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How about proper RDS support for CF and Eclipse? It's all there, but requires quite a hack to get it to run properly. At times, I feel like Adobe has completely forgotten about CF. Just a little work repackaging the code as a plugin would go a long way to those of us doing CF every day.

# Posted By Sam Curren | 1/8/07 10:04 PM

Sam, actually I think the RDS support is really good. Let me know specifically what more you want to see and I'll pass it on.

--- Ben

# Posted By Ben Forta | 1/8/07 10:15 PM

I have been using flex builder plugin on eclipse 3.2 for a long time. Though flex builder seems to work fine. I have been facing some eclipse specific errors v3.2 .... it throws a MARKERS error once in a while. and some LABEL RETRIEVING error while debugging. Though these errors do block user activity or anything. Sometime, they can get annoying. I tried looking at the eclipse bugzilla and these errors are already logged there. :)

# Posted By udayms | 1/8/07 10:39 PM

Ben,

Can you tell us why Flex Builder 2 for Eclipse isn't available for Linux users? Is there any technical reason for this or is this a marketing decision?

# Posted By pan69 | 1/8/07 11:41 PM

How about actual installer packaging, similar to the way that you install CFEclipse? Having to download the Flex Builder, then moving files manually to install it into an Eclipse installation is kind of hokey, and trips me for a few minutes every time. Today, on a fresh Eclipse installation, I had to be sure and install CFEclipse BEFORE the RDS extentions, or the RDS functionality would disappear.

Don't get me wrong... I love the functionality it provides. I just hate having to eat the crumbs dropped by the Flex Builder team to get anything working.

# Posted By Sam Curren | 1/9/07 12:07 AM

pan69,

There are both technical and marketing reasons. First, while much of Flex Builder is written in Java, there are also native components, such as the debugger and the flash player. Version 9 of these will be available soon for Linux, but building a Linux version of FB still requires incremental work to get all of these pieces working together, not to mention the testing. Which bring me to the marketing reasons. So far, we haven't seen sufficient demand to justify the investment -- though every comment like this means one more vote. We are definitely exploring this option, but haven't made any decisions yet.

In the meantime, you can do Flex development (and soon debugging) on Linux using the free SDK.

# Posted By Phil Costa | 1/9/07 9:39 AM

Sam, I am not sure I buy the need for an installer, MOST Eclipse plugins do not have native installers. But having said that, I'll pass on the message.

Oh, and FYI, the RDS support is most definitely not a crumb dropped by the Flex Builder team, those plugins were built by the ColdFusion team.

--- Ben

# Posted By Ben Forta | 1/9/07 9:44 AM

I'm having a real problem with Flex at the moment. Flex 2.0 released, I stated on the flexcoders@yahoogroups.com that I would wait for the patch before getting on board. Was advised I didn't need to wait. Now Flex 2.0.1 is released as fixing over 250 bugs and is now "developer" ready.

However the number of issues being raised on the flexcoders group is extremely worrying. Adobe did not need to release 2.0.1 untested on people. They could have delayed delivery and had an actual beta programme. Well done.

This is called time shifting. Why test properly? Get the developer community to do it, saving Adobe the test cycle.

I have a number of projects I've placed on to the back burner until Flex 2 is ready. I'm assuming some sort of patch in a months time so I can FINALLY begin development.

# Posted By Adam Reynolds | 1/9/07 12:09 PM

# Posted By Adam Reynolds | 1/9/07 12:10 PM

Adam,

Flex is a big, complicated development framework, and there will always be issues that need to be resolved (and new ones that get introduced when we make fixes). We did, in fact, have a beta program for Flex 2.0.1, and a number of regressions were caught as part of that process. That said, issues always do crop up. That's just the nature of the beast. I think what you'll find among our customers is that the problems are dwarfed by the overall benefits they get from using the product.

Phil Costa
Group Product Manager, Flex

# Posted By Phil Costa | 1/9/07 5:06 PM

Ben,
Is there (or can there be) a download for just the cf_fb_extensions.zip and are there any licensing issues with just using that file with a existing version of cfeclipse?

I may have just overlooked it.

# Posted By Scott P | 1/9/07 11:48 PM

Phil,
Well I've ordered Flex Builder 2, but do hope that the Flex team are up for doing far more incremental releases now that the big 2.0.1 is done. I did note that they added in new features (Modules and Apollo compatibility being a highlight), but it would be good if the Flex team could hold off releasing new features until they had cleared down the remaining issues.

And maybe smaller patches...

Keep up the good work!

# Posted By Adam Reynolds | 1/10/07 9:07 AM

RDS features still don't work properly with Eclipse 3.2. I am able to browse dataview, fileview, and services BUT still error out on commands like 'RDS Query Viewer' or double clicking a file in fileview. Someone @ Adobe needs to get his prioritized to fix :-)

# Posted By Mike Henke | 1/10/07 11:16 AM

I'll add a vote for Linux support. I have just been moved to a Flex-using team at work, and I am dismayed that I'll have to run Windows (even in a VM) to do this development.

