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drissa · Jan 16, 2004, 07:39 PM

Dear people

Any Flash folk out there? Here's the story...

Like an eager monkey, I suggested what a great idea it would be to present our annual report on an interactive CD-ROM. I must stop having good ideas.

So we buy Studio MX (thanks to the beauty of Educational Licensing) and, having picked up a dirty great 'LEARN EVERTHING NOW' book, I sit down and get to work.

Everything is going fine until, in one of the most horrible hours of my adult life, I slowly realise that A WHOLE, CRUCIAL section of Flash MX has been removed in the MX 2004 version. As you probably know, it's the 'Normal' editing mode, relied on by tens of thousands of designers to guide them through Actionscript. Forums are awash with the baffled and the fuming.

I'm a sound designer and this feels like Emagic removing support for all plug-ins and telling you that you now have to code all your own plug-ins from scratch. A bit.

SO...I'm contemplating a downgrade to plain old MX, which will take a few days to arrive. Days I don't have.

Can anyone offer advice? I'm searching for a full trial of MX, but of course Macromedia only have the filthy MX 2004 for download. Is the old version still out there somewhere?

I don't seem to be able to do everything with Behaviours - even creating a simple, scrolling text field. The book I have holds all the guidance, but it ALL relates to Normal scripting mode. And I simply don't have the brain for full A/Scripting - not in the time I have left, anyway.

Any help or simply moral support would be greatly received.

Many thanks

Ben - the whimpering, amateur Flasher

godzookie2k · Jan 17, 2004, 01:45 AM

pretty simple. Don't by "professional" if you don't know what you are doing.

frownyfrank · Jan 17, 2004, 06:22 AM

I don't have 2004, but if there really isn't a "normal" mode, you know you still have access to the same commands from the list on the left. There's so little difference between that and "normal" mode, there's little to be worried about.

So Macromedia has taken your crutches away.. I got news for you.. you can walk!

Cheers

drissa · Jan 17, 2004, 06:43 AM

Zookie - it's not as if it's a different version of the software. It's the latest upgrade, with a substantial function missing that tons of *professional* designers relied on. But you're right - clearly I've bitten off more than I can comfortably chew.

Yes, it will be great to get stuck into Actionscript proper at some point. But the issue is that I have days to complete the project. My fault, I know.

Not sure what their strategy is by changing things in this way.

Ho hum.

godzookie2k · Jan 17, 2004, 01:00 PM

No, what I'm saying is that Flash MX 2004 comes in two varieties. Flash MX 2004 and Flash MX 2004 professional. The regular vanilla 2004 *should* have the regular basic mode actionscript editor.

kulverse · Jan 18, 2004, 10:17 AM

Originally posted by godzookie2k:
No, what I'm saying is that Flash MX 2004 comes in two varieties. Flash MX 2004 and Flash MX 2004 professional. The regular vanilla 2004 *should* have the regular basic mode actionscript editor.

This is absolulely correct. It is a completely different version. Flash comes in 2 versions now. A "professional" version (action script needs to be written entirely by hand) and a "designer/normal/like all previous versions" (has the basic actionscript helper stuff). You picked up the professional version. I suggest taking it back and getting the other version.

This explains the difference between the 2 more accurately.

http://macromedia.com/software/flash...d_flash_082403

Originally posted by frownyfrank:
...you know you still have access to the same commands from the list on the left. ...

That command list does not exists on the Professional version. There is no list. The other version however, does have the old actionscript list.

drissa · Jan 22, 2004, 08:11 AM

Sorry folks, but NORMAL MODE HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM FLASH. Check the masses of pissed-off Flash users on the Macromedia actionscript forum, Flash books etc to confirm this. This is not an MX/MX Professional issue.

I DON'T own the Professional version - simply MX 2004. The scripting list on the side of the actions panel is nothing like the old Normal mode - I've just been using a demo of the old MX. This has now crapped-out so I'm back where I started.

It may be simple for other users, but please understand that we aren't all in your position - the normal mode was key. Now that has been taken away and Behaviours doesn't come close to replacing it.

godzookie2k · Jan 22, 2004, 03:14 PM

hmm. well that sucks.

Important lessons:

a) don't change your software between projects, wait till a dead time.
b) when you 'upgrade' keep the old version around. I kept mx on my machine for weeks before I decided to uninstall it.
c) if you're gonna use flash you should know how to actionscript, even just the basics. The codehints are helpful enough I'd think?

at first I didn't like some of the changes in mx2004 like the removing of the normal editing mode, cause i used it too sometimes for popping in geturls quickly but now i actually like where mm is taking flash, making it more developer-focused. separates the men from the boys and all that. (no offence)

skalie · Jan 24, 2004, 11:01 AM

Always found normal mode arduous, searching for the code snippets in the menu's.

Handcoding with Colin Moock's "ActionScript the definitive guide" book alongside for checking syntax is a much more rewarding experience, imho.

alex_kac · Jan 24, 2004, 01:49 PM

I don't think you guys understand though.

This guy is looking for a result - not an experience. His result COULD be done in MX, but now with his current level of experience, it cannot be done in MX 2004 in the time frame he needs.

He JUST bought 2004 and is using a book for MX.

phoenixboy · Feb 4, 2004, 04:29 AM

Originally posted by drissa:
Dear people

Any Flash folk out there? Here's the story...

Like an eager monkey, I suggested what a great idea it would be to present our annual report on an interactive CD-ROM. I must stop having good ideas.

So we buy Studio MX

why didn't you buy a cheap version of flash 5 (on ebay etc.) for an "annual report" on a cd-rom?! hell, flash 4, could have gotten the job done...

drissa · Feb 4, 2004, 04:20 PM

Because, given the opportunity, I think anyone would go for the lastest versions of software and that's what I did.

Most other software that I use becomes more advanced AND easier to begin using with each upgrade.

Anyhow, I've been cracking-on with it. I'm very surprised by how little support there is online. The lesson learnt is not about software at all, but simply 'Don't volunteer to do things that aren't safely within your current capabilities'.