C
HAPTER
3: Creating a Flash UI for Plug-ins
Delivering a plug-in with a Flash UI
34
3.
Copy the build result,
FreeGrid.aip
to the Adobe Illustrator CS5 plug-ins folder. See
“Where plug-ins
live” on page 10
.
Build the Flash extension
The build result for FreeGridUI is provided as an extension package file,
SDK_root
\samplecode\FreeGridUI\output\FreeGridUI.zxp
.
You can use Creative Suite IDE to build it yourself:
1.
In the IDE, choose
File > Import > Flash Builder > Flash Builder Project
.\
2.
Select "Project folder" and browse to
SDK_root
\samplecode\FreeGridUI
.
3.
Click
Finish
to import the project.
4.
Build the project.
In order to distribute your Creative Suite extension, you must package it and sign it so that users can install
it in their Creative Suite applications using the Extension Manager. The Adobe Creative Suite SDK provides
an Export wizard to help you do this from Flash Builder.
5.
To export the build result as an extension package, choose
File > Export > Adobe Creative Suite
Extension Builder > Creative Suite Extension
.
The extension package contains all the files used by the extension, and a signature that ensures the
files have not changed.
The Adobe Creative Suite SDK allows you to debug your extension during development, before you
actually package and install the extension. To do this, you must enable debugging in the operating
system, use Flash Builder to debug the extension while it is running in the host application, then check the
various logs for warnings and errors.
See documentation in the Creative Suite SDK for complete details of how to develop and debug an
extension.
Install the extension
Use Adobe Extension Manager to install the extension package. This tool is included with all
Creative Suite 5 applications, and is installed at the same time as Illustrator; you can also launch it from the
Start menu in Windows or the Applications folder in Mac OS.
To install the FreeGridUI extension:
1.
Double click the
FreeGridUI.zxp
package file. This launches Extension Manager and starts the
installation process.
2.
Accept the Extension disclaimer.
3.
If the certificate does not belong to Adobe or a verified company, you are warned that the publisher
cannot be verified. Click OK to proceed with the installation.
4.
When the installation is complete, check that the FreeGridUI extension appears under Illustrator.
