Two-part tutorial on Flash Catalyst and Flex 4
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I just finished uploading two new tutorials on using Flash Catalyst and Flash Builder 4. The first public betas of the these tools just went live tonight and these tutorial will get you up and running in no time. They show you how to build a nicely designed Twitter search application starting with an Illustrator design comp. I have to say that I’m really excited about Flash Catalyst as it makes creating skins for Flex a piece of cake. |
Lee
Thanks man.
Super-duper Lee!
Hey, Lee. Glad to see you’re back online. What happened? Was a bit worried about you there for a while…
[...] godzin od opublikowania beta wersji Flash Builder i Flash Catalyst, a Lee Brimelow ju? uploadowa? video tutoriale, które przedstawiaj? proces tworzenia aplikacji od projektu graficznego po gotow? realizacj?. [...]
I’m also very excited about Catalyst. Skinning might be a bit better = ]
THis is great stuff. Adobe never emails me when things like FLash Builder and Catalyst hit the labs, even though I sign up to be notified. Oh well, still found out.
Good Job!
This is a winner! Thanks Lee!
Just finished watching part one. All I can say is: holy CRAP!
To be perfectly honest, I was expecting a mediocre implementation that would take a ton of tweaking and custom naming of layers between Illustrator and Flash Catalyst (my experience with Photoshop/Encore bore this nightmare out).
This is nothing short of amazing (to me), and am blown away by what Adobe has accomplished.
Nice work!Lee
Great tutorials!
Nice default tweet selection for the tutorial
[...] videos walking through a Catalyst and FlashBuilder project posted at gotoandlearn. Here’s a link to the post. They’ve got lots of detail so you get a good idea of the sort of things that can [...]
Quick off the mark, as usual. Thanks for another great tute!
This is an amazing piece of software that I stumbled across the beta for a few weeks back. Its amazing how easy it is to create applications from static graphic files, thanks for the heads up and brilliant tutes!
Can’t wait for the Flex4 final release
Shame we can’t buy Flash Builder 4 and Flash Catalyst already and work with them more than 30 days 
Great work Lee!
Lee did you mistakingly use ‘Flex 4′ instead of ‘Flash Builder 4′ in the topic’s title?
@Jordi: Flex 4 is the new version of the Flex framework, and not the new flex builder (called Flash builder form now on)
My boss is going to kill me.
Flex 4 is coming out? Oh dear, Just got him to purchase Flex 3 Builder.
arrgggh. My fault for not doing my homework.
Mistake or not ? For me it’s ok because in part 2 there is more Flex4 than Flash Builder 4 …
I put it in my blog. Thanks Lee.
I was wondering will there also be a free version of flash builder 4 for students, like flex 3? And also what about flash catalyst?
He goes over using Flex 4 inside of Flash Builder 4. Still confusing? I was hoping for better Flash IDE integration. Is that still being worked on?
@Jordi
Haven’t noticed that too! It’s Flex 4 instead of Flash Builder 4! To think that I’ve seen the video before TheFlashBlog went back. (was informed via Lee’s Tweet)
Amazing Lee! I am so excited to work on the new Flash Catalyst and Flash Builder. Thanks for the Tuts man.
Pardon my ignorance, does that mean Flex Builder is being replaced by Flash Builder? Will you be able to upgrade from Flex Builder 3 to Flash Builder 4 or is it a whole new difference application?
[...] http://theflashblog.com/?p=1027 Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)27/04/200911/05/200928/05/2009Adobe Thermo Gets a [...]
Thanks Lee, great stuff! I really look forward to all of your posts, tutes and vids.
It’s going to be amazing to see what Flash CS5 will be like!
Many thanks – excellent!
Lee am I correct in that only Photoshop and Illustrator will generate the fxp projects – not Fireworks?
Given that Fireworks is positioned as “Rapidly prototype websites and application interfaces…” on the Adobe site seems strange not to give it fxp capability.
