Flash Develop 3.1.0 RTM

The  new relase of Flash Develop 3.1.0 RTM is out now it comes as a a major feature  release, with  new things like refactoring and multiproject support,Flash Player 10.1 and Flex 4 support added and Real MXML completion implemented, full list below:

List of Changes

* Real MXML completion implemented
* Flash Player 10.1 and Flex 4 support added
* Initial simple refactoring support added
* Global excluded directories added to Tasks
* Embed generation now added for all filetypes
* Proper file encoding behaviour without BOM added
* HTML ZenCoding implementation added (Control + B)
* Output panel is now searchable (Highlight, F3 and Shift+F3)
* Simple multiproject support with batch compiling added (1*)
* Compiler constants and timestamp added now automaticly
* Code completion is now fed with classes from SDK sources
* Japanese localization added (Settings -> SelectedLocale)
* HaXe on demand completion added (patch from filt3r)
* Additional keyword groups added to the config
* Code completion improvements and bug fixes
* General UI improvements and bug fixes
1*= Right click a project file or project node if you have multiple projects present [sample here]

Important:

* Get the debug Flash Player (You need: Projector and ActiveX)
* Get Adobe Flex SDK. The free Flex SDK (2, 3 or 4) is required for ActionScript 3 development if you don’t use Flash CS*.
* Java 1.6+ is required for the Flex compiler (ActionScript 3).

Download:

Built from rev. 1000 [Updated from 999 to hide the incomplete profiler :]
Download FlashDevelop 3.1.0 RTM

Adobe Flash Builder 4 has been released and with it the Flex 4 framework some of the features listed below:
Powerful coding tools ENHANCED
Develop using a powerful Eclipse™ based IDE that includes editors for MXML, the ActionScript® language, and CSS, as well as syntax coloring, statement completion, code collapse, interactive step-through debugging, and automatic generation of common code.
Rich visual layout ENHANCED
Visually design and preview user interface layout, appearance, and behavior using a rich library of built-in components. Extend the built-in Flex framework components or create new ones as needed. Import functional application UI created using the Adobe Flash Catalyst™ interaction design tool.
Data-centric development NEW
Introspect Java™, PHP, Adobe ColdFusion®, REST, and SOAP services to display methods and properties in the new Data/Service Explorer. Bind methods to UI components using a simple drag-and-drop approach.
Interactive data visualization ENHANCED
Create data dashboards and interactive data analysis by simply dragging and dropping a chart type and linking it to a data source using the Flex Charting library. Use the powerful Advanced Datagrid to enable users to explore complex data.
Skinning and styling ENHANCED
Customize the appearance of an application using CSS and graphical property editors. Quickly set the most commonly used properties and preview the results in Design View. Browse available themes and apply them to your project using the new Theme Browser.
Integration with Adobe Creative Suite design toolsENHANCED
Import design assets created using Adobe Flash Professional, Illustrator®, Photoshop®, or Fireworks® software, or import a complete application user interface created using Flash Catalyst. A new workflow between Flash Professional and Flash Builder facilitates importing and updating custom Flex components.
Native support for Adobe AIR
Create applications for the Adobe AIR® runtime with Flash Builder 4, including all the tools required to build, debug, package, and sign AIR applications. Adobe AIR lets you quickly develop RIAs for the desktop using the same skills and codebase you use to build RIAs for the browser.
Code refactoring ENHANCED
Quickly navigate through code or restructure it by renaming all references to a class, method, or variable. Flash Builder 4 adds move refactoring.
Powerful testing tools ENHANCED (Premium edition only)
Accelerate application performance using memory and performance profilers that monitor and analyze memory consumption and CPU cycles. Support for automated functional testing tools such as HP QuickTest Professional is also available.
Network Monitor NEW (Premium edition only)
Generate a detailed audit trail of all data passed between the local Flex application and the back end, assisting with debugging and performance tuning.
Advanced data services ENHANCED
Use open source BlazeDS to add binary, high-performance, HTTP-based data transport, or add the Adobe LiveCycle® Data Services ES2 module for real-time data push and pub/sub messaging.
Command line build NEW (Premium edition only)
Use the new command line build capability to automate your build process.
Flex unit testing integration NEW (Premium edition only)
Automate functional testing using the Flex unit testing framework.
ASDoc support NEW
Display comments in MXML and ActionScript editors using ASDoc.

