SWF Studio version 2.0 reviewed

More and more Flash developers are coming up with some really cool stuff to do in online applications, but what if you want to take them to the desktop? SWF Studio version 2.0 is here for you.

A couple weeks ago, I was trying to decide which program to get to start developing applications and Flash, and then porting them to the desktop. I was asking around, and when I asked Jens over at Flash Magazine, he responded back with an opportunity to review this one, and I can't begin to tell you how glad I am that he did.

SWF Studio version 2.0 is the second version of the application made by northcode. It allows the integration of files built with Macromedia Flash (or Swish) to become desktop applications, or screen savers.

To start, the install was a breeze, but I did have to go back and install a patch, which is understandable, but I also had to go back and install all the plugins. The plugins are where all the power is. They should have been with the install.

After I had installed it, it was literally 10 minutes, and I built an application that will allow you to go out and get Jpegs to load into the player!! It really was that easy.

How it works is that you build the application in Flash, and when you want to interact with something that SWF Studio allows you to, you add fscommands in your ActionScript. When you are done in flash, you create the .swf file, and then add the plugins you need for that specific application. The plugins hold the commands that ActionScript calls. There are several sets of plugins including file system, ADO, FTP, SysInfo, registry, HTTP, SMTP (not pop3 yet, but hopefully future plugin available) and more. Once you include them with the studio file, you access them with fscommands by passing arguments, then calling the command like this:

fscommand("Arg", "result");
fscommand("Arg", "Open This File");
fscommand("Arg", "c:\");
fscommand("Arg", "Image Files *.jpg|*.jpg||");
fscommand("FileSys2.FileOpen", "");

But SWF Studio's role in the final product does not stop with these plugins. It allows many different options with the final export file that can be an executable file or a screen saver. The executable file has a ton of features itself. You can control many things from size, expiration date, self-installing, you can even have it automatically create a shortcut on the users desktop if you want, not to mention the ability to have a transparent background (windowless environment) which means you can make your applications in any shape you like, no more rectangles. But the transparent background does have a small bug that makes the frame rate extremely fast. An easy work around provided online.

But it doesn't just create files, if you have files you want to include in several subfolders, SWF Studio will allow you to design the entire file structure to be installed right in the interface. It also allows, clipping, dragging and mouse regions to be defined in the interface once the .swf file has been loaded into it.

Another nice feature is that when you build a file with SWF Studio, it shows you any errors in a log format, easy to find and fix. There is even a direct link to the forums on their site, which is a nice feature to promote the community.

With every product, there is good and bad. There is a ton of good with this product, but there is a little bad.

Using fscommands means that there is no listener or event that takes place when the player receives data back. For instance, if I open a file open window, chose a file (which returns the path of the file to flash), I have no built in way to check when the player receives the path back. Most of the examples I have looked at use timeline loops, but thanks to Flash MX, there is an easy work around which can be seen in the downloadable example.

That was the only real thing I did not like, but because it was so easy to fix, it didn't hold me up long.

Overall
If you are interested in taking your applications from the web to the desktop, you cannot pass up trying this product out. It is very easy to use from both the interface standpoint, as well as doing the code in Flash. And if you are thinking about purchasing it, check out the promotions. As a FlashMagazine reader, you get a 10% discount if you enter the promo code "Flashmag" (That will also donate some money to support Flashmagazine).

Here is an example that includes the fla, swf, exe, and the spf file.

Here is another example with a tutorial integrating Flash2PDF to a desktop application.

 

 

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