Sorry – I got it wrong – fxp is generated by Catalyst – so my question is can Fireworks be used as the graphics design tool and work in the same way as Illustrator – will there be round-tripping etc?
nice tutorials lee!
will there be something similar for Flash Authoring, at least at component skinning level?
Answered my own question. Works fine in Fireworks. Menu: Commands > Export to FXG – from there just like your examples. Cool
What is the point of even having something called the Flex framework. ..Or AIR for that matter… Let everything be concentrated into one point and let Flash assimilate it under one name instead of throwing all these other names around. Makes it seem so damn flimsy. I agree the actual software is going in the right direction, but what’s the point of having more than one IDE from Adobe for making SWF’s. Flash Builder is great, but relying on Eclipse when all of this could’ve been integrated into one package, is horrible.
[...] and you have some tutorials, and information about here [...]
Ok I have to ask because its really going to bug me… Why is it that I can’t import Catalyst projects, or Flex projects for that matter, into Flash in order to great Air applications? I really hope this is a goal for future fuctionality.
@LQDstudios You can import them into Flash Builder and create your AIR projects there. Flash doesn’t import Flex framework projects.
@lee – Thanks for the heads up on that… Still new to “FLEX” Flash Builder, Took me a bit to find the convert to AIR application tool.
Please explain why there are now three separate applications.
Flash Professional CS4 – Creates SWF and AIR applications using ActionScript. Also provides tools to create user interfaces with coding.
Flash Builder 4 – Creates SWF and AIR applications using ActionScript
Flash Catalyst – Creates user interfaces without coding
ActionScript is not always seamlessly integrated between Flash Professional and Flash Builder 4 projects.
I would rather have one product that can produce SWF and AIR applications with one version of ActionScript.
@Bilo The one part you are leaving out is the Flex framework. Flash CS4 can only build pure ActionScript projects where Flash Builder can do both.
I thought this post had some really good ideas in it:
http://radleymarx.com/2009/04/10-ways-to-put-creative-back-into-flash-cs5/#comment-160
Does anyone know if Flash Catalyst files can be embedded in a Flash project?
More specifically, a contact form created in Flash Catalyst to be placed inside of the Flash-based webpage file
I just finished some lynda.com vids for Catalyst and am pretty excited about the possibilities… if it integrates with existing Flash files, life just got a little sweeter.
@Sarah when you export from Flash Catalyst you are creating a Flash file which can be embedded into a webpage just like you do with any other Flash file. You cannot use Flash Catalyst files inside of Flash CS4 though. Hope that answers your question.
Completely answers my question… and, Drat!
Guess I needed to learn more AS anyway
Thank You!
I would like for the layer comps in my photoshop file to each become a separate state in catalyst. How do I do this?
I came.
Nice!
I think designing components & linking them to code should be even better than this.
[...] Two-part tutorial on Flash Catalyst and Flex 4 LEE?????? [...]
[...] The Flash Blog » Two-part tutorial on Flash Catalyst and Flex 4 [...]
I am really lost here with all of these platforms and acronymns being thrown around lately… Is AIR still a valid platform? Is Flash CS4 Professional not all inclusive to creating AS based applications? Is Flex going away? I really don’t understand any of this and find it very confusing…
:/ frustrated…
Hi Lee,
Your two part series is a great help understanding FC and FB. Thanks for your continued effort to support the Flash community.
After working through twitSearch, I have an odd error:
“Data binding will not be able to detect changes when using square bracket operator. For Array, please use ArrayCollection.getItemAt() instead.” (In RepeatedItem1.mxml)
The error is at the line containing code:
Any ideas how to resolve the error? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
I pulled the project back into my 4.0 SDK from a nightly build and the error is gone. It works great!
I get this error too. I have Flash Builder set to Flex SDK 4 yet i still get the error.
[...] 1) Tutorials on Flash Catalyst and Flex 4 [...]
thanks lee