More info at :

Adobe’s official Flash Builder 4 Product Page

The Official Flex Team Blog post

Adobe Flash Builder 4  (formely  Flex Builder 4 ) and Adobe Flash Catalyst are out on Adobe Labs going to download and try them out before posting a proper review meanwhile more info on Ryan Stewart’s blog and Andrew Shorten’s Tutorial

Flash Builder 4 delivers a long list of new features, plus improvements to many existing features.There are three main themes to this release: developer productivity, designer-developer workflow, and data-centric application development. For an overview of the features included in this first public beta release, please read Tim Buntel’s What’s New in Flash Builder 4 article and watch the new feature videos. As always, the Flex 4 framework is included within Flash Builder, so please also read Matt Chotin’s What’s New in the Flex 4 SDK article.

Adobe® Flash® Catalyst™ is a new professional interaction design tool for rapidly creating user interfaces without coding.

• Transform artwork created in Adobe Photoshop® and Adobe Illustrator® into functional user interfaces.
• Create interactive prototypes with the ability to leverage them in the final product
• Publish a finished project as a SWF file ready for distribution
• Work more efficiently with developers who use Adobe Flash Builder™ 4 to create rich Internet applications (RIAs). Designers use Flash Catalyst to create the functional user experience then provide the project file to developers who use Flash Builder to add functionality and integrate with servers and services.

Go get Flash Builder 4

Go get Flash Catalyst
Flash Builder 4 Standalone Installer

• Download Flash Builder 4 Installer for Windows (EXE, 285 MB)
• Download Flash Builder 4 Installer for Macintosh (DMG, 277 MB)

Flash Builder 4 Plugin for Eclipse

• Download Flash Builder 4 Plugin for Windows (EXE, 314 MB)
• Download Flash Builder 4 Plugin for Macintosh (DMG, 306 MB)

Flex Component Kit for Adobe Flash Professional CS4

• Download Flex Component Kit for Flash Professional CS4 (ZIP, 224 KB)

Flex 4 Test Automation Plug-in

• Download Flex 4 Test Automation Plug-in (ZIP, 390 KB)
• Download Flex 4 Test Automation Demonstration (ZIP, 7.2 MB)

Flash Catalyst Beta

• Download Flash Catalyst for Windows (EXE, 292 MB)
• Download Flash Catalyst for Macintosh (DMG, 335 MB)

More Adobe Resources:
Learn about Flash Builder 4

• Video: Introducing Flash Builder 4
  Discover new design-centric, data-centric, and developer productivity features in the beta.
• Tutorial: What’s New in Flash Builder 4
  Learn about the three main feature themes in this release.
• Resources: Flex for ColdFusion developers Learning Center
  Explore the new data-centric development features of Flash Builder 4 beta.

Learn about Flex 4 SDK

• Tutorial: What’s New in Flex 4 SDK
  Learn what you’ll find as you explore the Flex 4 SDK beta.
• Tutorial: Differences between Flex 3 SDK and Flex 4 SDK
  Learn about the differences in architecture, components, layouts, use of states, and effects.
• Tutorial: Effects in Adobe Flex 4 SDK ― Part 1: Basic Effects
  See the basic infrastructure of the new effects in this release.

Working with Flash Builder 4

• Video: Developer Productivity in Flash Builder 4
  Presenter: David Zuckerman; Adobe
• Video: Handling Large Recordsets in Flash Builder 4
  Presenter: Tim Buntel; Adobe
• Video: Debug and Test Code in Flash Builder 4
  Presenter: David Zuckerman; Adobe
• Video: Work with Flex 4 SDK in Flash Builder 4
  Presenter: David Zuckerman; Adobe
• Video: PHP Services in Flash Builder 4 (Part 1)
  Presenter: Tom Lane; Adobe
• Video: PHP Services in Flash Builder 4 (Part 2)
  Presenter: Tom Lane; Adobe

Grupo W is looking for ActionScript / Flex Developers if you’re interested don’t hesitate and send your CV here’s the Job info:

Company: Grupo W

Location: Saltillo, Coah. Mexico

Position: Flash ActionScript / Flex developer

Information:

Mandatory technical skills:

• 3+ years experience in ActionScript 2.0 or 3.0 for Flash applications integrated with server-side web applications and CMS
• Papervision knowledge
• Experience implementing OOP concepts with ActionScript
• Experience integrating streaming media
• Building integrated data-driven applications
• Source control

Communication skills:

• Outstanding problem-solving and communication skills
• Available to work in-house during work hours – Monday – Friday
• Team player and leadership skills

Ideal additional skills:

• SWF address
• AIR
• Experience in building social networking and community systems, which include context and video tagging, streaming media and other advanced online communication features

Desired additional skills:

