Flash MX 2004 v7.2

[fospher.com]

Hello my friends --

I've once again come to pay my occasional visit to my second home, the place that made me try flash in the first place, I've made my visit to the games lounge. Flash 5.0 was just coming out back in that day, or those times when I started - and amazed of the power of the software - that could do virtually everything, the day I found myself a hobby that would later turn into a profession. Most of you have heard, I assume, or have upgraded to Macromedia's newest fix -- FMX2K4v7.20 -- the other update to the software that can now import video, do fantastic 'blur', if you'd like to call it that, effects, and the software that just introduced its new baby language.

I thought to myself, hence the update MM just made, I might try the software again with a trial -- maybe the swarm of bugs wont eat me up this time.

So far, I have found 7.

Right at the start, when I booted my demo reel from a f6 file and resaved it as an f7, I noticed that when I made a demand for the main toolbar, it checked the box for me -- but the toolbar didnt come up. Thats alright, I thought, I know my shortcuts around here -- oh wait -- I dont because MM changes them with every release. CTRL+S never failed me however ... worked like a charm saving the file ...welll...sometimes it didnt. Sometimes -- it just froze and exit out the software with an illegal operation -- dont save my work of course, I can just do the exact same thing again - I can use the practice.
Sometimes when I would test my movie, the export box would fill up, then disappear somewhere without telling me anything - not really letting me see my progress - I sign to keep working and stop playing around I suppose MM gave me. Thanks Macromedia.

Of course, when you have all those great functions, a new language and cool effects who cares about usability? Who cares about things like a non-linear undo so you can actually work in a movie clip and not the main stage when you have an awesome history panel to tell you everything that happened? You can just go ahead and switch the menu items around too - its not like a built a habit from the previous version to go insert>convert to new symbol and it annoys me to making a new symbol everytime I just want to convert? Of course, then Id have to go through the hierarchy again to get back to my movie clip -- who cares about conserving my time and patience when I could be spending it learning a new language that probably will be just a standard in flash 8.


This - in a way or fashion is a letter Im sending to macromedia - stay tuned for a response...


Yours always,
Fospher

[jtnw]

I don't like MX2004 much either, it's way too slow. It takes about 10 seconds to open. Ok, I know that's not much, but as I open and close it alot, it becomes annoying, and I don't want to keep it open since it takes up ram. MX takes about 1-2 seconds to open. I hate the non-linear undo with a passion since I'm always afraid I've undone something important without knowing. However as a developer, I do like the optimized compiler. Usually I just program in MX, then when I'm about to finalize the swf, I compiler under MX2004

It's never crashed on me to my knowledge though.

I hope MM really reconsideres their changes.

jtnw

[fospher.com]

You got the update right jt? It speeds up the boot process plus fixes a few major bugs. As someone already mentioned a while back - these new releases truly have become bloatware - with a bug blocking every path in the program's command console.





Post: 2k!

[jtnw]

Ya I got the update, but it still isn't as fast as I'd like. I really can't stand bloated programs.

jtnw

[blakfeld]

... am the only one whos had no problems with v7 ever?

[whispers]

following form another thread to here...

I love to "bash" MX 2004 (and the update)

I still refuse to use MX 2004..I dont care about updates or their supposed fixes...

What I do care about is the absence of the Normal Mode ActionScript panel..and the absence of frame executed actions (timeline actions)

they blatantly abadonded the designers that MADE flash so popular to begin with. And totally catered to the DEVELOPERS ..ONLY!... I would mind both..but ONLY programmers got new goodies and were the focus of this release...

until the remedy this..MX will be my last purchase of FLASH...

pure KAKA!!

-whispers-

[tomsamson]

i had lots of freeze/crash issues with mx 2004,too,but most issues were fixed with the 7.2 release
i understand your anger though.
well,mm got the point and wants to push the next flash version into the direction of the flash mx release (features for coders AND designers),with an emphasis on features for designers.
what i like a lot in the mm policy change is that they are very open to suggestions and general feedback of the userbase,check out the blog of the flash dev team:
http://www.markme.com/flashteam

they openly state the bugs and mistakes made in mx 2004 and are trying to create 8ball (codename for flash 8) as the users want it to be.

