Features
Design with ease and efficiency
Bring your designs to life with intuitive new animation tools that make your work easier and more efficient. Streamline your workflow with an improved user interface and a powerful coding environment.
- Optimized animation tools
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Object-based animation
Gain complete control over individual animation attributes with object-based animation, which applies tweens directly to objects instead of to keyframes. Easily make changes to motion paths with Bezier handles.
Motion paths
Experience granular control over object animation paths — Adobe® Flash® CS4 Professional now automatically generates motion paths that can be easily modified using familiar Bezier handles.
Motion presets
Jump-start your project with prebuilt animations that can be applied to any object. Select from dozens of presets or create and save your own. Share presets with others to save animation time.
Motion editor
Experience detailed control over keyframe parameters, including rotation, size, scale, position, filters, and more, using the new motion editor. Refine easing control with complete graphical displays similar to those in Adobe After Effects® software.
- Rich drawing capabilities
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Powerful shape drawing
Manipulate vector shapes with powerful shape drawing tools. Easily bend, erase, distort, skew, and combine vector shapes in a natural and intuitive way.
Shape primitives
Easily create pie wedges, round off rectangle corners, define an inner circle radius, and do much more. Visually adjust shape properties on the stage, and create custom shapes with the included JavaScript API.
Pen tool
Create precise vector illustrations with the Pen tool inspired by Adobe Illustrator® software, and then manipulate Bezier control points using Illustrator keyboard shortcuts.
Shapes as objects
Toggle the object drawing mode to draw shapes as objects for easy visualization, the same way you would in Illustrator.
- Intuitive user interface
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Improved project panel
Work with multifile projects more easily with the new project panel. Apply property changes to multiple files, save symbols to a designated file folder when created, and more.
Improved library
Work with assets more easily, thanks to an improved library that includes search capability and prioritization.
New Adobe Creative Suite interface
Boost your efficiency with intuitive panel docking and spring-loaded behaviors that streamline your interaction with tools throughout the Adobe Creative Suite® editions.
Vertical Property inspector
Take better advantage of wider displays and gain screen space with the new vertically displayed Property inspector.
Customizable workspaces
Easily create and save customized workspaces, including panel and toolbar settings, to work the way you want every time you launch.
- Streamlined workflow
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Adobe Pixel Bender
Easily apply custom filters and effects at runtime for real-time creative expression. Use the Adobe Pixel Bender™ Toolkit, included with Flash, to create unique filters, blends, and fills to produce compelling, on-demand visual effects for the Flash Player runtime. Your visual effects are now portable to multiple applications with Adobe Pixel Bender.
Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator import
Import Adobe Photoshop® PSD and Illustrator AI files, while preserving layers and structure, and then edit them in Flash CS4 Professional. Optimize and customize the files during import with advanced options.
Animation conversion to ActionScript
Instantly convert timeline animations to ActionScript® 3.0 code that can be easily edited, reused, and leveraged by developers. Even copy animations from one object to another.
Animation copy and paste
Copy an animation that is applied to an object and paste it into any other timeline object, dramatically reducing time spent on animation development.
Selective layer export
Experiment with different versions of the same file, manage complex layouts, and save time by exposing only the layers you want to export and hiding the rest.
Undo/redo options
Switch between Object-level Undo and Document-level Undo modes.
Metadata (XMP) support
Add metadata to SWF files using the new XMP panel. Quickly assign tags for enhanced collaboration and better mobile experiences.
Collaboration with Adobe Flex developers
Edit code in Adobe Flex® and then bring it into Flash CS4 Professional for finishing and production. Import code-only ActionScript 3.0 SWC components developed in Adobe Flex Builder™ software.
- Timesaving coding tools
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Code collapse
Hide code from view by selection or tag so you can focus more easily on the code you are developing.
Comment tags
Use easy menu commands to apply comment/uncomment tags to entire lines or any section of code. This Script Editor feature remains consistent across both Adobe Flash CS4 Professional and Dreamweaver® CS4 software.
