FLASH CS3
User Guide
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Uploads everything to the server.
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Creates a clear structure for the project, and communicates how it works and where to add additional assets (such
as class and image files) to everyone who is working on the application.
Authoring projects
Authors on a Flash project do not change the project root, directory structure of the project, or the site. This includes
adding, removing, or changing subdirectory names, or adding additional subdirectories to the project on their local
computer. If individual authors change the site or project structure, the local files are out of sync with those on the
server. This causes problems in the application, such as class path and missing file errors, and so on. Individual
authors can copy assets to the subdirectory files that the project’s administrator creates.
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Each author on a Flash project selects File > Open from Site, selects the name of the site, and then selects the
project’s FLP file.
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The author updates the project with any missing files. This ensures that the author is working with the latest
version of the site.
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When the author selects Yes, all the project files download to the author’s local computer, so the structure on the
local computer matches the structure on the server.
Changing structure
When the project’s structure needs to be changed, authors check in all their files. The project’s administrator checks
out all the files to make any necessary changes. After this is done, each person working on the project deletes the root
folder of their own local copy of the project. To avoid accidentally using legacy files, each author uses File > Open
from Site to download a new copy of the site. This process helps prevent accidentally using legacy files, and reduces
similar versioning problems.
Flash application authoring guidelines
About Flash application guidelines
The best way to create Flash applications depends on the application you create and the technology that you are using
to build the application.
An online application lets a user influence a website by interacting with it. For example, the application might collect
information from the user (such as a username and password for a registration), information might be added to the
site (such as in a forum), or the user might interact in real time with other site visitors (such as a chat room or inter-
active white board). Results from the server often appear in the SWF file, depending on the interaction. These
examples are applications that involve the user and different kinds of server interaction. A website that does not use
visitor information or data is not an application (for example, a portfolio, cartoon animation, or static informational
site). Flash applications involve an interactive process between the user, a web application, and a server. The basic
process is as follows:
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A user enters information into a SWF file.
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The information is converted into data.
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The data is formatted and sent to a web server.
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The data is collected by the web server and sent to an application server (for example, ColdFusion, PHP, or ASP).