# Posted By Sam Jones | 2/5/07 2:59 PM

Add Another vote for the Linux Environment. I'd love not to have to run windows in a VM just to dev Flex.

# Posted By Joel Johnston | 2/7/07 2:01 PM

I too vote for FB on Linux.

# Posted By Indiver Nagpal | 2/7/07 5:48 PM

My vote for Flex Builder on Linux

1. Very few users keep Linux as a toy - for Beryl or Compiz. It's true that Linux users are 'geeks'. Professionally oriented. They need / like to work in a non closed environments - so why I need Vista or XP license just to make use of Flex Builder ??.

2. Think a bit about the future - not too far, Video / Audio / DTP productions ( not to mention Hollywood production / postproduction studios - Disney, Dreamworks ) - will use Linux as 'de facto' platform - here is room for innovation ( as 2006 prove ) - on MS closed territory Innovation appear to be death.

3. On linux even open source projects will grow with STANDARDS on mind. Inkscape SVG, Scribus PDF, JahShaka, Gimp GEGL, KDE KHTML, Gstreamer, Fluendo, XGL.

...................

# Posted By Nemes Ioan Sorin | 2/8/07 6:14 AM

i hava port the flexbuild to linux,more info:http://blog.eshangrao.com/index.php/2007/03/08/360...

# Posted By feiy | 3/10/07 7:30 AM

Tack on another vote for Linux support!

# Posted By B.W. | 3/15/07 12:41 PM

The difficulty in porting Flex Builder is design mode. I've suggested to Adobe previously that we'd be very happy to have a free/lower cost version for Linux without design mode. We really just want the code hinting and easier compilation process, right?

# Posted By Oliver Merk | 4/10/07 5:14 PM

Another vote for Flex Builder on Linux. It's useless otherwise...

# Posted By Harel Malka | 4/11/07 12:59 PM

Another vote for Flex Builder on Linux.

# Posted By Glenn | 4/11/07 9:04 PM

Yet another vote for Flex builder on linux... With so many open source Ajax environments for linux... I think its neccessary before linux developers take it seriously.

# Posted By Sabree Blackmon | 4/17/07 6:40 AM

Here is my vote, I would also love to have Flex builder running in Linux. And I agree that even without the design mode it would be very helpful.

# Posted By Per Nielsen | 4/18/07 5:33 AM

Another vote for FB on Linux.

# Posted By Mateusz Krzeszowiec | 4/19/07 10:47 AM

Another vote for FB on Linux. This is the only app thats keeping me on windows!

# Posted By Steven | 4/21/07 3:55 PM

Another vote for FB on Linux. Although I have followed a few tutorials and got the thing running - plus Linux have now released Linux fp9... but I can't get the design view to work - one day I hope! Here is the blog I have written referring to Flex Builder 2.01 running on Fedora - http://flashmonkey.servehttp.com/wordpress/?p=16

# Posted By Ian Fuller | 5/3/07 8:50 AM

Another vote for FB on Linux.

A free express version, perhaps without design mode would strenghten the position of Flex as a RIA platform, specially with Silverlight and VS Express on the radar.

# Posted By Maurício Machado | 5/15/07 1:09 AM

Another vote for FB to go Linux. Developers don't want to rely on Windows for an intuitive environment and we don't have to with X.

# Posted By Cody Snider | 7/10/07 5:51 PM

Add me to the votes for a Linux version. In my list of 'must have' applications that keep me in a Windows environment, Photoshop and Flex Builder are at the top. I can handle booting into Windows to work with Photoshop when I need to, but I am in Flex Builder and CFEclipse most of the day...

# Posted By Steve | 7/26/07 10:35 AM

I was able to get Flex Builder 2 working on Linux, with WINE. I have made a how-to here: http://www.youecho.com/blog

This can be used to get Photoshop working as well. I used the same process with getting Photoshop CS working, just different keys. Give it a shot.

# Posted By Ryan | 8/3/07 4:19 PM

Flex Builder for Linux is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL!!

I do not run WIndows, do not wish to run Windows. and have no desire to run Windows.

Windows makes me less productive. It is slow, buggy, and a virus and torjan trap!

Flex is very good, please get us a Linux version of Flex Builder. Until then, I cannot use Flex.

# Posted By Paul Nichols | 1/27/08 7:19 PM

You do realize that Flex Builder for Linux Alpha is available on Labs, right? See http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flex/flexbuilde...

--- Ben

# Posted By Ben Forta | 1/27/08 7:47 PM

That's wonderful, but where's design mode? :P I don't need it, but it would be nice to see the effort that went into the Windows and Mac versions go into the Linux version as well. I know this is just a start though, and is very good for a second Alpha.

Hopefully this gets stable with a designer soon. A lot of the newbie people will probably like Silverlight, and the techies who like designers might as well use it too if they're stuck on Windows anyway...

# Posted By Luke | 2/25/08 3:11 PM

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Flex Builder On Eclipse 3.2x