Code error navigation
View a list of code errors in a separate panel that is automatically generated when performing tasks such as check syntax, test movie, test project, debug movie, or publish. Click an error in the list to jump directly to that section of code in the Code view.
- ActionScript development
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ActionScript 3.0 development
Save time with the ActionScript 3.0 language, featuring improved performance, increased flexibility, and more intuitive and structured development.
Advanced debugger
Test content with a powerful ActionScript debugger that offers flexibility and user feedback, as well as consistency with Adobe Flex Builder 2 debugging.
Script Assist
Facilitate scripting with Script Assist, a visual user interface for script editing that includes automatic syntax completion as well as descriptions of the parameters of any given action.
Actions panel
Easily use different versions of the ActionScript language by selecting from different language profiles in the Actions panel, including profiles for mobile development.
User interface components
Create interactive content with lightweight, easily skinnable interface components for ActionScript 3.0. Visually modify components' look and feel with the drawing tools — no coding required.
Explore new creative possibilities
Extend the limits of creative possibility with powerful new drawing, animation, and interactive design tools. Enrich your projects with advanced video and audio capabilities.
- Powerful animation tools
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3D transformation
Animate 2D objects through 3D space with exciting new 3D translation and rotation tools, which allow you to animate along the x, y, and z axes. Apply local or global transformation to any object.
Inverse kinematics with the Bones tool
Create chain-like animation effects with a series of linked objects, or quickly distort a single shape using the new Bones tool.
Procedural modeling with Deco and Spray Brush
Turn symbols into instant design tools. Apply symbols in a variety of ways: Quickly create kaleidoscope-like effects and apply fills using the Deco tool, or randomly spray symbols across any defined area using the Spray Brush.
Bitmap caching
Avoid unnecessary rerendering of vector objects with bitmap caching. Flag an object as a bitmap at runtime so it gets cached as a bitmap; vector data is maintained, so it can be converted back to a vector at any time.
- Bitmap and filter controls
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Filter effects
Create more compelling designs with built-in filter effects like drop shadow, blur, glow, bevel, gradient bevel, and color adjust. Apply effects to MovieClips and text fields to be rendered at runtime by Flash Player, consequently minimizing file size.
Blend modes
Use blend modes to create unique visual blending effects when images overlay each other. Blends are rendered at runtime and updated live as objects move. Blend modes imported from Photoshop are maintained and editable in Flash CS4 Professional.
- Advanced media integration
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Sophisticated video tools
Experience advanced video capabilities including embedded cue points, alpha channel support, and high-quality video codecs. Use the optimized video component, featuring closed-captioning and support for streaming and progressively downloaded video files.
MP3 audio support
Integrate audio into your projects by importing MP3 files. Integration with Adobe Soundbooth® software makes it easy to edit files as needed, without requiring audio production experience.
Alpha channel support
Overlay FLV and On2 VP6 video composited with a transparent or semitransparent alpha channel with other content at runtime. Create unique effects using compositing tools such as Adobe After Effects® software, and import them into Flash CS4 Professional with transparency preserved.
High-quality video codecs
Produce video quality that rivals today's best video codecs while maintaining small file size with the advanced video codecs in Flash Player, On2 VP6, On2 VP6-S, and H.264.
Embedded cue points
Embed cue points directly into an FLV file to trigger events during playback and coordinate the playback of accompanying graphics and animations.
Video import workflow
Easily integrate a variety of video formats into your video experiences with the video import wizard, which guides you through the import process.
Skinnable video player
Take advantage of the most popular video format on the web today by integrating video into your site. The video player component is easily customized to match the look and feel of any site. It includes support for closed-captioning and multiple languages, as well as streaming video or progressively downloaded video.
Adobe Media Encoder with H.264 support
Maximize productivity with Adobe Media Encoder, now a separate software component included with Flash CS4 Professional. Continue creative work while files encode in the background. Set up multiple items for encoding, manage priorities, and control advanced settings for each item individually. Flash CS4 Professional uses Adobe Media Encoder to deliver higher quality results with greater control.
