Category: Tools of the trade

Categories
AS3 Flash Open source / Freeware Tools of the trade

FlashDevelop 3.0.0 released

My favorite open source project ever, FlashDevelop has released: FlashDevelop 3.0.0 RTM (English, 4MB) .

I started with coding in the Flash IDE, when I realized that there are better programs to code in I started working with SE|PY (ActionScript 2 only). I really loved that program, but it never made it to ActionScript 3 and so I tried FlashDevelop. I have never regretted it, it a beautiful piece of work and I can’t work without it.
So if your pockets aren’t deep, and want to become a better AS2/AS3 programmer. you should try this program.

The only sad thing is that it’s Windows only.

Categories
AS3 Open source / Freeware Tools of the trade

TextMate AS3

I’ve been using a code-editor for years now. I started with SEPY and now I’m using FlashDevelop. Both on Windows.
A colleague of mine still uses the Flash IDE (on a mac), so I decide to help him with his transition.

Sadly there is no free editor for the OSX that handles AS2/AS3, but TextMate is not very expensive and very lightweight. So I decide that TextMate would be the programme that would get him out of Flash IDE editor.

With a little help of Google (I haven’t used a mac for about 7 years) I found some help/instructions that are easy to follow. Sadly it didn’t work while I followed the instruction to the letter.

While you start reading the post below, start downloading Flex 3.2 SDK, it’s 118Mb but you’ll need it later on so why not start downloading it now.

Start reading here: textmate actionscript 3 and flex bundles, it’s about the files you will use. But besides being informative, I needed more help.
I found that here: setting up a as3 project in textmate, the same steps will be followed here

  1. Download Textmate (duh), if you want to test this, use the trail version.
  2. Download Flex 3.2 SDK and extract it into your Developer/SDKs folder (but there are more places where you can extract it: just read this, for example /Applications/Flex and /Developer/Applications/Flex is also allowed)
  3. Subversion: follow the instructions from the tutorial: its very easy (read also the note at the bottom of the post)
  4. ActionScript 3 bundle from subversion: I can repeat myself: follow the instructions (to get the Terminal: Apple + space and type Terminal and get it from the list)
  5. This you don’t have to do: in the new Flex 3.2 SDK it’s already included
  6. I didn’t install this either and it worked just fine
  7. It seems that this is not necesarry anymore (perhaps there was an update of the AS3 bundle…). But if you need it: Follow the instructions, but for the TM_FLEX_FILE_SPECS src/Main.as and TM_FLEX_OUTPUT deploy/Main.swf I needed some help because what ever I did, I couldn’t get the described window.
    I found my answer in this:

    Thats a little hidden. With nothing selected in the project drawer, click on the little i at the bottom. Youll get a box to enter any variables you want for the project.

    source

    And this one was very frustrating: TM_FLEX_PATH Developer/SDKs/Your Flex SDK Folder: this one needed an extra slash TM_FLEX_PATH /Developer/SDKs/Your Flex SDK Folder and in my case it was TM_FLEX_PATH /Developer/SDKs/flex_sdk_3

    Note: Some of this is not necessary when you create a project instead of separate files: File >> New From Templates >> Actionscript 3 >> Project. Just check TM_FLEX_PATH if you installed flex in file that standard is read by Textmate. If not you need to fill it as described above (I needed to do that)

  8. The same as in the tutorial
  9. The same as in the tutorial
If you extract the Flex SDK, you will get a folder named “flex_sdk_3” and the very observant reader will notice that the script used here doesn’t include the path “Developer/SDKs/flex_sdk_3“, so that is the reason you need to add it to the “shell variables” (number 7). You can also rename the folder to “flex_sdk_3.2.0” and then I don’t think you need to add it to the shell variables, but I haven’t tested it!

Some extra information: svn is something that not everybody will use. So if you have no idea what it is, the bundle can also be installed without subversion. But the cool thing about subversion stuff is that it’s always up to date… (And I can’t help you with how you should fix it without svn)

Every blog mentions the price of Textmate: “single user license (39 ? $53)”. That’s not expensive; unless you live in the Netherlands: “single user license (48.75)” because we need to pay “Prices above include 25% VAT.” 🙁

Links in this tutorial:
textmate actionscript 3 and flex bundles
Flex 3.2 SDK
installing as3 and flex bundle for textmate.
flex and actionscript 3 with textmate and fcsh

Categories
AS3 Flash Open source / Freeware Tools of the trade

FlashDevelop 3.0.0 RC2 released

I said it before: I don’t like to regurgitate, but program is so good that I can’t help myself….