[BlinkOk]

that's amusing tom. people have been asking for far greater performace since falsh 5. and despite mm's attempts at beating up the performance improvements at each release we still have only a slightly faster product than the origional and way below the performance of it's rivals (java, director).

[tomsamson]

yep,me,just like you (and i guess most other flash developers) was quite upset that mx 2004 didn´t get a performance boost on the graphic handling side.
I could understand mm on that point though,one of the biggest strengths of flash is that its portable on many platforms,so they couldn´t easily create a high performance plugin in the past.
well,things have changed,people have much stronger pcs and there´s an extra version for low end platforms as mobiles,so mm can concentrate on pushing the performance of the pc plugin now.
the next release will feature a plugin with improved performance on that side.

[whispers]

on what sie?..the designers side? ...um...so? If they took away the NORMAl (learning) AS panel....designers are still out in the code..most designers only basic to moderate AS (I would say)..and as FLASH grew..so did the need for "DESIGNERS" to add interactivity. This will NOT happen with the suuport for new users stipped away.

And who wanted TIMELINE "EFFECTS"? KAKA...I want regular old time line usability and function.. not to mention the DAMN normal AS panel to come back..

-whispers-

[tomsamson]

Originally posted by whispers
on what sie?..the designers side? ...um...so? If they took away the NORMAl (learning) AS panel....designers are still out in the code..most designers only basic to moderate AS (I would say)..and as FLASH grew..so did the need for "DESIGNERS" to add interactivity. This will NOT happen with the suuport for new users stipped away.

And who wanted TIMELINE "EFFECTS"? KAKA...I want regular old time line usability and function.. not to mention the DAMN normal AS panel to come back..

-whispers-

i didn´t get everything you said,i think with your comments on the AS Panel you mean you don´t like that there´s no simple mode in it anymore,right?
i agree on that,its sad they removed it,it helped me when i was new to flash and i´m sure it was equally helpful to many others.
On that point,i´m not sure if mm will bring back the simple mode in the AS panel but they´ll at least ad training files to the next flash which should help getting into stuff.
i didn´t get what you meant with your statements on the timeline,well,i don´t like the timeline effects either (honestly i´ve only used em once when i got mx 2004 to try them out) but besides that mediocre useful feature (which you don´t have to use) the timeline is just the same as in older flash versions ,so explain some more what you don´t like there.
I can´t tell anything what´s not already public anyway,the flashteam blog states in a few posts what plans they have for the next flash version,i suggest you read that =)

[whispers]

Hi sorry to be imcomplete...sometimes I post in a frenzy or late at night!


but (been a while since I open up MX 2004 Pro)..but the time line issue I was referring to I actually posted a LONG time ago in a nother thread. (paste from that):

where is the "equivelent" to just makeing a regular frame tween animation..with alpha fade out? I cant even find where to set "effects"...I stumbled upon something called "time line effects"..but it was the same..it was like a self contained movie clip...except you could set any frame actions.... BOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

I just wanna know how to do a simple tween using color or alpha..or whatever....WITHOUT using that P.O.S time line effects thing!!


DANG IT!....... SPIT!!!

Now I believe rhis was because you had to SELECT the OBJECT to get that "option"........so this might be an invalid point now...I dont even remember its been so long..

and the NORMAL mode from the AS panel is crucial...unless they plan on leaving the DESIGNERs who made FLASH what it is today, behind.

Timeline effects KAKA (add HTML support to text fields..great,..dynamic loading of video & .jpgs....GREAT!)

everything else..INCLUDING response time and efficiency... KAKA.. I couldnt even download the new HELP content. It has NOT been opened since...for about a week I tried. Gave up... (yes..Im a quitter..of MX 2004)

and until they bring back the NORMAL AS panel I will NOT purchase another version of FLASH from them (unfortunately)..will hurt me in the end Im sure..as what is ONE sale right?...but I'll have to get along with plain old MX from now on. I think its SHADY they took it out. Like it was REALLY that big of a deal to leave it in? If you DONT need it..you dont enter into NORMAL mode..but if you...then what? Watch a training clip?.. stupid. And if they wanna teach designers to be developers (as was their RETARDED goal with MX 2004)....then why remove the NORMAL AS panel where noobies can learn the syntax..and see hwo a properly formatted action is supposed to look? Instead of take 1 hour to find out how to add simple actions to buttons. And breaking it up into to sections is also just MORE confusing. (actions Panel and a Behaviors Panel)....geez...might as well call it FLASH MX 2004 for programmers only. FLash MX 2004 (Not for everyone)... and I had my work bring a special copy of MX 2004 Pro for me when it was released.... have I mentioed its KAKA?

