Notes on Adobe LiveCycle, Flash, Flex and Air

Having recently attended Adobe LiveCycle training at Adobe Uxbridge, here are a few notes and links from it.

Adobe LiveCycle is an integrated Java based SOA and document management server framework. LiveCycle can be hosted on a JEE application server, including JBoss, WebSphere and WebLogic. LiveCycle requires a Database, mySql, Oracle and MS SQL are supported.

LiveCycle is offers best performance on Microsoft/MS SQLServer platforms - currently.

LiveCycle is compatible with Windows, Solaris, AIX and Linux

LiveCycle is designed to integrate with RIA technologies, such as Flash, Flex and Air.


Key LiveCycle features include:

• Forms builder - a PDF based form generation engine for PDF/HTML and Flash presentation
• Form Guides - based on PDF but with wizard style Flash presentation
• Reader/Reader extensions - Acrobat/Reader document management including digital signatures, revocation, permissions etc
• Process Management
• Data Services - Web Services, support for RESTful webservices in the next version
• Output - print/production services

• Flash is the original rich embedded content for multimedia, video, graphics and sound - flash runs as a plugin in the browser (although stand alone players are available too).
• Flex builds on Flash and adds a rich component model.
• Air is Flex technology that can be run in the browser or as desktop applications transparently.

LiveCycle and Flex based technologies can use ActionScript, a form of ECMA (JavaScript), Flex itself uses an XML format called mxml to define applications and component layout.


Key Tools:

• FlexBuilder - IDE for Flex/Air development
• LiveCycle Workbench - for LiveCycle development including forms and process management

Main Development WebSite: http://www.adobe.com/devnet/
Main Download home: http://www.adobe.com/downloads/
Flex Downloads: http://www.adobe.com/products/flex/flexdownloads/

Flex Development center: http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flex/?view=home
TourDeFlex: http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flex/tourdeflex/
TourDeLiveLycle: http://www.adobe.com/devnet/livecycle/tourdelivecycle/
LiveCycle Cafe: http://www.adobe.com/devnet/livecycle/cafe/

LiveDocs (online documentation): http://livedocs.adobe.com/
ActionScript 3: http://livedocs.adobe.com/flash/9.0/ActionScriptLangRefV3/
Flex 3 LiveDocs: http://livedocs.adobe.com/flex/3/

Adobe Partners: https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/partnerportal/index.cfm

FlashDevelop: Getting started http://nuigroup.com/forums/viewthread/1689/


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