So in case some of you are new to using Adobe Flash extensions, let me go over how to install them. First, you need to have the Adobe Extensions Manager software. It’s a very simple little program and it’s free. Now before you rush off and grab a copy, be aware that it is very important to have the right version of the extensions manager for the version of Flash that you are using. Here is the link to download the Adobe Extensions Manager.

Flash extensions are usually packaged in an MXP file (Macromedia eXtensions Package)… at least that’s what I assume it stands for. Makes ya wonder if Adobe ever itends to make in an AXP file? No matter. If you have the Adobe Extensions Manager installed properly, double-clicking the MXP file will install the Flash extension just like that. If the extension is NOT in an MXP file, then you have a little more work cut out for you. If that is the case, you will find yourself with a .JSFL file and any number of other files, depending upon what kind of Flash extension it is. Read the rest of this entry »

So I wrote up a list of the Top 5 features in the upcoming release of Flash CS4 (Deisel). While I have been working on a collection of Flash tools to help productivity, it struck me that there is so much going into the next release of Adobe Flash that it would be nice to gather a list of all the known features. Also, I wanted a quick reference list to which new features are confirmed and which aren’t.

That said, this isn’t going to give much detail on each feature Flash CS4. Also, just in case you have been searching for it, Adobe has given no indication for the Flash CS4 release date. Speculation is that it will be released sometime between August 2008 and March 2009. Anyway, here’s the list:

 
So there’s the list that I have so far. I am constantly poking around out there to find out more of the Flash CS4 features– or to find out when Adobe is ready to sell the sucker. My guess: Adobe MAX 2008, Adobe will announce the product is ready for release. In the meantime, post a comment if I’ve missed one, and I’ll add it to the list.

The Symbol-to-Frames Flash extension, which is the reverse of the Frames-to-Symbol tool I released the day before, is now ready for downloading. As you probably know, I’m doing all this stuff to help Flash designers and developers to save time. Because of that, I am doing a simple demo video up so you can see the Symbol-to-Frames Flash extension before you download it:

Granted, it’s not a complicated concept. The Symbol-to-Frames Flash extension allows you to select a movie-clip instance on your current timeline, and automatically extract all of the contents from that movie-clip instance and place them on the current timeline to exactly match the position of the original instance. It is the reverse of my other tool, the Frames-to-Symbol extension.

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