[disc] Desktop exe compilers

[slight]

OK, this isn't exactly a game, but I figure you guys are the most likely to know the answer. I want to make a simple desktop egg timer exe in flash.

There are lots of swf 2 exe type converter programs out there, and I'm having trouble finding the right one, going through feature lists, downloading trials etc.

What I am looking for - hopefully something that is cheap, free, or has an uncrippled trial with no splash screen, but mostly one that supports basic windows functions.

Here's my wish list:
- Change the contents of the title bar on the fly, so that it updates the taskbar title when minimized.
- Remove maximize button from title bar, or remove title bar & window frame entirely.
- Disable manual window resize &/or control window size in code
- transparency

Basically, I want to make a desktop widget sort of thing that behaves like winamp in many ways, as far as it's interactions with windows.

So, anyone know of a swf to exe tool that allows this?

[iopred]

I mentioned it, but AIR is there, I don't think you can change the taskbar, but you can do everything else.

Otherwise check out Zinc, it's a little expensive but it lets you do just about anything.

[slight]

But the task bar, it is the most important thing! thanks, I'll look at zinc as well. I figure it is such a simple thing, one of them must have window title implemented as an fscommand.

[lesli_felix]

zinc is the best one, but I don't think it can change the window toolbar. There's a way of making sure you only have one instance of your app running by looking at all the other windows open and making sure none of them have the same name, so that wouldn't work if it was dynamic.

Apart from that I can wholly recommend zinc, its the best of the bunch.

Why don't you make a borderless movie and build you own title bar, that way you have complete control over it.

[xMCNUGGETx]

If you don't mind making sure users have the flash activex control you can always write your own .exe wrapper in some other language as well. From the things you need it doesn't look to be a very complicated project.

[slight]

Yeah, the project is tiny, and not worth shelling out $300 for, or more.
So far zinc and swf studio seem to be the best. zinc allows you to change the title bar via their mdm script.

Thing is, as a game developer there is no way I'd purchase a wrapper that can't change screenmodes for fullscreen games. still not sure if zinc will do that in kiosk mode or what.

[iopred]

Zinc can go fullscreen, you can do pretty much anything with it.

[slight]

fullscreen is one thing, but couldn't see anywhere in zinc to change desktop resolution, as you can do in jugglor or power resolut etc.

it is like choosing a swiss army knife this, they all do so much stuff i mostly dont need, but miss out on one or two things i do.

[slight]

OK, after looking closer, both swf studio and zinc can change the titlebar through code and also set the screen resolution. woohoo. Think I will go with swf studio, I prefer the interface and the zinc trial was behaving a bit oddly at times while I was messing with it.