I was turned on by the fact that thre was a FORM building authoring environment (not that "I" can use it..but seemed like a cool addition) (again..for programmers.)

but the Normal AS mode..really burned me. (I also hated the MX/MX 2004 timeline..you used to be able to double click a frame to open the actions panel..etc..etc..and edit...that was hard for me to overcome as well.)

-whispers-

[mixedtrigeno]

IS THERE A WAY TO TURN FLASH MX 2004 PROFFESIONAL'S ACTION SCRIPT TO THE NORMAL MODE INSTEAD OF THE EXPERT MODE?

[whispers]

No..they forgot all about NEW users..and Designers.. I think that says alot about how they feel for the community.. (unless of course your a programmer)..and their continued dedication to us and our support... KAKA.

Return it...they dont deserve the money. Buy MX..

-whispers-

[tonypa]

Originally posted by mixedtrigeno
IS THERE A WAY TO TURN FLASH MX 2004 PROFFESIONAL'S ACTION SCRIPT TO THE NORMAL MODE INSTEAD OF THE EXPERT MODE?

No, "normal" mode AS panel was not included in FX2004 anymore, as MM thinks everyone writes AS code like a god right from the birth.

It would bother me, but I have long ago stopped using Flash internal AS panel and edit all the code in separate .as files with other code editor.

[Ray Beez]

Sorry to jump into this thread so late, but I have recently purchased MX 2004 and I am truly pissed off. I should have used the Trial version first. I don't even have Professional, yet it feels like they still cater to the developers here.

I absolutely HATE the Undo. I don't even understand how to use the History panel. Macromedia claims this History panel is "powerful" (their own choice of words there) yet it is about as intuitive as driving a car with a joystick. Linear undo history works well for linear documents like in Photoshop, but Flash is OBJECT ORIENTED. Every clip is actually a document within the greater document, so what were they thinking?!

The next problem is they tried making the interface prettier at the expense of real-esate. There's so much wasted space in the panel layouts and toolbar size, etc. My workspace is now much tinier than in MX. My monitor is set to 1152x864, but I think they designed the layout thinking that everyone is running 1600xwhatever resolution. yah right.

I am so angry. What a waste of money. I can't help but feel like Macromedia and the Flash team has had "new management" come in and many of the old philosophies and rules just flew out the window. How else can they make such boneheaded decisions?

~Ray B.

[crashlanding]

I dont really mind if they took out the simple mode, i only used it for about a week anyway.

What i do care about is, as Ray said, the rubbish undo, and the loading time. on the computers at school it takes up to a minut to load. (not an exaduaration)

that said, those school computers have rubbish processers. They're supposed to have broadband. If i hadnt been told that, i would of thought it was 28k...

[fospher.com]

Originally posted by Ray Beez
Sorry to jump into this thread so late, but I have recently purchased MX 2004 and I am truly pissed off. I should have used the Trial version first.

Return it

[me2222]

As a Mac user I must say that V7.2 is better and more stable than any other version on the Mac.

Sure, the opening is slow, also refreshing of windows and some other things.

There are also a lot of annoying things, but those have been before version7, too. Will they ever be improved?

WTF can't I open my projects with 100% and the windowset I prefer ?!? (Is there a way to do it?)

Why is the Library window management such a pain ?!?

And so on...

...anyway. Still better than other Mac versions.

[Ray Beez]

Originally posted by fospher.com
Return it

I'd love to, but unfortunately I purchased it from a third party (an online store), not through Macromedia.

Further rants:
1. The interface "widgets" (the little buttons used to close, maximize or minimize documents) are now smaller than before and therefore easier to "mis-click".

2. In the lirbary, it used to be easy to drag items around, now, it seems like there is a very narrow precise area where you can make the library contents scroll.

yeah, I should be posting this stuff at Macromedia...... ;-)