What tools do I need to develop in ActionScript (in Linux) - linux

I've never developed Flash before but I have a project where I want to use an ActionScript 3 library and I'm not sure what tools I need to start. To further complicate things my main development box is an Ubuntu box. Are there any necessary packages I need to install? Or any .deb's I can buy?

A Windows or Mac box. :-)
just kidding, actually you can use the Flex 3 SDK mentioned above and compile using the CLI. If these AS3 Libraries are indeed Flex libraries (sometimes there are discrepancies between what works in Flex, what works in CS3, and what works in both) then you should be able to import them and use them.
Also, I've never tried it myself, but Flex Builder is based on Eclipse and I believe there's a way to configure Eclipse to compile with the opensource Flex compile if you'd rather work in a graphical IDE.

I have written a blog entry on how to setup Eclipse + AXDT + Flex SDK to prepare your mxml/actionscript (as3) development environment on Linux. If you are interested, you can have a look here:
http://netpatia.blogspot.com/2009/09/flash-development-on-linux.html

It looks like the Flex 3 sdk (http://www.adobe.com/products/flex/flexdownloads/index.html) is a good place to start. Any other suggestions?

I've had very good experiences with Sprouts. It is a ruby wrapper for the Flex SDK that allows building with Rake and easily hooks into continuous integration engines.
http://www.projectsprouts.com/

I've been using Flex Builder Linux recently and can recommend it. It's straightforward to get going and, for an alpha, is stable and has all the features you could want.

JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA (not free)
http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/features/flex_ide.html
JetBrains Astella (free but beta)
http://blog.jetbrains.com/astella/
http://confluence.jetbrains.com/display/AS/Astella+EAP

Project Sprouts is probably going to be the quickest way to get up and running with ActionScript or Flex development on any operating system, but especially on Linux.
You'll need to install Ruby and RubyGems, other than that, it's a couple of terminal commands and you should have an application building and displaying.
You should be able to build ActionScript 2, ActionScript 3, AIR or Flex Projects without any manual system configuration at all. Because Sprouts is inherently a CLI application, you can use any development environment you prefer and initiate your builds with simple commands like:
Compile and run debug build
rake debug
Compile and run test harness
rake test
Compile an optimized build for deployment
rake deploy
Compile your application as a library
rake swc
Generate documentation for your application
rake doc
Of course you can easily create or customize your build scripts using Rake, an amazingly simple and flexible build script engine.
Like Rails, Sprouts also comes standard with code generators that automatically create classes, test cases, test suites and even MXML components.
Unlike many open-source projects, Sprouts includes some pretty extensive and detailed documentation.
Let us know what you think.
http://projectsprouts.org

You could try Haxe. It isn't really ActionScript but it is very similar (and you could also compile to the server side or JavaScript).

While FlexBuilder is good, it lacks many of the features that Powerflasher includes in FDT (Flash Developer Tools) for Eclipse. FlexBuilder is missing things like Templates, better formatting, auto-fixing of warnings and errors. It runs on Eclipse making it cross platform, but be warned that they do not test in a linux environment (however people have had no significant complaints).
See all the features here: http://solutions.powerflasher.com/index.php?id=136#feature_03

I use the Flex SDK, Emacs (Sub your editor of choice) and Ant as my build tool. I blogged about how to get everything set up here:
http://blog.apterainc.com/software/setting-up-a-flex-development-enviroment-in-gnulinux/
Adobe has an free alpha release of FlexBuilder for Linux, I thought it was quite unstable when editing MXML files, but if your doing strict actionscript work, you may find it useful. you can get that here:
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flex/flexbuilder_linux/

You might like to have a look at MTASC
http://www.mtasc.org/
An open source action script compiler. I've been meaning to get around to looking at it but not had the chance yet. Heard great things about it tho.
Hopefully when I do get around to it and have questions you'll be around to answer them

Related

Liferay IDE Alternatives

I am using Liferay Developer Studio for theme development and as a frontend developer, I am not impress with the tool's performance.
Below are few reasons I am looking for alternative IDE, compatible for Liferay development.
It occupies more than 75% of the memory
It slower down the whole system
I cannot use chat application while running IDE as to switch from one app to another takes irrelevant time
I use to build theme through CLI. Sometime I need to close the IDE or else it gives runtime error and doesn't build the theme.
I am sure there are many others too faced same issues, which actually makes the development slower. This question is not against the Liferay of course, it's a great enterprise level CMS tool. But yes looking for alternate IDE with best compatibility for the purpose.
Thanks in advance.
You can use Gulp and Yo to generate, build and deploy your theme or layout , and you can use Notepad ++ as editor.
Please refere to those links :
1 - LIFERAY theme generator
2 - Gulp Tasks
You can use any IDE you want. The only one difference between LiferayIDE and others IDEs is you can avoid using BladeCLI by hands.
And nothing can stop you to use another IDE, build you project with maven or gradle and then continue to develop.
If you are a front-end developer you really should use Gulp and Yo. First time you'll feel yourself confused a bit, but after short period of time you'll understand all benefits.

Setting up XPages Java development in a separate, modern Eclipse instance

I really miss the newer functions of a modern Eclipse implementation. Things like cool plugins such as Checkstyle, auto-javadoc, ease of JUnit testing.
I always did this whilst developing Notes Java Agents, and it was a great time saver.
I'm trying to do this with my new XPages project but I'm stumbling on how to include diverse OSGI libraries.
Can anyone help?
The quickest way to set up an Eclipse environment for XPages development is the XPages SDK. That should point to your Notes/Domino installations and create the Target Platform stuff for you. If you have additional libraries, you can either install them into Eclipse via the Help -> Install New Software option or add them to the Target Platform in Preferences -> Plug-in Development -> Target Platform.
There's a huge caveat, though: this sort of XPages development refers to library development specifically, not writing XPages applications. There isn't really currently a good way to do actual-XPages dev in Eclipse without losing tooling.
In addition to Jesse's answer: a colleague uses Eclipse only to develop in our XPages stuff - for the Java part only. We all use a local on-disk-version of the project that can be imported into Eclipse workspace. You then can use the editors and benefits of current Eclipse versions. Caveat also: you always have to refresh/sync the sources from your on-disk-project in DDE to test. Regarding JUnit tests: we also use them and doing even automated build-tests on a Jenskins server with that method

web developer tools linux

I started using Linux for PHP web development. What is a helpful toolset to use for web development (mostly PHP) available for the Linux platform. My Current IDE is netbeans and I am happy with it.
In no particular order, my perfect environment consists of:
vim - text editing
git - version control
screen - terminal management
This is all you really need to build a great app in any language, for that matter (baseline). Every language has its specifics, but the above will more than get you started.
The PDT project provides a PHP
Development Tools framework for the
Eclipse platform. This project
encompasses all development components
necessary to develop PHP and
facilitate extensibility. It leverages
the existing Web Tools Platform (WTP)
and Dynamic Languages Toolkit (DLTK)
in providing developers with PHP
capabilities.
You can have a try for eclipse.
http://www.eclipse.org/pdt/
Another one not mentioned in this thread (suitable for PHP and a lot of other dynamic languages):
Komodo Edit (free version of the Komodo IDE)
I really like using Netbeans and SqlSquirrel. Both of these tools are written in Java and they are cross platform compatible. Also an odd note about SqlSquirrel: It uses the Netbeans editor. Also, if you like there are many tutorials and articles on using PHP with Netbeans on their site. Overall, go with the toolset that you like the most. There isn't a single toolset that works with everyone, and for all problems.
I like Eclipse PDT, and it can be used both on Windows (which I use at work) and on Linux (which I use at home).
Features are quite the same as netbeans, I'd say ; especially, you've got nice stuff like graphical debugging, when used with Xdebug.
I'd say that, these days, when it comes to a modern full-IDE for PHP, that works on Linux, and is free, there are two choices : netbeans and Eclipse PDT. Which one you prefer is generally a matter of taste, as far as I can tell.
If you're happy with NetBeans, stick to that as you IDE. Learn to use Vim or emacs just for common knowledge. Use version control, Subversion and git are good choices.
The power of linux is in the command line. Whatever you do outside the IDE, learn to do it with command line. After a while you'll be comfortable with it and you'll discover that there's bunch of stuff you never want to do with GUIs anymore :)

