Written by members of the Apollo product team, this is the official guide to the Alpha release of Adobe Apollo, the new cross platform desktop runtime from Adobe Labs.
Apollo for Adobe Flex Developers Pocket Guide explains how to build and deploy Flash-based Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) to the desktop using Adobe's Flex framework. This book describes concisely how Apollo works, and offers numerous examples for those who want to start building RIAs for the desktop right away.
Why put RIAs on the desktop? They're already supposed to offer the responsiveness of desktop programs. Unfortunately, web browsers were designed to deliver and display HTML-based documents, not applications. The conflict between document- and application-focused functionality creates several problems when deploying applications via the browser.
Adobe Apollo gives you the best of both worlds -- the web development model and true desktop functionality. This pocket guide explains how to:
Set up your development environment
Create your first application
Use the File I/O API
Use HTML within Flex-based Apollo applications
Use the included Apollo mini-cookbook for common tasks
The book also includes a guide to Apollo packages, classes, and command-line tools. Once you understand the basics of building a Flex-based Apollo application, this pocket guide makes an ideal reference for tackling specific problems.
Adobe Developer Library is a co-publishing partnership between O'Reilly Media and Adobe Systems, Inc. and is designed to produce the number one information resources for developers who use Adobe technologies. Created in 2006, the Adobe Developer Library is the official source for comprehensive learning solutions to help developers create expressive and interactive web applications that can reach virtually anyone on any platform. With top-notch books and innovative online resources covering the latest in rich Internet application development, the Adobe Developer Library offers expert training and in-depth resources, straight from the source.
Chapter 1 Introduction to Apollo
A Short History of Web Applications
Problems with Delivering Applications via the Browser
Introducing the Apollo Runtime
Primary Apollo Technologies
Chapter 2 Getting Started with Apollo Development
Installing the Apollo Alpha 1 Runtime
What You Need in Order to Develop Apollo Applications
Building a Sample Apollo Application
Next Steps
Chapter 3 Using HTML Within Flex-Based Apollo Applications
HTML Support in Apollo
Using the Flex HTML Component
Using the HTMLControl Class
Script Bridging: Communicating Between ActionScript and JavaScript
Mike Chambers has spent the last 8 years building applications that target the Flash runtime. During that time, he has worked with numerous technologies including Flash, Generator, .NET, Central, Flex, and Ajax. He is currently the senior product manager for developer relations for Apollo.
Rob Dixon began developing Flash applications in 1998, back when Rich Internet Applications weren't nearly as well off. He is presently the Content Architect for the Platform Documentation group at Adobe.
Jeff Swartz first worked at Macromedia (now Adobe Systems) in 1992 and has participated in a number of multimedia and web software projects. He is currently the lead technical writer for the Apollo project.
Comments about oreilly Apollo for Adobe Flex Developers Pocket Guide:
Just to make sure everyone is aware of the fact that Flex developers can grab the same PDF version, as offered by O'Reilly for free, on the Adobe Labs at http://labs.adobe.com/wiki/index.php/Apollo:Books.
3/20/2007
(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)
4.0
Fully loaded
By Pradeep Peethambaram
from Undisclosed
Comments about oreilly Apollo for Adobe Flex Developers Pocket Guide:
On the first read, what I felt is that this pocket sized hundred and few paged book(let) is a sneaky gateway into a new era of applications that are going to turn the world around just like how Flash did. Well-structured, upto the point and a great job by Mike, Rob and Jeff. With just the alpha release out as of today (03/20/2007), the book cannot be considered 100% complete, but I recommend all wannabe desktop RIA developers read this manual.
