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Introducing Flex 2.0.1

When we released Adobe Flex 2 in June 2006 we knew we had created something special. The feedback we have received from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, and the applications developers have created are truly amazing. Of course, Flex 2 was a massive release and, inevitably, there were things that didn't make it into the release (such as the Macintosh version of Flex Builder). Moreover, with so many changes, we expected to fix some bugs. With the Flex 2.0.1 release, we've tried to address both needs.

As one of the product managers for Flex, I will provide an overview of the new features and enhancements that you will find in Flex 2.0.1.

Overview of new features and improvements

Flex 2.0.1 includes new platform support for Flex Builder and a number of improvements to the Flex SDK:

• Flex Builder platforms now available

  • Mac OS 10.4.7 on PowerPC and Intel
  • Eclipse 3.2 support (required for Mac)
  • Compatibility with BEA Workshop 3.2.1 using both the stand-alone version and Eclipse plug-in (Windows only)
  • Compatibility with IBM Rational Software Architect 7.0

• SDK tooling

  • ASDoc is now officially supported and included with the SDK
  • mxmlc can now directly embed fonts using FlashType support

• SDK framework

  • Introduced the mx.modules package for large application support
  • Applications can now apply CSS style sheets at runtime
  • Flex applications now support functional testing with included support for Mercury QuickTest Pro 9.1

Flex Builder platforms

When we released Flex 2.0 in June 2006 we said that a Macintosh release would be available soon after. At MAX 2006 in October we delivered on the first part of that promise, releasing a full-featured beta of Flex Builder for Macintosh on Adobe Labs. Flex Builder 2.0.1 is the official release for the Mac, and we intend to simultaneously ship future Flex Builder releases for both Windows and Macintosh.

Flex Builder 2.0.1 now also officially supports Eclipse 3.2. Windows users can upgrade their Eclipse installation to version 3.2 and install the Flex Builder Eclipse plug-in without difficulty (the Mac plug-in requires version 3.2). For those keeping score at home, the stand-alone installation of Flex Builder on Windows is still version 3.1, but for Mac OS it is 3.2.

Finally we have addressed bugs to ensure that Flex Builder 2.0.1 will work with two popular Eclipse-based environments, BEA Workshop 3.2.1 and IBM Rational Software Architect 7.0.

ASDoc

In August 2006 we released our documentation generator, ASDoc, on Adobe Labs. With Flex 2.0.1 we fixed some of the bugs from the Labs release and now officially support the tool as part of the product. Now you can create documentation that matches the look and feel of what we produce as part of the SDK, or change the look and feel to match your own needs.

FlashType support

FlashType is the text rendering engine introduced in Flash Player 8. It improves the readability of text, especially at smaller font sizes. To leverage the FlashType engine in Flex 2, you had to create a SWF that embedded a particular font using the Flash authoring tool, and then embed that SWF file in your Flex application. With Flex 2.0.1, the mxmlc compiler can now embed a font using the FlashType engine directly, eliminating a step for many developers.

Large application support through modules

One of the most anticipated features of Flex 2.0.1 is improved support for large applications through the new mx.modules package. Adobe engineer Roger Gonzalez first brought attention to this issue on his blog, and the interest has been overwhelming. The Flex framework now provides a straightforward mechanism for breaking a large application into smaller pieces. Not only does this improve the download performance of a larger application but it allows the development of large applications to be done in pieces. Make sure to read the documentation to learn more about this important capability.

Runtime CSS

Many applications customize their look by using Cascading Style Sheets to specify positioning, colors, skins, and other properties. Flex 2.0.1 enhances this capability by allowing the application to apply style sheets at runtime, not just at compile-time. This allows designers to customize an application using a simpler development process, and also gives developers the opportunity to provide different looks to an application to fit different roles. For example, now an application can offer a simpler color scheme and adjusted font sizes for users who might be visually impaired. See the updated Flex Store sample application to observe runtime CSS in action.

Functional testing

Testing a complex application is a long process, one made even harder when each test must be run manually by an individual human. Functional testing tools are designed to alleviate this process by allowing the tool to execute the same test against different versions of an application to ensure that the application's functionality has not changed. A popular functional testing tool is Mercury QuickTest Pro, and in Flex 2.0.1 we have introduced support for that tool.

We provide an automation framework that defines core functionality for any given testing solution. This defines interfaces for component developers so that your own components can be part of a tested application, not just the built-in Flex controls. We also provide a plug-in for Mercury QuickTestPro 9.1 that can communicate with Flex applications. We have been working with other vendors that may provide similar tools for testing Flex application in the future.

So much more...

Flex 2.0.1 also includes the latest release of Adobe Flex Data Services. We've updated the web-tier compiler with the latest SDK and addressed a number of customer-reported issues to improve Hibernate support, reliability, and performance.

The Flex development team is proud of the enhancements in the Flex 2.0.1 release, and we encourage you to download the updates. The team is also excited to attack the next major set of enhancements for future releases. We all look forward to hearing from you as you start to develop applications using Flex 2.0.1. It is through a continual dialog with you that we can best direct our efforts.

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