Flash Programming on Linux

Does anybody knows good IDE that will allow me to develop flash application on Linux?
You may find some useful suggestions over here.
I use Flex Builder for Linux to build applications using Flex. However it can be a bit fiddly to set up currently due to it requiring newer the latest version of the AIR SDK (see the release notes on how to upgrade). Also the MXML editor broken with Eclipse 3.4, so you'll want to stick with 3.3 until they release a patch, or patch 3.4 yourself according to this (untried by me).
In addition to Flex Builder, you can use FDT by PowerFlasher, awesome product.
Website:
http://fdt.powerflasher.com
I don't mean to sound a bit mean, but Noldorin's answer is no good at all and misleading, in fact it is fact-less. Flash development restricted to Windows? REALLY?!?!
I've wrote a command line tool called LFD to make it easier to develop flash applications on Linux.
However LFD mainly is a util tool based on Flex SDK. You may use your favorite code editor like vim or emacs to edit codes. It's not an IDE.
May it help you!

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I would like to develop Adobe Flex applications using Linux and a free environment. I'd prefer a free as in freedom alternative, but as in beer would work as well. ;-)
Are any of you developing Adobe Flex rich internet applications using such an environment? Or should I face the "facts" that Flex Builder is an essential tool for Flex development and that I'm more or less lost without it?
I use TextMate to do some Flex hacking on my home computer (a PowerBook G4 which can't run FlexBuilder) and I have no trouble writing applications. It depends if you are so used to IDE support that you cannot live without it. I like code completion, project management and the debugger in Flex Builder but I can live without it. TextMate isn't free but any text editor that had code coloring for ActionScript would do for me.
I usually use ant to manage my builds and that is free. The Flex SDK is free. That is all you need plus a little patience.
Personally I only have experience with the free aplha release of Flex builder for Linux built on Eclipse.
But I must say it is already pretty stable and it provides most features found in the full releases for mac osx and windows.
Perhaps the most annoying thing that's missing is the gui editor to quickly lay out your forms.
If you are looking for another option, however, maybe this will be of any help:
http://www.williambrownstreet.net/wordpress/?p=78
It's not an IDE though
You can use plugin fb4linux for eclipse in
http://code.google.com/p/fb4linux/
It run perfectly in eclipse 3.6 helios, you can choose flex 3 or flex 4 sdk and you can't recognize this plugin with Flex Builder stand alone verson of Adobe with hight light, auto complete code...
good luck.
If you create a set up using the flex-mojos maven plugin you can set up a build environment very easily without the need to have a flex builder license. Then you are able to use any text editor to edit Action Script and run a compile along with FlexUnit tests by simply calling mvn package.
Try the official Adobe Flex Builder Linux Alpha:
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flex/flexbuilder_linux/
I haven't used it yet, but I'm definitely planning on doing it.
I just use jEdit and the free Flex SDK for Flex development on Mac OS X and I've been as happy as Larry (however happy he is).
I've added a couple of links below that point to resources for configuring jEdit for AS3 development if you wanna go down that road. AFAIK, what this setup is missing in comparison to Flex Builder is at least code completion, the visual MXML editor and the profiler feature.
Software over the Rainbow: ActionScript 3 syntax highlighting for jEdit
HiveMinds Magazine: Using jEdit for Adobe Flex
Turdhead: jEdit and Actionscript: the collected files
The "jEdit" category from my blog
I'm afraid so. You can use the command-line tools directly of course and for pure AS coding this is OK since FB isn't that great on the refactoring front. But for MXML, the visual editor is a real plus.
You could try FlashDevelop but personally I found it to be terrible a year ago.
I tried the first alpha version (current is 3) of the Flex Builder under Ubuntu and it was just okay, but not useable for productive (just alpha)
FlashDevelop works only under windows, maybe with wine... and in my opinion it's not a good IDE
FDT is on eye level with the Flex Builder but also not free and I don't know if it runs innately on Linux.
It's some kind of wired but I run a windows installation in VirtualBox and there I use the FlexBuilder...
I use Emacs along with a custom hack to support fcsh (Flex compiler shell) for fast recompile times.
fcsh-compile can be found at this page along with a blog entry.
You can check out the fb4linux solution from this torrent: http://www.alivetorrents.com/torrent/8844946/flex-4-in-eclipse-3.6.0-for-linux
Contains Eclipse Helios with FB4Linux. Runs really fast.
You can get a (kinda) functional Flex environment in Linux with Eclipse and FDT. You can find instructions here.

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