Flash MX [OLD VERSION]

Other products by Macromedia

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000063V0V
• Date first available at Amazon.com: March 14, 2002
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,031 in Software (See Bestsellers in Software)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #42 in	Software > Web Development > Web Effects > Animation
  #70 in	Software > Graphics > Animation

• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Since Macromedia launched Flash in 1996, it has grown into the de facto standard for development and delivery of high-impact, visually rich, interactive Web content. Flash MX promises a similar generational shift to the one experienced when Flash 5's enhanced ActionScript introduced an unprecedented degree of interactivity to the Web.

The most exciting new features in this version are those aimed at e-content developers and programmers. Integration with application servers such as ColdFusion MX and Microsoft's .NET and Internet protocols like HTML, WebTV, and WAP make it possible to deliver Flash content to a range of platforms--from PCs to PlayStations to mobile phones.

But Flash MX also offers plenty to those who aren't part of a large team of designers and programmers developing corporate sites. Novice users can take advantage of a range of prebuilt, customizable components, including scroll bars, buttons, list and combo boxes, and QuickStart templates for presentations, photo albums, ads, and more, making it possible to achieve great results quickly.

The Flash MX interface is now consistent with Dreamweaver and Fireworks. Nested layer folders and improved cursor feedback for frame adjustment make the timeline more manageable, and the context-sensitive properties panel and collapsing, dockable panels reduce screen clutter considerably. Vector drawing tools, one of Flash's weaknesses, have been largely overlooked, but there is a new Free Transform tool, which combines rotate, scale, and skew options. Video, another Flash weak spot, has fared much better with the inclusion of the Sorensen Spark video codec. Users can import a variety of formats, including MPEG, DV, and QuickTime. In addition, users can animate and script AVI and video clip objects in the same way as bit maps, even using them on a mask layer.

Flash MX is backwards-compatible with version 5 (meaning users can publish version 5 SWF files, although MX SWF files require the MX player), removing the only argument for not upgrading. Those not yet convinced of the merits of Flash need only look around. --Ken McMahon

Amazon.com Product Description

Macromedia Flash MX is a software solution for developing rich Internet content and applications. The video, multimedia, and application development features allow users to create user interfaces, online advertising, e-learning courses, and enterprise application front-ends. Flash MX has a customizable, intuitive user interface with such features as panel layout, accelerator keys, and publish settings.

Timeline enhancements such as folders for organizing and accessing layered content, improved cursor feedback, and the ability to resize, cut, and paste multiple frames make it easier to use. The Property Inspector shows only relevant, context-sensitive settings when you work with tools and objects, reducing the number of panels open at any time. Select multiple objects and use the Distribute to Layers command to automatically distribute the objects to their respective layers. The new layers will be named based on the content selected.

New quick-start templates allow you to create professional-looking presentations, photo albums, advertisements, and e-learning content. Other new features include video support for any standard video file supported by QuickTime or Windows Media Player, Color Mixer enhancements, a Free Transform tool, and pixel-level snapping control. Flash MX also features a customizable ActionScript editing environment with customizable text display properties, syntax coloring, and toolbox panel content.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Host of new tools makes this indispensable, April 1, 2002

By	A. Bagchee "Tech Snob" (NY, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Since this is a upgrade version let me talk for experienced flash users - Macromedia seems to have taken a few right steps in integrating Flash MX with its other products like Dreamweaver Ultradev and Cold Fusion Server MX (acquired from Allaire). Even though Cold Fusion MX is at a beta 3 stage right now, its easy to see some of the powerful multimedia features being integrated into the Macromedia products based on that.

Some of the best new changes in Flash MX that warrant an upgrade are:

1. ActionScript, the scripting language that powers Flash interactivity, is now easier to write and analyze. Flash MX has a fully functional script editor with features similar to those found in its other programs like Dreamweaver, Cold Fusion Studio, and HomeSite. The editor helps both experienced and beginning programmers write valid ActionScript by providing code-hinting, auto-formatting, and search-and-replace functions. Flash MX also contains a complete debugger.

