On Wed, Nov 18, 2009 at 2:40 PM, Henrik Andersson <he...@henke37.cjb.net> wrote:
> My opinion: > I think that Flash is better for anything that isn't strictly code only, and > that is more or less all projects, since it's quite boring to design > graphics using code. > The upcoming code completion in Flash CS 5 seems to take care of most coding > needs in my opinion. It's not going to give you any fancy class feature > listing panels or profilers, but those are rarely needed. > > If I had to chose what to use, I would use Flash, because I want to use the > full swf format. I do not think that Flex alone can do that. We seem to be getting confused between Flex, Flex Builder and Flash here. Flash - obviously - is a vector graphics editor and a cut-down code editor. It leans towards the visual side. Flex Builder/Flash Builder is simply a programming environment - a code editor and component layout tool. It leans towards the coding side. Flex (or the Flex SDK) is _not_ Flex Builder. It is a component framework (written in ActionScript - and MXML which is actually compiled to ActionScript) and a compiler. It can make use of any assets created by Flash. (And yes, it can use the whole SWF format, by drawing in SWF assets and recompiling them.) You don't have to design graphics using code in Flex Builder; you can design graphics in Flash, and use them from code that you write in Flex Builder. The two products are _complementary_, not rivals. Flex Builder works together with Flash. The choices for creating a website (which started this discussion) include (but are not limited to): 1) Use Flash to do the layout; don't use the Flex framework classes, write your own classes to support the Flash assets that you've created. 2) Use the Flex component framework, create visual assets to use within the framework using Flash, extend the Flex code with your own logic to support the site. 2) need not be more expensive, as you don't have to use Flex Builder, you can simply use the free Flex SDK. Flex is effectively just a series of useful components with a bit of syntactic sugar on top. Reasons you _might_ want to use Flex for your project: - A lot of hard work done for you. Why write another scrollbar or progress bar from scratch when that code already exists? - Very easy to layout complex forms and tables. - Very easy to skin/change global appearance (using CSS) Reasons you might not want to use Flex for your project: - Including the Flex framework in your application makes your SWF significantly bigger. - Your site simply might not suit Flex; if you don't have form layouts, tables and buttons to deal with, Flex may be overkill. Once again - the two are _complementary_. It's not a choice between the two. It's a choice between using Flash as is, or using Flash + a library of premade components. Ian _______________________________________________ Flashcoders mailing list Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders
