Compatibility Issues with AS3 & 2

Question

This question has a few parts actually. Let me lay down the
groundwork - I'm starting a new project, but I have yet to decide
whether or not I will create it in AS 2 or 3. One thing the swf
will do is load other swfs into it - it also will need to somehow
connect with these loaded SWFs and transfer data back and forth. I
understand the compatability issues associated with loading AS 2
swfs into AS3 - see here -
http://livedocs.macromedia.com/flex/2/docs/wwhelp/wwhimpl/common/html/wwhelp.htm?context=L iveDocs_Parts&file=00001801.html
At the bottom right of the chart, adobe suggests that AS 1.0
and 2.0 can "cross-script" with AS 3 using localconnection. There
are already SWFs developed that need to be loaded into my new
project, and I would like to create new SWFs as well, some of which
may benefit from being coded in AS 3 (as well as possibly being
created in Flex). I also think that overall my project will benefit
from using AS 3. However, there are a few issues that I can't
resolve - here are my problems -
If I create my project in AS 3, and then load SWFs that use
AS 2, the project can access the loaded SWF through a
localconnection - however, can they pass objects, like XMLNodes, to
each other, and each understand the other, even if one uses AS2 and
one uses AS3? Or can they only invoke functions on each other's
sides...
If they cannot pass objects to each other, what I may
consider doing it creating the project in AS3 and requiring all
SWFs that are to be loaded into the main project to be rewritten in
AS3 - that way the loaded swfs can pass data safely to the loader.
My other question - supposing this is the case, say I want people
to be able to develop SWFs for my project, but they are used to
using the flash IDE - flash 9 wont be out for a few months...they
can create an .fla in flash 8, write actionscript classes in AS3,
then load it all into the flash9 preview and compile...making their
swf compatible with my project...can they use components, which are
coded in AS2? I dont think AS3 differs so much from AS2 that they
couldnt just code normally and then compile in the flash9 preview,
but what problems may arise from developing in this fashion? Would
that mean that people coding in AS2 could simply make a few
adjustments for AS3, load the .fla into the flash9 preview and
compile and make an SWF that is compatible and accesible from my
project? Any help on these issues would be very much appreciated -
thanks!

Answer 1

I was trying to test this for you in AppleWorks 6 Windows XP in Parallels on my MacBook Pro, but each time I tried to open a draw file I had originally create on my Mac, AppleWorks 6 for Windows crashed.
I tried another, smaller draw document & it opens without problems & I can move the objects around. I'd suggest deleting the AppleWorks preferences, but I don't know where they are in Windows XP.