2. For the first time Flash is offering a collection of templates to simplify the production of standard Web documents such as ads, slide shows, and tutorials. In addition, the templates are smart; for example, a photo album template includes all the programming necessary for a photo slideshow.

3. A lot of UI components, like scroll bars, check boxes, and list boxes, that previously had to be laboriously created, are now included in Flash MX. The appropriate behaviors are built into these objects, so adding functional interface elements to an application is a simple drag-and-drop operation.

3. One of the biggest changes in Flash MX is the integration of video. The integrated video support, provided by the Sorenson Spark codec, can import standard video formats, such as AVI, MPEG, or QuickTime, and convert them to a streaming format that is displayed natively by the Flash MX player. The import filter can also resize the video or sync the frame rate to the Flash movie when converting a file.

4. Flash MX also provides a powerful tool to modify vector shapes. Flash's Free Transform tool is similar to the Free Transform tools found in standard illustration programs like FreeHand and Illustrator. The program lets you rotate, size, skew, and distort objects. A special bounding box-called an envelope-lets you manipulate an object's shape using control points and tangent handles. This kind of makes me wonder what it'll do to the already overpriced Macromedia Freehand software.

5. A lot of changes have been made to animation processes to make it more efficient. The import filter for Fireworks PNG files now intelligently preserves text and vector shapes which will make life a lot easier! Headline animations are easier to update, because Flash now maintains individual characters as editable text rather than as nontext vector shapes.

6. Some changes have changed the visual appearance of Flash MX workspace. Now you can dock and collapse palettes, and you have the ability to define and switch between different palette configurations like developer, designer etc. to optimize the workspace for design or coding. Layers can be organized into folders. The new Properties Inspector offers an easy way to change an object's basic attributes quickly.

7. The Library function has also been improved by allowing sharing of symbols between documents. Flash automatically tracks the original location of each symbol and auto-updates all instances in all documents if the original is modified!

As I mentioned, Macromedia seems to be moving towards integrating their other products. As a result, some powerful new features in Flash MX await the development of other products in the MX line. Macromedia has already announced Flash Server Solutions, which will consist of a gateway and a communications server. The latter will allow developers to add real-time messaging as well as two-way audio and video to Flash applications.

I think upgrading to the new version is not even a question!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent! What an improvement over other versions., March 19, 2002

By A Customer

Flash MX is a big improvement over previous versions by adding predesigned components for scrollbars, check box, and radio buttons. Macromedia took out the headache out of learning actionscript code to do these basic functions. Plus the way the interface looks with its docked panels and acts more like other Macromedia programs (the properties panel in particular) make it much more comfortable and easier to use.

Flash MX is a definte winner!

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Keeps Getting Better!, April 2, 2002

By	Robert D. Shull "shullrd" (Fairfield, OH) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I used Flash 5, and loved it! I heard about Flash MX, read several reviews (all positive), and decided to try it out. I don't regret my decision for a second.

Flash MX is a great improvement over Flash 5 in many categories: design, usability, and power. Flash MX has been made much easier for the beginner to use, automating such things as scroll bar creation and button making. It retains incredible power, however, for the more advanced user. The interface has been made to look more like other Macromedia (and coincidentally Adobe) products, and navigation around the program is incredible! The product has the power to animate beyond your wildest dreams.

Complicated animation becomes a breeze with Flash MX. You can cause your objects to morph into other objects, create motion trails, and much more with as few as two frames (Flash creates the rest). This is useful for rapidly creating animations, as well as enabling beginners to create animation.

The learning curve for Flash can be steep, so I recommend you purchase a book for learning this program, but once you have learned a few basics you can easily animate.

The other program, which does essentially the same thing, is Adobe LiveMotion. This program is a bit cheaper, but lacks the power of Flash MX. If you are looking to create webpages, animation, or web applications, Flash MX is the tool of choice. Try it, you will love it!