• Experience in PHP/MySQL
• CMS experience

To Apply:

Please send a copy of your CV with portfolio and examples of sites directly to rcalderon@grupow.com

So it finally happened  the IDE(Integrated development environment) known till now as Flex Builder it going to be    renamed as  Flash Builder , why ?  To me it’s easy It makes a lot more sense,  yes you can use the Flex Framework and yes you can use also build AIR apps and ActionScript 3.0 projects but at the end the result  its the same your project gets compiled as an .swf file , so maybe this rename of the IDE should have happened earlier,  it would have evited some confusion. This means that the Flex Framework it’s going to be renamed ? apparently no the flex framework stills and the Flex SDK stills the same but who better to explain it than Lee Brimelow and Duane “Chaos” Nickull check out their posts on the subject.

Hope this is the first step towards the process of integrating  the Flash tools and not just renaming them.  I haven’t used Flash IDE coding panel since who knows when, hope the Flash Builder and the Flash Professional IDES one day get along real well.

UPDATES:

Serge Jespers (Adobe Platform Evangelist ) explains in a little more detail why the renaming of Flex Builder to Flash Builder.

Keith Peters thoughts on Flash Builder

Ryan Stewart post Flex Builder “Gumbo” is Being Renamed Flash Builder

Lee Brimelow’s Flash Builder rebrand FAQ

Peter Elst Flex Builder gets rebranded to Flash Builder

Mihai Corlan (Adobe Platform Evangelist ) About the rebranding of Flex Builder into Flash Builder

Chuck Freedman The FlashFlex name game.

Adobe teams up with Facebook and releases new Adobe Developer Connection (Adobe Flash Platform and Facebook Platform ).
So if You where thinking on how to start developing  Flash Applications for Facebook you will find this site very useful.
It includes various how to start videos , useful information and a brand new ActionScript 3.0 Facebook API:
Get the API

• For the latest ActionScript 3.0 Client Library for Facebook Platform:
  Go to Google code

Get started

• Quick start: Build your first Facebook application with Flex
• Video: Build your first Facebook application (12:08)
• Article: Understand the architecture of Facebook applications

Deliver rich, social experiences on the web

The Adobe Flash Platform and Facebook Platform provide the ideal solution for building rich, social experiences on the web. Flash is available on more than 98% of Internet-connected PCs, so people can immediately access the applications, content, and video that enable social interactions. The Facebook Platform is used by millions of people everyday to connect and share with the people in their lives. Together, both platforms allow you to:

* Share: Create rich interactions for users to share with friends.
* Have fun: Make games social; let users compete against their friends.
* Connect: Let users connect to your RIAs with Facebook Connect.
* Solve problems: Build RIAs that harness the power of community.
* Reach people: Reach millions of Facebook users through social distribution.

The new ActionScript 3.0 Client Library for Facebook Platform API, fully supported by Facebook and Adobe, makes it easy to build applications that combine the strengths of the Flash Platform and Facebook Platform.

Gumbo is the code name of the next version of Adobe Flex and new information about it has been made available on the Gumbo Page of the Flex Open Source site.

Some of the highlights on the next version of Flex include the following:

Themes of the Release

Design in mind
A framework for continuous and easier collaboration between designer and developer.
Developer Productivity
Improve compiler perfomance and add productivity enhancements.
Framework evolution.
Take advantage of the new Flash Player capabilities and add features required by common use-cases.

Ely Greenfield gives us a demo on designer and developer workflow.

And Matt Chotin provides a recorded preso outlining the plans for the next version of the Flex SDK (Gumbo).

Some of the things that Matt says on his preso are quite promising a new namespace added (MXML 2009) to the MXML language to support more toolability and make it easier to describe experience-oriented features such as states and transitions.
A new format that promotes the features available in the Flash Player and is usable by tools to describe various graphic assets, including skins (FXG) this format is already in use by the Fireworks CS4 Beta.
Component and skinning architecture for easy tool participation.
Improved existing experience-oriented features such as states, effects, and layout.
A final release it’s aimed to the second half of 2009.
Bidirectional layouts (mirroring) and text support.
New Video component.

And he also mentions that a new initiative is forming to build a ground-up lightweight/scalable framework for developing at other devices such as mobile phones but it’s a long term aimed to be released at the first half of 2010.

Here’s the link to Mike’s preso

Here’s a link to Gumbo’s White Paper: An Introduction to the Gumbo Component Architecture

Keep an eye on Gumbo’s Downloads page on Adobe’s Open Source site for releases of Gumbos Milestones.