ADOBE AIR 1.5 Cookbook
Reviewed by Robert L. Pritchett
Authors: David Tucker, Marco Casario, Koen De Weggheleire, Rich Tretola
O'Reilly
Released: November
2008
Pages: 446
$45
ISBN: 9780596522506
Requirements: Knowledge of Flash, Flex 3, ActionScript 3 and JavaScript. And a copy of
ADOBE CS4 loaded on your computer would be nice too.
Strengths: A
One-stop-shop for ADOBE AIR implementation.
Weaknesses: None
found. |
|
Introduction
Thoroughly vetted by Adobe's AIR
development team, Adobe AIR 1.5 Cookbook addresses fundamentals, best
practices, and topics that web developers and application designers inquire
about most. The hands-on recipes in this cookbook help you solve a variety of
tasks and scenarios you may encounter using Adobe AIR to build Rich Internet
Applications for the desktop. It's an ideal way to learn the nuances of Adobe
AIR, with practical solutions you can use right away, and detailed explanations
of why and how they work. These recipes will help you:
- Build
an AIR application with Flex, Flash, or HTML and Ajax
- Create
a database and connect it to your application
- Put
together native menus for PCs and Macs
- Work
with the Service Monitor Framework
- Utilize
the Adobe AIR Update Framework
- Create
branded desktop experiences with custom chrome and custom application icons
- Distribute
your AIR application with the Seamless Install Badge
And more. Adobe AIR 1.5 Cookbook
includes dozens of recipes from rising stars in the AIR development
community-David Tucker, Rich Tretola, Marco Casario, and Koen De
Weggheleire-along with the best solutions posted by visitors to the Adobe AIR
Cookbook community website hosted by Adobe and O'Reilly .
If you're ready to expand your skill set with Adobe AIR, this is the book
you've been waiting for.
What I Learned
If you are into the way ADOBE does things with runtime web
apps, this is a sister book to Flex 3 and helps understand the machinations
behind SWF files and functionality.
Can you believe ADOBE did a competition and then loaded the
best programs into this book?
So, why would you care? Because this app goes beyond the
browser. However, it only works if the client machine has Air installed. The
promise is "program once, run everywhere".
Here are some "showcase" apps.
The cross-platform SDKis free.
The "enablers" to use with ADOBE CS 4 apps such as
Dreamweaver, Flash and Flex Builder are here.
Aptana also provides 3rd-party support for Ajax
and AIR.
These AIR apps might also inspire you.
Amazon Reviews
Conclusions
If you don't mind the "Ubiquitous Computing"
scenario and possible eventual control over your own computing experience, then
find out how it is done with this nuts& bolts book.
