Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 9.2
Flash Builder 4 Premium.
'
For example, you may have a contest microsite where you
ve built
several forms for collecting information from the user. With the vali-
dators that are available in Flex (EmailValidator, PhoneNumberVali-
dator, and so on), you can validate the information a lot easier than
you would be able to while working in Flash. A broad, general rule
of thumb that I like to use if I
m considering Flex/Flash Builder for a
project is this: If it performs more like a data-centric application
than an
'
Flex may very well be the answer. That think-
ing also ties in with how heavy the project is on graphical assets,
movement, transitional animations, and so on.
“
experience,
”
TIP
Even if you
re using the various validators in Flex, you should still per-
form server-side validation of any data sent across.
'
Other Tools
In addition to Flash Professional CS5 and Flash Builder 4, there
are many other tools available for you to work with when it comes
to writing the code for your project. Depending on what you
'
re
looking for and what operating system you
re working on, your
choices range from free to a small fee to hundreds of dollars.
Some of the options are much more robust than others in that
they include features like code hinting, formatting, debugging, and
even launching a test movie from the editor (through Flash). With
all of that said, I
'
d like to suggest you do a bit of research into
what tools work best for you. To get you started in that direction,
do a quick search and take a look at tools like FDT, FlashDevelop,
and TextMate.
'
