Flex Builder 2 and Flash Authoring CS3 on OS X

Posted by Luke Bayes Fri, 27 Apr 2007 20:44:00 GMT

Is it just me? or is this a strange decision?

After installing CS3, debugging in Flex Builder suddenly launches Flash Authoring and stops sending trace output to Eclipse.

Ali and I went down to the Apple store during lunch and picked up our shrink-wrapped copies of CS3 Web Premium. We also purchased full versions of Flex Builder some time ago as we’re trying to make sure to support Adobe’s efforts.

While we definitely get value out of this software (it is our career and all), it’s pretty painful to part with over $5,000 for licenses over just a few months – knowing that if we decide to switch back to Windows, we’ll have to pay that entire amount all over again. (cross-platform license anyone?)

After about 10 minutes of panicked cursing, I realized that Flash Authoring CS3 registered itself as the application that executes SWF files on this system. WTF? Somehow this registration was actually kind of subtle because if I double-click swfs, they still open with the debug player.

I found and installed the Flex Builder patch mentioned here with no change in the behavior. (Btw, what kind of installation process is that!?)

Another great thing about this switch to OS X, is that registering a handler for files by type isn’t exactly as clear as one might expect. In windows, you just right-click and choose “Open With”, and then check the “always” check box.

In Mac, you get a very similar menu option, but it only affects the particular file that you’ve selected, if you want to modify this setting for all files of that type, you have to find a SWF, hit “CMD+i” or right-click and “Get Info”. In the pop up, there is a section called “open with” where you can choose the application and check that little box.

Hope this saves someone else the heart attack. I can’t imagine what I would do if Flash Authoring had to be launched in order for me to run a SWF file!