Visual C# -> JSFL -> Flash

I’ve been thinking of this concept for a long time. Here’s the basic idea:

1. Create a C# program that gets some user input.
2. Based on the user input, it writes a JSFL file.
3. It then calls that JSFL file as a process.
4. The JSFL file opens Flash if it’s not alreay open, and executes its commands on the IDE or any documents therein.

It’s actually a pretty simple idea, I just never got around to executing it in the real world. Well, finally did this morning. Here’s the result:

The Flash Tool Bar

You’ll need .net installed. It’s a single exe. Creates a floating tool bar with five buttons and check boxes. Clicking a button will publish the corresponding open document in the Flash IDE. If the check box is selected, it will do a test movie instead. Note that it will create a “publish.jsfl” file in the same directory as the exe when it runs.

This came from a need I sometimes have when developing complex products that consist of sevaral swfs that load each other. I might have several open in the IDE at once and sometimes need to publish one to update it, and then test another one that loads the first one in. With this, I can set one to publish and the other to test and just click, click and be done with it.

It’s a pretty simple program, but it opens up some cool possibilities. Next up I am going to see if I can capture return values from the JSFL. With this I could say, use JSFL to grab the names of the items on stage or in the library, and display them in the exe, manipulate them and then call another JSFL file to change them.