Written by members of the Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR) product team, this is the official guide to the beta release of Adobe's new cross-platform desktop runtime, previously known by its code name Apollo. This book explains how you can use AIR to build and deploy HTML and JavaScript-based web applications to the desktop, using all of the tools and technologies with which you are already familiar. Everything you need to know about this platform is right here, so you can start building applications with AIR right away. Topics include:
- What AIR is, and the problems this runtime aims to solve
- How to set up your development environment
- How to create your first app using HTML and JavaScript
- The HTML and JavaScript environments within AIR
- How to do common tasks, presented in the easy-to-use O'Reilly Cookbook format
Also included is a guide to AIR packages, classes and command line tools. Once you understand the basics of building an HTML- and JavaScript-based AIR applications, this pocket guide makes an ideal reference for tackling specific problems. Welcome to the revolution!
Adobe Developer Library is a co-publishing partnership between O'Reilly Media and Adobe Systems, Inc. and is designed to produce the number one information resources for developers who use Adobe technologies. Created in 2006, the Adobe Developer Library is the official source for comprehensive learning solutions to help developers create expressive and interactive web applications that can reach virtually anyone on any platform. With top-notch books and innovative online resources covering the latest in rich Internet application development, the Adobe Developer Library offers expert training and in-depth resources, straight from the source.
✦ Table of Contents
Contents......Page 7
AIR Runtime Naming Conventions......Page 9
What This Book Covers......Page 10
What Beta Means......Page 12
Who This Book Is Not For......Page 13
How to Use This Book......Page 14
Conventions Used in This Book......Page 15
Accessing the Book Online......Page 16
AIR Forum......Page 17
Flex coders mailing list......Page 18
Mike Chambers......Page 19
Kevin Hoyt......Page 20
Acknowledgments......Page 21
A Short History of Web Applications......Page 23
Conflicting UI......Page 26
Lowest Common Denominator......Page 27
Introducing the Adobe Integrated Runtime......Page 28
HTML / JavaScript......Page 29
Flash......Page 30
PDF......Page 31
What Does an Adobe AIR Application Contain?......Page 32
Technology Integration and Script Bridging......Page 33
Adobe AIR Functionality......Page 34
Adobe AIR Programming APIs......Page 35
Adobe AIR Desktop Integration......Page 36
Security......Page 37
Adobe AIR Development Toolset......Page 39
Is Adobe AIR the End of Web Applications in the Browser?......Page 40
Adobe Integrated Runtime Beta......Page 42
Supported Operating System......Page 43
Installing Adobe AIR......Page 44
Uninstalling on an Mac......Page 45
Installing the SDK......Page 46
Windows......Page 47
Mac......Page 49
Creating a Simple AIR Application with HTML and JavaScript......Page 50
Understanding application descriptor files......Page 51
Creating the root application file......Page 54
Accessing AIR APIs......Page 55
Using ADL to Launch the Application......Page 56
Runtime JavaScript errors......Page 58
runtime.trace......Page 60
What Is an AIR File?......Page 61
Testing the AIR File......Page 62
Deploying the AIR File......Page 63
Setting the MIME type......Page 64
WebKit Within the Adobe Integrated Runtime......Page 65
Open project......Page 66
JavaScript Within AIR......Page 67
Cookies......Page 68
Dialogs......Page 69
XMLHttpRequest and Ajax......Page 70
Supported URI schemes......Page 71
AIR URI Schemes......Page 72
Security......Page 73
Security Context......Page 74
Using JavaScript Frameworks......Page 75
Accessing AIR APIs from JavaScript......Page 76
Accessing AIR and Flash Player APIs......Page 77
Working with AIR and Flash Player Events......Page 78
Using AIRAliases.js......Page 79
Leveraging Compiled ActionScript Libraries......Page 81
Solution......Page 84
application.xml......Page 85
index.html......Page 86
Discussion......Page 88
Discussion......Page 90
Login.html......Page 94
Discussion......Page 95
Discussion......Page 98
Discussion......Page 101
Discussion......Page 104
Discussion......Page 108
Example......Page 109
Discussion......Page 111
Discussion......Page 113
Discussion......Page 116
Discussion......Page 119
Discussion......Page 121
Discussion......Page 123
Discussion......Page 125
Discussion......Page 127
Solution......Page 130
Discussion......Page 131
Embedded Database......Page 135
Discussion......Page 136
Discussion......Page 138
Solution......Page 141
Discussion......Page 142
Problem......Page 145
Discussion......Page 146
Discussion......Page 149
Discussion......Page 151
Discussion......Page 155
Discussion......Page 159
ADL......Page 163
ADT......Page 164
AIR JavaScript Aliases......Page 166
Index......Page 171