What do you think of Flash 2004?

**grish** · 11-05-2003, 07:25 PM

good thinking Xample. i returned the product for a refund.

this is what they sent (below). maybe it will be useful for someone else: fyi it took several days for me to get this email, kinda makes you think tech support is busy? whatever. the first part didn't work, the new user stuff. same problems. i tested with cut and paste. i returned the product for a refund, so when i tried the other stuff my serial had been zapped. i reinstalled several times with fresh downloads and on fresh systems. i dont think it is me. all other apps other than macromedia flash mx 2004 pro work great. end of story.

Thank you for contacting Macromedia Technical Support.

I understand that you're encountering several issues with your Flash MX 2004 Professional application. We may need to some troubleshooting with your installation. The first thing I suggest that you try is to do is to try to create a new user with full read and write access rights or administrator rights. Then try to log-in on the new user and test to see if your able to run flash properly.

Now if this doesn't work try to delete the /Library/Preferences/Macrovision folder, restart the application, and reactivate the product. If this does not work, reinstall the product and activate it again.

Now with regard to your timeline and panels issue, try to going to Window>Panel Sets>Default layout. Try to see if your panels now works fine.

I hope this helps. Please be advised that support can only keep incidents open for 24 hours if there is no activity in the support incident. If we do not hear from you within this given time we will assume that the issue is already resolved and will then have to close the support incident, unless you advise us that you will not be able to try the recommended troubleshooting steps for a while.

We're doing this as part of our commitment to make sure we are maximizing our available support resources to resolve your issue as soon as possible.

**cancerinform** · 11-05-2003, 08:41 PM

I think splitting 2004 into two parts regular and pro was not a good idea. I upgraded from MX to regular but now I noticed that I need some features from pro. But I think the price for pro is too high. The pro version upgrade should be $199. In particular I think so since the pro version is for component development and as far as I can see (I dveloped components) this helps MM to improve their products because we do the work and they advertise and gain.

As I pointed out a couple of times I like the new version and it's kind of fun working with it (I am a hobby flasher) but there are too many pitfalls including the two-version-two-price-pitfall.

**CWC-oneshot** · 11-15-2003, 06:19 PM

I am not a flash Guru but I am a professional web guy.
And i just was unimpressed with the 2004. I dont like it I think it is just a "Lets get more developer $$$$ version" I think we would be better off without it. And whats this easy tweening stuff I dont think it was that hard before.
I am learning AS right now and I liked the little novice feature but that seems like it is gone now

peace

**I_am_TheFlasher** · 11-15-2003, 06:27 PM

I downloaded the trial for it, and I just didn't like it too much. I'll still be using MX for a while.

And AS 2.0 is just weird.

**Lifeforce** · 11-21-2003, 02:07 PM

I have been using mx 2004 with a client who is still on mx and he has been having problems with some of the fla files i send him... even after saving as flash mx. Specifically, he can't edit some of the mcs in the library. So my advice... don't use mx 2004 if you're collaberating with someone still using mx.

Oh... and splitting the product into normal and pro was a horrible idea in my opinion. Pro is way too expensive for a freelance developer just starting out like myself... although im not sure there's anything in pro i'd actually need.

**cancerinform** · 11-21-2003, 02:48 PM

The main problems are 1. syntax problems: MX is like explorer and MX2004 is like Mozilla. For example :
myText = new loadvars();//wrong
is fine in MX but in MX2004 it gives an error and is not executed:
myText = new Loadvars();//correct
This means that MX2004 has a very strict code.

A number of MX components will not work with MX2004 any more and have to be replaced by the new components (which are nicer, I have to admit).

**Prototype3X** · 11-21-2003, 02:51 PM

So far so good for me!

**clot** · 11-24-2003, 01:13 AM

Flash MX 2004 is a complete and utter piece of crap. I don't even know where to begin.

Performance and overall responsiveness is terrible compared to MX.

Usability has been thrown out the window - things like saveas 2004 are really stupid.

AS2.0 - huh? This is better how?

This is one rotten egg. I've reverted back to MX and won't be buying any upgrades. Unless Macromedia gets their game together, I will stick with MX 'forever'.

**cadwallader** · 11-25-2003, 08:39 AM

I always get annoyed when they update stuff - they seem to have a habit of making completely random, arbitrary changes to stuff and then sometimes even changing it back in the next update. If it ain't broke don't fix it!

And there are still things that have bugged me since like, flash 4, which never get addressed. For instance why does the snapping still not work properly when editing in place? Why can't you use tabs in text boxes? Why can't you create gradients along a user defined curved line as well as just straight and radial gradients? eh? eh? Why can't you set the tab order of interface elements? (ok maybe they fixed that now I havent checked). How about some more shape tools other than squares and circles - stars and spirals would be a great help (in the mean time if you need a star shape - top tip - in older versions of MS word you can copy and paste their autoshapes - stars and banners etc. straight into flash as vector shapes - newer versions of word paste in bitmaps instead)

Also, I HATE the new guide things that appear when you're dragging stuff around. Can someone tell me if/how you can turn this off? If I want snapping on I'll turn it on, stop forcing me put things where I don't want them!

