Adobe AIR Bible [Paperback]

Benjamin Gorton (Author), Ryan Taylor (Author), Jeff Yamada (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0470284684 | ISBN-13: 978-0470284681 | Publication Date: October 6, 2008 | Edition: 1

Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR) lets you use scripting languages you already know and frees you from the dull parts of development—so you can focus on creating exciting and cost-saving application user interfaces using Flash, Flex, and JavaScript. Find all the tips, techniques, and best practices you need to succeed in this comprehensive reference, including installing AIR across Windows, Mac, or Linux; learning AIR programming, development, and debugging essentials; and much more.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Breathe new life into your desktop applications with AIR

Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR) lets you use scripting languages you already know and frees you from the dull parts of development—so you can focus on creating exciting and cost-saving application user interfaces using Flash, Flex, and JavaScript. Find all the tips, techniques, and best practices you need to succeed in this comprehensive reference.

• Install AIR across Windows®, Mac®, and Linux®

• Get up to speed on the development tools: JavaScript®, Ajax, Flash®, Flex®, and HTML

• Learn AIR programming, development, and debugging essentials

• Build a large-scale application and follow best practices

• Add windows, dock icons, and dynamic icons

• Leverage Ant to automate your build process

• Distribute your application with polished finishing touches

Companion Web SiteThe companion Web site, www.airbible.org, contains the book's source files as well as a blog in which the authors share additional articles, updates, and resources for AIR development. The site is also a place where readers may post questions and provide the authors with feedback.

About the Author

Benjamin Gorton has been developing software for the desktop and the Web for over 10 years. For the past seven years, he has been working in Flash and ActionScript, doing projects for such companies as Disney, MTV, Neopets, and Sandisk. He currently resides in Los Angeles, where he works as a Senior Software Developer for Schematic.

Ryan Taylor is an award-winning artist and programmer specializing in object-oriented architecture, CGI mathematics/programming, as well as both static and motion design. Ryan, 25, has already landed his name in the credits of the #1 and #5 all-time best selling video game titles, written for multiple books, and established himself as an all-around leader in the digital arts community. Currently, Ryan serves as a senior developer on the Multimedia Platforms Group at Schematic. He also works as an independent contractor, offering his expertise to top companies and agencies all over the world.

Jeff Yamada lives with his wife AmyLynn and son Jackson in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he is currently a Senior Interactive Developer at the award-winning RED Interactive Agency. Jeff specializes in the architecture and development of immersive branded Flash experiences, rich Internet applications, and of course, AIR applications. As both a designer and developer, Jeff has spent the last ten years freelancing, consulting, and working for the University of Washington, Microsoft, Avenue A | Razorfish, Schematic, and Nintendo. Jeff contributes to the open-source community and shares his thoughts and ideas with the world at http://blog.jeffyamada.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (October 6, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470284684
• ISBN-13: 978-0470284681
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,246,972 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > Computers & Technology > Programming > Cross-platform Development

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must have for Air programming., September 30, 2008

By 

Corey Schuman "cjschuman" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Adobe AIR Bible (Paperback)

I've been looking for a solid Air book, and the Bible series delivers once again. So far, i like the fact the book goes beyond the framework and gives incite into application development and best practices. An added bonus is the chapter on automation using ANT.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Full of code errors, and companion site is abandoned and infected with malware as of November 2010, December 22, 2010

By 

R Brown (Texas, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Adobe AIR Bible (Paperback)

I liked how thin this book was when I picked it up, as the concept seems to be to give a concise tour of the AIR API that the reader can work through without the "what have I gotten myself into" feeling you get with 1000+ page tomes. Unfortunately, the editors have completely fallen down on the job. The code samples are chock full of errors - it is clear they were not so much as compiled to flush out basic problems with capitalization, variable names, etc. Part of the reason to spend money on a computer book is to pay someone else to assemble a coherent set of working examples for you, so that you don't have to spend your time cobbling together and error-checking what you can for free from random sources around the web. Editors who can't be bothered with covering the basics don't deserve the money for a book.

What's more important to readers of this review, however, is that the companion site for the book was apparently never even populated with errata, and was abandoned shortly after creation. I went there to check for errata, and found that the comments section of the site had been heavily spammed, and apparently a successful code injection attack has infected the site with malware. Shortly after visiting the site, I got a suspicious system tray pop-up from a program calling itself "Antivirus Action" that was able to install itself and render my system useless. This happened with up-to-date OS patches and antivirus software on my system. The rest of my evening was then wasted researching this malware on another one of my computers until I found a removal procedure involving the joys of safe booting and registry editing. "Antivirus Action" is apparently a malicious fake antivirus program that prompts the user to "upgrade" to a paid version with ominous sounding warnings and an inability to start any other programs, and which is in fact a trojan.

So, in summary, unless you don't care about running any of the code examples, don't bother with this book. It was a nice idea, that was completely botched with editorial laziness, and a less than half-hearted effort at a companion site.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Frustrating Examples, Not for Flash, October 1, 2009

By 

Steven Sturman - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Adobe AIR Bible (Paperback)

The book provides a good overview of the Air framework and some helpful advice in how to structure and think about developing a complicated application in Air. There are however several large shortcomings. As someone else stated, the book is described as being for both flash and flex, however all of the major coding examples are done in flex and not in flash, so if you are not familiar with both you will have a hard time figuring out the examples if you are a flash user. Also there are problems with the examples in the book. There are mistakes in the sample code, and the sample code in the descriptions does not match up with the full code when they pull it all together (example in chapter 8 there is a simple text editor which instructs you on the use of accessing the file system. You go through step by step with a description of the code you are writing, in step 8.15 it tells you to type in one thing, then at the end of the chapter in 8.23 you get the full code as it is supposed to be when done, and the code is different.). I even went to the website to download the sample files, so I could see which one was correct, but the sample files for this chapter were not there, all the other ones were though. There is nothing more frustrating than when you are trying to learn a new aspect of programming, then being given examples that don't work in the first place. Since accessing the file system is the major reason for using air, instead of just flash or flex on its own, the book really is lacking. I would not recommend purchasing it if you are planning on using it for flash, if you are using it for flex, you will probably be fine, but be aware up front, that there are mistakes in some of the example code.