for iOS and Android that can then be uploaded to the Appstore and Google Play so that your users can download the app on mobile devices instead of using the browser. Generally, the code that you create works across platforms, so you can program once and deploy twice using Flash and Air.

[pctechtv]

Thank you, your replies are very helpful. Are the capabilities (in our case microphone recording) that you put Flash based application guaranteed to be accessible by the AIR/iOS/Android application? If so than that is what I am looking for. Thanks

[rewb0rn · Accepted solution]

Yes, everything you do in Flash can be done in Air, most of the time with 100% the same code. I would recommend you to download FlashDevelop (its free, Windows only) and play around with some microphone examples. After that, create a new Project for mobile with the FlashDevelop templates and reuse your code for mobile and compare results.

It's really easy once you understood the basic structure of projects and Air vs Flash. I think the setup is a bit hard to understand if you are new to this, but after a while it will be piece of cake.

[pctechtv]

Thank you, I just did it days ago after finding Flash Builder to be very clunky and over kill. I had looked at if years ago when I was doing more with flash. Flash Develop looks even better now! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer some of my questions. I fell like I have some good info to start mapping out a project before I complete the application I want to build. One of the last things I am researching is what good is Flex, why would I put my Actionscript in the Flex framework instead of just plain Actionscript classes? Thanks

[Colin Holgate]

Flex comes into its own when doing MMXL, where you're using markup language to layout interface components. If you're doing a utility app, that could save you quite a bit of time. If you're doing something more like a game, or graphical scenes rather than entry forms, then Flex might not be of much use.

On the general topic of using powerful editors, you can choose to do everything inside Flash Pro, but still use Flash Builder as the script editor, though right now I can't remember where to set that! If you do investigate Flash Develop, you can create a Flash IDE project, and then Flash Develop will get Flash Pro to do the compiling. It's talked about on this page:

http://code.tutsplus.com/articles/beginners-guide-to-flashdevelop-basix--active-7168

For me though, I like the way I can work just inside Flash Pro. I'm seeing the graphics and the code at the same time, and a lot of what I do involves a combination of how the two work together. I know that I'm missing out on some of the powerful editor features, but Flash Pro has improved over time, and I'm on the Flash Pro pre-release, and can continue to plead with the Flash team to improve it some more!

[pctechtv]

Thank you, that is also extremely helpful. I had seen some stuff and the article you suggest showing the workflow between Flash Pro and Flash Develop. I am going to incorporate this in to my Flash amounts the project I am getting ready for. Flash and Actionscript are so underrated. I am glad to learn more for you generous and knowledgeable Adobe members like you and poltergeist_. Does MXML have something to do with making easy HTML pages from you code? Is it possible to use MXML Flash Pro CC and Flash Develop on a project (where Flash CC will let you use timeline elements)? Does it give and advantages when working with server side code like PHP?

[Colin Holgate]

No connection between MMXL and how you would do HTML.

Your Flash Pro file would have the Flex libraries added to its Actionscribpt settings. Not sure if Flash Develop helps with that.

I don't think there are any advantages when it comes to server side access.

But, let's see what the others say. I've only dabbled with Flex, and haven't needed to use it in the 15 years I've used Flash Pro.

[rewb0rn]

In my humble oppinion, I would not attach FlashDevelop to Flash CC and instead use FlashDevelop standalone and only use Flash CC when needed to design or restructure assets. Most of the time you will not need Flash CC and FlashDevelop is very lightweight and fast without it.

[Colin Holgate]

I think what you say certainly would be true for pure UI apps. For graphic rich, or heavy character animations apps, Flash Pro could still be useful.

[rewb0rn]

There are probably good reasons for either approach, but it also overcomplicates the setup for someone who just started looking into Flash/Air, so I would not do it for now.

[Lars Laborious]

In my work, I've introduced both Flash pro and Flash builder to newcomers, and I get the impression that the strictly programmer types prefer the flex framework, while the more creative half-and-half designer/programmer types prefer working with Flash Pro (like myself ). 

[pctechtv]

Thanks, do find that you don't miss out on anything that Flex can offer you? I am still trying to figure out what Flex would offer some one. I know me poltergeist_ discussed the code once and distribute to many platforms, but it seems like Flash CC can do this as well. Thanks a lot for you input.

[Lars Laborious]

I mostly make games, so just like Colin Holgate I too like seeing the graphics and the code at the same time inside flash. I also create all the graphics there. But as mentioned flex would probably save you some time when making utility apps.

[rewb0rn]

You got me wrong. Distributing code to all platforms is not a specific Flex feature. This can be done with all ActionScript projects. The opposite is true: While Flex can be used on all platforms, it is actually performing quite slow on mobile devices.

[pctechtv]

poltergeist_ wrote:

Also the buzz is mobile right now and Flex performs pretty slow on mobile devices, therefore it is not as much in the focus anymore.

Hi I appreciate this comment a lot, do you have any links or content to site for this knowledge, or is it just you inside scoop on the development you do that got the info (you said buzz)? This is great to hear from experience like yours, because it is the type of info companies (because of there interest in selling product) can leave out. Thanks so much.

[rewb0rn]

Well it's written on the walls for years. I remember some market statistics and blog posts a couple of years ago, but I am not reading blogs these days. You should find something on Google and gamasutra might have some articles on the topic as well. It is a well known fact in the industry however and I believe you should find some hard facts supporting the statement if you search for them. In any case it does not mean that it doesn't make sense to develop for web, but there has been a huge shift from web to mobile a while ago. Zynga and Wooga are only 2 examples that cross my mind right now.

[pctechtv]

You have been such a big help in trying to understand this stuff. I have decided to go ahead and learn about it and develop with it. I started making progress when I stopped using Flash Builder 4.7 and down-graded to 4.6 also using Flash Develop some. This makes it easy to follow material that is written before new changes (design view etc.). Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. It has made, and will make the journey easier. I will do my research as I learn, build, and create. Thanks!!!!!