Wes Leonardo
Flash Platform Engineer

What will this cover?
• Getting Started with Adobe AIR
• Differences between AIR and Web apps.
• AIR Features with examples
• Some Best Practices
• Demos/Inspiration
• Resources
• Q&A

What is AIR?
• Adobe Integrated Runtime
• Build AIR applications from Flex, Flash and Dreamweaver
• AIR applications can be HTML, JavaScript or Flash
• Distribute across different operating systems Win/Mac

Developer Role

Developer Role

Developer Role

Developer Role

Getting Started
- In Flex Builder, Create a New Flex Project and select Desktop application
- Root tag of the application will be WindowedApplication

Application Descriptor File
• Located in the root directory
• Set the Application ID
• Set Desktop & System Tray Icons
• Set Application Version

Web vs. Desktop
• Storing Information
– Web: Database on a Server
– Desktop: Local Database SQLite
• Connection
– Web: Web Site Uptime
– Desktop: Mostly Local – Socket Connection

SQLite Integration
• Check/Create DB file
• Setup/Open SQL connection
• Create Tables
• Asynchronous/Synchronous
• Insert, Update, Delete SQL statements

Socket Connections
• Application is online/offline
• Connections to Sockets are open
• Detect Network Status

Custom Chrome
• Branding
• Custom Application Border
• Circle
• Custom Shapes
• Chrome Transparent
• Drop Shadows

Local File Access
• Create, Open, Read, and or Write Files
• Create Directories
• Get Contents of a Directory
• Asynchronous/Synchronous

Updating Your AIR App
• AIR Update Framework
• Check for updates on your server
• Access to Update Process

Best Practices
• Don’t annoy your users
• Never use Always In Front
• Custom chrome - add close, minimize buttons
• Avoid full screen applications
• Give the user options

Demos

Resources
Blog
http://developer.ribbit.com/blog
AIR 1.5 Documentation
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/AIR/1.5/devappsflex/
AIR Team Blog
http://wwblogs.adobe.com/air/