The Adobe CS3 Workflow...

Question

Hello,
I'm starting to build RIAs with the Adobe product family.
I've already made a Flex site and I've been playing with Flash and
actionscript before but I have some questions concerning the Adobe
CS3 workflow.
If I see it correct, the design phase for a website (and a
logo) is best done using Photoshop (bitmap-based) or illustrator
(vector-based). Next the design is treated in flash (using the
Flash Authoring tool) to add animation and interactivity (with
preserved layered structure). The result is an animated website
design, which can be converted to Flex components (using the Flex
Component Kit for Flash CS3). These components can be used in my
(flex-based) actionscript project to couple the front-end to the
back-end using Flex functionality.
- Is this simplified impression correct?
- What are the advantages of bitmap-based assets over
vector-based assets? And the disadvantages? When to use which
style?
- What should be handled within the Flash area and when
should Flex kick in?
- What's the best strategy to enrich the Flash design with
Flex functionality? Should I just convert my animated Flash assets
to Flex components and is Flex responsible for integrating the
Photoshop (or Illustrator) design with these Flash components on
the one hand and the server-side back-end on the other hand?
- What are the advantages of using the Flash Authoring tool?
Can I avoid using it and achieve the same by just using the Flash
display architecture directly in actionscript (and mixed with
Flex)? Or can I 'export' the Flash assets (created using the Flash
Authoring tool) to an actionscript project with the purpose to add
the Flex functionality?
- Is it possible to integrate Flash-based Actionscript
(following the Flash display architecture) with Flex-based
actionscript (following the UIcomponent display architecture)?
- Are there good tutorials explaining the 'preferred' RIA
design workflow?
Sorry for my ignorance but I’m having trouble
understanding the big picture. Especially, when to use Flex and
when to use Flash and how to integrate them (using actionscript?)
is unclear. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks,
Stikkos
PS: I’m not sure if this is the right forum for this
discussion so please move the post when not appropriate…

Answer 1

I think we can capture in QT DVCProHD, OnLo CS4 Mac will capture both AVI and QT formats, and the PC will play the AVI's and the Mac will play the QT ones (I *think* the Mac does, we haven't fully tested it yet after the patch)
However, the problem is we have used and shot/captured with OnLo CS3 PC, and so saved terabytes of AVI's in DVCProHD/100, and the Mac CS4 AE and Prem simply cannot see them.
We have many many old project files we just can't use via a Mac machine now.
We can't even swap to QT format in future, because the PC version of AE/Prem can't see the QT formats either.
Basically, Adobe should support both AVI and QT DVCProHD files on both PC and Mac.
I can't even be sure what CS4 PC version offers wrt to codecs, as it *sounds* like the built-in system codec is gone now too, so even a PC running CS4 AE/Prem can't see the DVCProHD AVI's!
Needless to say, we won't be upgrading any Adobe software until we check the software demo's to see if they actually do what the old stuff did, otherwise it's backwards steps and screwing up our workflow to the point we are out of business!
Dave