Flash Builder 4.7 beta and AIR Technology Previews

Adobe has dropped a number of tech previews onto Labs last night, including a beta of Adobe Flash Builder 4.7 featuring the new Falcon compiler and also some interesting AIR SDK previews.

Adobe Flash Builder 4.7

Flash Builder 4.7 beta is the first version to be offered as a 64-bit application. While there is support for Adobe Flex 4.6 and the new Apache Flex 4.8 SDKs – many of the enhancements are focused upon productivity and lean ActionScript. This is likely to be a theme with the Flash-based tooling to come; performance, foundation, and a generally stripping away of outdated or little-used features (like data wizards) to make room for a better authoring experience. Adobe has told a similar story when speaking publicly about the upcoming “HellCat” release of Flash Professional; rebuilt, lean, modernized, 64-bit. Awesome.

Important things to note…
Some new compiler features require that you target AIR 3.4. The new compiler will only work with ActionScript projects – MXML will be compiled with the legacy compiler. Also – no more design view and those awful data wizards are gone [some bitter with the sweet].

Here’s what’s new:

  • Support for Apache Flex SDK
  • New compiler support for ActionScript projects
  • Support for creating ActionScript workers
  • Apple iOS on-device (USB) and simulator testing and debugging support
  • Configuring multiple build targets for multi-screen projects
  • Support for customizing ADT and ADL
  • Enhanced Developer Productivity Feature – Organize Imports
  • Enhanced Developer Productivity Features – Quick Assists
  • Real time error highlighting using the new ActionScript compiler

Adobe AIR Technology Previews

There are also a few other tidbits up on Labs alongside Flash Builder. They are grouped under the heading of Adobe AIR Technology Previews and target specific developer use case: standalone compiler and Apple iOS6.

AIR 3.4 SDK with ActionScript Compiler 2.0

This is the new compiler used in Flash Builder 4.7! One would imagine that Apache Flex will get its hands on this soon.

AIR 3.4 SDK with iOS6 support

For those who with to target iOS6 specifically – this is what you need.

12 thoughts on “Flash Builder 4.7 beta and AIR Technology Previews”

  1. I am afraid that the most important thing Adobe needs to do is: improve the efficiency of each frame execution. make sure every required script and graphics display per frame can be done in the framerate time. (such as framerate is 60, around 16.7ms/frame. in the 16.7ms, Adobe should do whatever they can to make sure all stuffs in this frame can be executed and displayed), other than this are all second consideration.

  2. It’s great to see a new update, but for me this release has little value. For me the biggest advantage of Flash Builders was its Design Mode. I know many think this is useful only for amateur coders but in my workflow (using mockups and quickly overlay all required components) it worked wonders. (Despite its instability. ) I already used IntelliJ for the serious code parts..

    1. I used Design View quite a bit when laying out my components, but based upon what Adobe has said – many developers never even touched it. Other successful IDEs such as FlashDevelop, FDT, and InteliJ IDEA have never had a design view so I doubt this will “kill” Flash Builder.

      1. I’ve never used Design View. I tried once or twice, but found it too basic. Besides, I much prefer using Balsamiq for wireframe mockups.

        In fact every month or so, I accidentally hit whatever key command it is that switches to Design View. This is when I take a step back to curse for a minute while I wait for my computer to allocate memory for this heavy view that I wish I could disable.

        As such, I can’t wait for 4.7 for no other reason than that Design View is officially gone.

  3. Hi and thank you for the review.
    small question:
    Does the falcon compiler work for mxml based projects or just actionscript based projects?
    cheers
    Ajar

  4. Flex will die with out Design View.
    this is user for starting the components, other wise so much wasting time.

    I am thinking change to Ajax and ServerFaces.

    deam.
    this Adobe guys always shitting

  5. I always started with design view… coding AS3 and MXML since many years, and I loved it. Adobe has a long history of wrong desiccions…they will pay for it again! Take a look at Zend Studio…trend goes to visual.

  6. I couldn’t agree more! Design View has its purpose and to remove it as if it is a waste is simply too quick of a reaction I think. I know hundreds of developers that use Design View for many reasons. People who use Flash Builder to create application based software are not trying to write games, and Design View comes in handy for doing that. Why not just offer it as another perspective for those who still use it, that way people who fat finger their keyboard won’t get mad just because they have a crap slow computer and it takes a long time for Design View too load :)

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