Swapping Between FP 10 and 10.1 playerglobal.swc in Flash CS5 – Publish Settings

If you want to swap between targeting Flash Player 10.1 and 10 (because the two are pretty different) in Flash CS5 its actually a little easier than I first thought.

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Why You Can’t Use Test Movie in Flash IDE for FP 10.1

First of all, if you have not gotten ready for Flash Player 10.1 by integrating the playerglobal.swc into either Flash CS4 or CS5 you can read up on how to do that here.

Now, after many questions, I thought I would dive into why using Test Movie (cmd(cntrl)+enter) from Flash CS4 always gives “ReferenceError: Error #1065″ when trying to use a 10.1 specific function. This happens even after updating the Stand Alone players.

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AIR, Flash and Android: The Freedom of Choice. Reclaimed.

The Freedom of Choice. Reclaimed.

There’s more than one smart phone on the market. And these others will soon bring the full internet to your hand. Why wait to get a device that only shows a portion of the web? Why not go get one that will let you browse the entire web?

Flash Showcase: Build Your Own

Like the Flash Showcase Page? Have some examples you would like to add? Why not post a version of your own?

Download the source files.

Directions: (more…)

A Response: The Flash Platform

I decided to make a response to a recent set of “demos” of HTML5 but for The Flash Platform.

You can check it out here.

I do what I want to do.

“There is one thing for certain: I do what I want to do.

If I was truly interested in creating iPhone/iPad applications (under my own name and on my own time) then I would go learn Objective-C or whatever.

But I’m not, so I won’t.

I want to work with the Flash Platform and all the cool things I can do with it.

Why? Because I have fun with it. Flash is an enjoyable challenge with twists and turns and excitement around every corner, like the best action/drama/comedy/romance movies all playing back to back.

Right now, I am just waiting for the devices and platforms that will accept Flash and be much more fun for me to play with.”

(This is an excerpt from a much longer post I decided not to publish.)

Flash to iPhone Packager: Fears in a Conversation.

Matt LeGrand (@multitouchup) has a list of fears regarding his nightmares about the Flash to iPhone packager. In response, here is some of mine, all wrapped up in a hypothetical conversation between a client and creative.

Telephone: Ring Ring (Or some annoying ring-tone of of Usher’s Yeah) (more…)

AIR on Mobile Devices

Adobe is pushing mobile devices in great new directions. First announced was Flash Player 10.1 concept on devices, then the iPhone packager with the upcoming CS5. But today, Adobe goes one step further with building AIR for Android devices (and quite probably more).

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Thoughts – Flash Player 10.1 on Mobile Devices – The Reality

**Beware: The following blog post is basically just rambling thoughts.**

Like a lot of people I’ve been pretty excited about Flash Player 10.1 on hand held and touch devices. The fact that I could use the same websites and play the same games on a mobile device that I can on my laptop sounds just plain awesome.

But there’s a dark reality that most people haven’t quite thought about (well maybe they have but I haven’t found it to read yet), and something I just keep forgetting.

Garth Braithwaite (@GarthDB) reminded me of this fact during a conversation on twitter. He said, “Flash 10.1 is not going to be develop once/deploy everywhere like people expect.” We were speaking in terms of video on mobile devices and how well it may or may not perform.

This statement sort of kicked me in the side of the head and got my brain running about possible issues of interactive sites that may run on mobile devices in the future. (more…)

Accessing Flash Player 10.1 from Flash CS4/5

Update 06/30/10: Some links have been updated and some changes have been made to the installation steps. The same installation work for CS5 as well. Just replace CS4 with CS5 and you’re good.

Flash Player 10.1 beta has been out for a little while, but Adobe doesn’t have any information on how to use the API in Flash CS4. They have instructions for Flash/Flex Builder. In fact, even Lee Brimelow had to ask how to use it from the Flash CS4 IDE. So here is how to get it running.

1. Be sure to fully quit out of Flash.

2. Download and install the player plugin for browsers. Also download the StandAlone players and place them here:
Mac: /Applications/Adobe Flash CS4/Players
PC: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Flash CS4\Players

3. Scroll to the bottom of the download page, you will need to also download and unzip the Player Global SWC.
**The Player Global SWC is no longer available as a direct download (although it should be). You will need to download the Flex 4.1 SDK. Once you do, unzip the package and browse to: flex_sdk_4.1/frameworks/libs/player/10.1/. Copy the playerglobal.swc.

4. Back up the FP 10 playerglobal.swc and replace it with the new 10.1 version.
You can find it here on Mac: /Applications/Adobe Flash CS4/Common/Configuration/ActionScript 3.0/FP10
And here on PC: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Flash CS4\Common\Configuration\ActionScript 3.0\FP10

Now let’s make sure it works.

1. Start Flash CS4 and create a new AS3 .fla.

2. Create 2 new Dynamic text fields, and give them instance names of text1 and text2.

3. We need some code. A topic of discussion lately has been Multitouch, and since the multitouch API is FP 10.1 specific, let’s use that. Open the Actions panel (opt+)F9 and copy/paste the following code:

**Previously I had extraneous code. It has now been removed.

Test Movie will throw errors because CS4 doesn’t have a standalone version of FP 10.1 (there isn’t one publicly available yet), well, because the IDE has issues. But you installed FP 10.1 earlier can use Debug Movie (cmd(cntrl)+shift+enter) to test. Or you can Publish and Run (cmd/cntrl+F12) in the Browser. Text1 and 2 should report back if GestureEvents and TouchEvents work on your computer.

Check Christian Cantrell‘s Adobe Dev Center post about Multitouch if you are unsure if your system supports it.

Have Fun!