Flash Builder 4.7 and Adobe Scout 1.0 Released

Two new major Flash Platform releases have occurred: a new version of the Flash Builder development tool and a brand new product: Adobe Scout! This is part of the larger Adobe Game Developer Tools initiative – part of the Creative Cloud.

Flash Builder 4.7
After two beta releases on Adobe Labs, Flash Builder 4.7 has now been released!
This release introduces new development features and enhancements to Flash Builder and provides support for the new Apache Flex SDK and the new ActionScript Compiler 2.0.

So what are the new features in this version of Flash Builder?

  • Flash Builder is now a 64-bit application
  • Support for the Apache Flex 4.8 SDK
  • Support for the Adobe Scout 1.0 product
  • New ASC 2.0 compiler support for ActionScript Projects
  • Support for creating and managing ActionScript Workers
  • Configuring multiple build targets for multi-screen projects
  • Support for customizing ADT and ADL parameters
  • Support for creating ActionScript Library Projects
  • Real time error highlighting using the ASC 2.0 compiler
  • Enhanced Developer Productivity Features including new Quick Assists
  • Advanced support for iOS deploy/test/debug/sim

Note that Design View, as previously indicated, no longer exists in Flash Builder 4.7. If Design View is desired, you will probably want to use Flash Builder 4.6. Note that both versions can be installed in parallel!

Adobe Scout 1.0
Some of you may be confused about the name… “what is Scout?”… well, Scout is the 1.0 product name of the former Project ‘Monocle’. It’s out now, as part of the Creative Cloud Game Developer Tools. Not only that, but much like Edge Animate – the full version of Scout is FREE for a limited time. After Scout transitions to a paid offering, it will still be available for free with advanced telemetry features disabled.

Adobe Scout is the next-­generation profiler for Flash content running on both the desktop and on mobile devices. It gives you insight into the behavior of your Flash content that simply wasn’t possible in the past.

Scout relies on the new telemetry feature, which was introduced in Flash Player 11.4 and AIR 3.4. This feature gathers detailed information about the internals of the Flash runtime, as well as the ActionScript that it executes, and sends it all to Scout. Scout presents this data clearly, concisely, and graphically, so that you can quickly diagnose performance problems with your content.

To get detailed telemetry data to appear, a project must be compiled in such a way to enable this feature. This can be easily done with Flash Builder 4.7, or through other, less-supported means. Even without advanced telemetry enabled, there is still a good deal of information which can be gathered through the use of Scout.

10 thoughts on “Flash Builder 4.7 and Adobe Scout 1.0 Released”

  1. very good, but unfortunately it is Tooooo late … , really too late, most of us had migrated from Flash to other technologies, we do not trust Adobe anymore.

    1. Sure, some people have chosen not to work on the platform any longer. Others have picked up new skills alongside their Flash experience, and others have just continued working in whatever technology (including Flash) suits the project as they’ve always done.

      The important thing to remember is that one person’s experience with very rarely align perfectly with that of another – and a whole group is even more rare… I’d wager, impossible.

      These are great new tools – and for those still thriving off the Flash Platform – or even those who only employ it occasionally… this is all very welcome.

  2. I have been waiting Flash Builder 4.7 for long time.
    I installed FlashBuilder 4.7 today !!
    but I can’t find option for support SDK 4.8.
    Do I need Any additional setting for SDK 4.8 ?

  3. Any options from Adobe yet for Design View/Mode. I do a lot of graphic work and my two most valuable tools have been just, well, removed. Catalyst way back and now Design Mode/View. From a wireframing workflow these were very important to me and my team. I am too dumb to code properly but I could start the look and feel very quickly. Any suggestions anyone?

  4. Yes, the removel of Visual Designer..
    Adobe are brain dead.
    Flash still is the best tool ever made for some tasks, but visual design dev tools are the back bone of such tools. Look at any decent IDE.
    The dropping of VD is the last straw, those at adobe, working on Flash, who agreed to this, agreed to killing of their job.

    Adobe needs to address this issue ASAP or they will even destroy the investment they are putting into Flash for gaming. It is unlikely to survive this latest betrayal, (As developers will feel).

    Its been hard to justify continuing with Flash as it has such a bad rep due to propaganda from others who would like to see it go. But many held on as.. nothing else could replace it to an acceptable level.

    However, drop, VD, and any reason to hold on becomes low enough to well, time to let go..

    I was hoping that Flash would slowly raise from the ashes as… It still such a great technology.. but it needs SOME level of support..
    Adobe should have Open sources the VD tool if this was the roadmap. Talk about in-competence and not been able to read your market. Adobe, you amaze me.

    James

  5. Hello friend.
    I type from Brazil.

    I am developer Java & Flex, you can enter in contact ?

    Have one application in FlexMobile, have problem.

    I need one component or extend class of the textinput for enter fields with mask.

    Example:

    phone number
    currency
    etc …
    but, in run time ?

    You can enter in contact for change any idea ?

    skype marciofermino

    thank you.

  6. The decision makers at Adobe must have gone nuts. They remove the best thing on Flash Builder, the DV?! What do I need Flash Builder for? The product is dead!

    Damn, I just upgraded to 4.7 not realising what is happening to me. Wasted lots of time, just to do downgrade again. This is it, from now on native development. I already do iOS development, so now I just have to get into Android and Blackberry native development too. What the hack, it took me 3 month to master iOS, so I have another 6 month for two more development environments. No problem.

    1. Dropping a design view is no big deal. Do your layout in PS or Illustrator and import the graphics your require. I use Flash Builder 4.7 for mobile development. It beats learning multiple development plateforms. It is rather easy to link with native extension and it allows rapid development. Dropping FB to go native Android/Java. Good luck with that.

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