(edit) I also noticed that text is now appearing a pixel or so off from where it actually appears in the swf file so you have to move it to compensate.

**phacker** · 11-26-2003, 04:33 PM

cadwallader,

If they had instituted some of your recommendations I would have bought it. But from everything I've read about the product activation and the removal of "normal" mode scripting. I chose to take a pass.

If they had done some of these:

"Why can't you create gradients along a user defined curved line as well as just straight and radial gradients? eh? eh? Why can't you set the tab order of interface elements? (ok maybe they fixed that now I havent checked). How about some more shape tools other than squares and circles - stars and spirals would be a great help..."

I would have bought it in a heart beat, without product activation screwing with hidden sectors of my hard drive. I've purchased four versions of Flash, but I'll be sticking with MX until they get their stuff together.

**FPChris** · 11-26-2003, 04:53 PM

I'd love to see a skeletal bone system like in MoHo.

**phacker** · 11-26-2003, 08:41 PM

The guys at Macromedia should read this article from AWN. This is just the last page, but with Flash being used for broadcast media I would think they should look at improving those tools. Several of the people interviewed found nothing of interest for them in this new version.

http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=p...no=1930&page=7

**MonsterEater** · 11-27-2003, 02:15 PM

I know it sounds quite unpro, but - I just figured out MX, what the hell a 2004 version is good for... ?

But that's technology, eh? Bigger, better, faster, more. (sigh)

**whispers** · 11-29-2003, 04:31 PM

This was pretty much the only thread I saw concerning MX 2004 / MX 2004 Pro..so I am gonna post here in hopes of some help/insight.

OK...the two problems I am experiencing with MX 2004 Pro is the following...these may be known bugs/issues or just settings...(in which I case i dont about either one)

One I have a move clip on the stage...and I got into it and copy a part of a graphics or putline of something..and I try to go and aste it back into the root or parent (or vise versa actually)the "scale" is always off? It is always bigger or smaller than it should be... can anyone tell why this is?..or a way to fix it?

Secondly.... I am a big fan of using the arrow keys to move objects around..in MX 2004 I se when i use the arrow keys to move a movie clip or something...it doesnt move in increments of 1 pixel like in FLASH 5. Is there a way to fix ths as well? THANKS

-whispers-

p.s. Update:

another question

if you make a tween (shape) that is 50 frames long..how do you NOW edit the last key frame so it only lasts say 35 frames? In FLASH 5 you used to be able to drag the keyframe along the time line...and the "tweened" frames wold adjust..how do you do it now?

**phacker** · 11-29-2003, 04:37 PM

It probably depends on your graphics card. My computer is getting pretty long in the tooth, another reason I didn't upgrade. Maybe I'll have a new computer when they come up with the next version, but for what they were offering it wasn't worth it. With all the reported bugs.

**problems4me** · 11-29-2003, 11:20 PM

argh!

Why is there only an expert mode in AS coding? - This is annoying me, when I am making a simple movie it is taking much longer than with MX, especially with tell targets etc...

I think I may go back to MX

or learn to code...

hmmm

**whispers** · 11-29-2003, 11:25 PM

I agree..the EXPERT only mode for AS is very uch a pain for me as well.

Simple things like setting a variable and AL button actions are completely lost to me.....take me forever to add actions to a button now..unless I actually "code" them out...(which I am not good at syntax) =( very unhappy..very! =(

-whispers-

If anyoen knows any tips on my problems...I welcome any response! =)

**whispers** · 11-29-2003, 11:29 PM

And another problem...

whenever I open MX 2004 Pro now..i get the error message "Error Downloading Help Content"

what the F*CK is that about now? Im not a happy camper with thie 2004 release...at all! >=(

Makeing the jump from FLASH 5 is proving to more difficult than first expected..

-whispers-

**fospher.com** · 11-30-2003, 05:05 AM

Originally posted by whispers
I agree..the EXPERT only mode for AS is very uch a pain for me as well.

Simple things like setting a variable and AL button actions are completely lost to me.....take me forever to add actions to a button now..unless I actually "code" them out...(which I am not good at syntax) =( very unhappy..very! =(

-whispers-

If anyoen knows any tips on my problems...I welcome any response! =)

I suggest both the 'hint' and that one 'summarize' or 'fix' buttons(whatever they're called, sorry - PWD) - but I can see how you feel - guessing you're not a developer.

Sorry - but that was the engineer's goal in fmx2k4 - if you read the MM quotes - to teach designers to be more like developers. Flash 5 was definetly much more stable than both the old mx and the new. MX is a swarm of bugs left and right.

**problems4me** · 11-30-2003, 08:34 AM

I had no problem with MX at all, quite different to 5 when I first used it, but had a little session of just finding where everything was, and how to implement everything at it was fine...

now I can't do the simplest of things, I get actionscript errors when all I am trying to do is define a variable... I can't set up simple little scripts that used to take seconds

Why did they bother taking out normal mode!?

W.

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