- Additional features
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QuickTime export
Render content published in a SWF file as a QuickTime video using the advanced QuickTime exporter. Export content that includes nested MovieClips, content generated with ActionScript language, and runtime effects such as drop shadow and blur.
Scale 9 live rendering
Preview Scale 9 objects on the stage to evaluate scaling behavior and see what will appear at runtime in Flash Player. Scale 9 intelligently scales objects without distortion.
Font rendering
Improve text crispness and readability with font rendering. Use rendering options and anti-aliasing to optimize for different use cases.
Bitmap caching
Avoid unnecessary rerendering of vector objects with bitmap caching. Flag an object as a bitmap at runtime so it gets cached as a bitmap; vector data is maintained, so it can be converted back to a vector at any time.
Extensible architecture
Leverage Flash APIs to easily develop extensions that add custom functionality.
Collaborate across workflows
Enjoy timesaving integration among Adobe Creative Suite components with common tools and interfaces, and easily exchange assets between applications with powerful new file formats.
- Improved Adobe software integration
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Common interface
Work easily among Creative Suite components with familiar panels, menus, and quick keys. Use the flexibility of Adobe's interfaces to customize your workspaces in the same way for smooth and fast work between applications.
Extensible architecture
Leverage Flash APIs to easily develop extensions that add custom functionality.
XFL support
Open content from Adobe InDesign® or After Effects software and retain file integrity. With the cross-application XFL format, easily import content for further development in Flash.
Import/export cue points
Import XML-based cue-flash data files from Adobe Premiere® Pro, After Effects, or Soundbooth software to create sophisticated interactive video experiences. Use cue points to trigger interactivity at specific points in video and audio content.
Smooth video software integration
Export individual layers with transparency using the export to QuickTime capability, and import them into Adobe Premiere Pro or After Effects for advanced manipulation. Import video files directly from Adobe Premiere Pro or After Effects.
- Online services
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Adobe Community Help
Access the power of an online search engine from within Creative Suite 4, but with more targeted results. Searchable content includes the in-depth, product-specific Help that Adobe has always delivered, plus additional Adobe and third-party content chosen by experts at Adobe and in the design and production communities.
Adobe Bridge Home
Stay up to date on what's new at Adobe and get inspired by the design, web development, and audio and video production communities at large when you visit this online channel available in Adobe Bridge CS4. Watch Creative Suite 4 video tutorials, listen to podcasts from your favorite designers, and learn about training events in your community.
Adobe ConnectNow from Acrobat.com
Acrobat.com is a set of online services you can use to create and share documents, communicate in real time, and simplify working with others. Thanks to the ability to access one of the Acrobat.com services, Adobe ConnectNow, from within Flash and other Creative Suite 4 components, you can meet live over the web and share your screen with up to two online guests for no charge.
Adobe Kuler
Explore, create, and share color themes with Adobe Kuler™. Kick-start your creative projects with color inspiration from the online Kuler community, accessible from the new Kuler panel within Flash, the Kuler website, and the Kuler Adobe AIR™ application. Browse and search for thousands of themes, download directly into your Swatches panel, and even upload your own themes to share.
Deliver for a wide reach
Deliver interactive experiences that reach audiences across platforms and devices.The latest technologies, such as XMP for mobile and delivery to the Adobe AIR runtime, are right at your fingertips.
- More audiences across more devices
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Delivery for the most recent version of Adobe Flash Player
Continue to reach wide audiences around the world by delivering to the most popular media player on the Internet today.
Authoring for Adobe AIR
Deliver interactive experiences to the desktop with new capability to publish to the Adobe AIR runtime. Reach even more audiences across more devices — web, mobile, and now the desktop.
Delivery for mobile
Preview and test content for mobile devices using Adobe Device Central CS4, now with new controls and more options for a variety of devices. Help ensure that branded phones know your content exists. Deliver SWF files that are customized for mobile device recognition.