As we are now approaching the final release of FlashDevelop 3, this release is the last feature release.

FlashDevelop.org – View topic – FlashDevelop 3.0.0 RC2 released.

FlashDevelop is awesome! If you never used it, give it a try. And don’t be afraid that it’s not a final version: I’ve been using release 3.0.0 from the early beta, and never run into major bugs.

FlashDevelop documentation

Categories
Animation Flash Open source / Freeware Tools of the trade

Convert SWF to AVI – part2

How to convert a SWF to an AVI (without spending any cash)? I have written about this question before [Covert SWF to AVI (SWF2AVI or SWFtoAVI)] and my answer was back then: swf2avi, a freeware project by Mario Pizzinini.
SWF2AVI is not an active project (last update from 2002-08-27), but does the job very well.
I’ve used it a couple of times, and when you know who this program works, you get the result you need.

Back then I didn’t have an alternative, but I do now!

And the alternative, in my opinion, is better and more user friendly: http://www.avi-swf-convert.com/
swf avi convert screenshot

SWF>>AVI

is a more recent project (the last update is from 2005-07-20), and does the same thing as swf2avi but has some extra very handy features:

  • Drag and drop files in the converter
  • Play the file in a small popup
  • Select an output folder
  • Set output frame rate
  • Batch Convert: convert more then one SWF to AVI
  • Profiles: you can create custom conversion profiles whereto the SWF can be exported (captures size, output size, frame rate and rotation)

But it doesn’t convert sound and interactive animations may not be properly converted

It’s an freeware program, which does what it says: it converts SWF to (uncompressed) AVI. So if you need a compressed version of your animation you need another program to do that (something to write about in another post). SWF>>AVI is a Windows program which needs Microsoft .Net Framework (it will be automatically downloaded and installed if required).

The same rules (code) apply to SWF>>AVI as it did with SWF2AVI
It’s smart to use frame based animation, although it seems that SWF>>AVI is faster in grabbing the images, so timebased animation is can be an option if you don’t care for an exact export.
Otherwise use the code posted here for you convenience:

Continue reading “Convert SWF to AVI – part2”
Categories
Firefox extensions Flash Tools of the trade

Flash tools of the trade: flash-plugin switcher

Very recently I wrote about a Firefox extension: the FlashTracer written by Alessandro Crugnola. This extension will only make the hearts of Flash developers go faster, which it did in my case: I love this plugin! And although this is a relative new Firefox extension, it already helped me debug a application that I build.

Alessandro Crugnola is also the guy that gave us SE|PY (this is the editor I use for Flash programming)

Screenshot of Flash Switcher extension for FirefoxAlessandro created another Firefox extension: Flash Switcher extension for Firefox


Flash Switcher extension for FirefoxFlash Switcher – This extension comes with all the currently published flash player plugins (from the version 2 to the most recent 9,0,16) and allows you to easily switch from one plugin to another, or also to remove the currently installed plugin (maybe for testing the express install).

I used to use KewBee Plugin Switcher. Which is now for free, but if I remember correctly will be a commercial program. The big plus of that program is that it also works for IE, but who cares…. (and windows doesn’t like that you install / uninstall something without their knowledge, so it creates lot of ERRORS).

Categories
Firefox extensions Flash Tools of the trade

Flash tools of the trade: debug

I try not to regurgitate info from other blogs…
But I have to talk about a entry from Alessandro: because it makes me “extremely” happy.

The creator of SE|PY: Alessandro Crugnola has created his first firefox extension. Good for him, but what it´s to me?

FlashTracerWell… it’s one of the first tools that makes it possible to trace / debug in Firefox.
While running any .SWF Flash file in your browser you can see all the output generated by the “trace” flash functions in this sidebar component. This is very useful especially working with server side technology.
You can debug without anyone knowing this, even with on a live site: only people that have this extension installed will know this.

You just need to install the debug version of the flashplayer and the Firefox extension and you’re ready to go!

It made me painfully aware that we Flash-developers leave a lot of “traces” behind in the .SWF’s.
But this can be fixed: just check ‘Omit trace actions’ in the publish settings.

FlashTracerFlashTracer – While running any .swf Flash file in your browser you can see all the output generated by the “trace” flash functions in this sidebar component.
You *NEED* the flash player debug version to run this extension correctly: flashplayer_9_plugin_debug

Update #1: A colleague found a “funny” trace at youtube: it has something to do with the play button not wanting to appear….