Adobe® Flash Professional CS5.5
By Howard Berenbon
In November 2010, I reviewed Adobe Flash Professional CS5 which is one of several applications within Adobe Master Collection CS5 and updated along with most of the Adobe Creative Suite products from CS4 the year before. Early this year, Adobe introduced more improvements in their product line with an update to CS5.5 including Adobe Flash Professional 5.5. In fact, some of the new features and improvements were added because users requested them. Obviously, Adobe listens to their audience of creative professionals, and they deliver.
Adobe Flash Professional has been the choice application for developing 2D and 3D animation for publishing online, on your desktop or for mobile devices, in the SWF format (also known as “shock wave flash”). Flash Professional CS5.5 is Adobe’s newest edition with enhancements and improvements over CS5.
The Main Menu
The Flash Professional CS5.5 main menu is identical to Flash Professional CS5. At the very top you’ll find the File, Edit, Commands, Window, Help and Essentials menus plus the CS Live button (for instant access to the world for online help). On the far right you’ll find the Properties and Library panels. You can Create from Template or Open a Recent Item through the Open folder, create a new file in various formats including Flash ActionScript 3.0, ActionScript 2.0, AIR and AIR for Android and AIR for iOS (both new), Flash Lite 4, ActionScript File, Flash JavaScript File, Flash Project, ActionScript 3.0 Class and ActionScript 3.0 Interface. Below this column you can access Flash Exchange online. To the right of Create New is a column labeled Learn with various important online tutorials and a link to the very important resource, Adobe TV. You also have links Getting Started, New Features and Developers. And below these links you’ll see the Timeline and Motion Editor panels.
If you’re new to Flash Professional CS5.5 you can start with their some of the simple tutorials from Adobe.com to get a feel for developing animation. I happen to like Adobe TV because it’s a great place to start for any level, beginners to advanced. Visit Adobe TV for Flash at http://tv.adobe.com/product/flash/.
Here’s What New and Improved in Flash CS5.5
Simplify Multiple Device Support
Simplify the creation of immersive experiences that are presented consistently across desktops, smartphones, tablets, and televisions with Adobe® Flash® Professional CS5.5 software. Efficiently create content that targets multiple devices.
Android and iOS Devices Support
Reach audiences on the latest Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR® runtimes and on Android™ and iOS devices.
Efficient workflows for mobile development
Manage FLA project files that target multiple devices. Share code and assets across documents and device targets to efficiently create, test, package, and deploy content for a wide range of screens and devices.
Content scaling when resizing stage
Save time when sharing symbols and motion paths across documents that are optimized for different screen sizes.
Enhanced layer control
Preserve important document structure when copying layers across multiple files and projects.
Symbol rasterization and improved performance
Use new tooling options, on-stage symbol rasterization, and the Property Inspector to improve CPU, battery, and rendering performance on mobile devices.
Enhanced code snippets handling
Use the new pick whip to preview and visually add more than 20 new code snippets, including ones for creating mobile and AIR applications, use of the accelerometer, and multitouch gestures.
Streamlined Publish Settings dialog box
Publish content quickly and more efficiently with a redesigned Publish Settings dialog box.
Inverse kinematics pinning support
Lock inverse kinematics bones to the stage and set stage level movement restrictions to selected bones. Create multiple spans per layer, and define more complex movement of armatures, such as walk cycles.
Auto-save and file recovery
Ensure consistency and integrity of your files, even after computer crashes or power outages.
Incremental compilation
Use asset caching to reduce the compile time of documents that use embedded fonts and sound files, and deploy rich content faster.
Customer-inspired enhancements
Benefit from numerous user-requested improvements, including improved controls for the Text Layout Framework.
Seamless mobile testing
Perform source-level debugging on Adobe AIR enabled devices that are connected with a USB cable, running content directly on the device.
Flash Builder integration
Create and open projects in either Adobe Flash® Professional or Flash Builder™. Roundtrip code and synchronize project settings between both applications.
Adobe Flash Professional CS5.5, IBM PC version, sells for $592 (upgrade for $119) and is available for the IBM PC or compatible with an Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64 processor with Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 3; Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise with Service Pack 1; or Windows 7, 1 GB RAM, 1024 x 768 display with 16-bit video card , 3.5 GB Hard Disk space and DVD-ROM drive and QuickTime 7.6.2 required for multimedia features. Also available for the Mac OS with an Intel processor, Mac OS X v10.5.7 or v10.6, 1 GB RAM, 2GB hard disk space, 1024x768 monitor resolution, 16-bit video card, DVD-ROM drive and QuickTime 7.6.2 required for multimedia features. For more information, or to order, visit Amazon.com.
Software Companies Mentioned
Adobe Systems Incorporated
345 Park Ave
San Jose, CA 95110-2704
URL: www.adobe.com
800-833-6687
