Driving a Hybrid: The Basics of Adobe AIR

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Driving a Hybrid The Basics of Adobe AIR

• Christina Dulude Web Developer, Duke University

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Outline

• What is AIR?
• Who uses AIR?
• Ways to develop AIR applications
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• Data options
• Live demo

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What is AIR?

• A cross-platform runtime environment
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• Build rich Internet applications
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• Deployed as a desktop application
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• Adobe Flash, Adobe Flex, HTML, or Ajax

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Versatile runtime environment

• Browser-based RIA's
• No installation
• But... limited data access and storage
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• AIR Applications
• Requires installation, digital signature
• But... allows access to local storage and file
  systems
• Greater flexibility 
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• Advantages for higher ed

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History

• March 19, 2007 Public preview (then called
  Apollo)
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• June 10, 2007 Renamed AIR, and public bet
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• October 1, 2007 Public beta 2 of AIR SDK 
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• December 12, 2007 Public beta 3
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• February 25, 2008 Version 1.0
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• March 31, 2008 Linux alpha version

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More available at Abobe AIR marketplace
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Three ways to develop

• Flex
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• Flash 
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• HTML/CSS/Ajax
• Text editor or Dreamweaver
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• Useful Dreamweaver extensions
• Adobe AIR extension
• Spry Updater

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Data options

• Database server via web services
• Local XML file 
• Local database (shipped with AIR)
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• Encrypted local store (included with AIR)
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• Can operate offline, and then sync when internet
  connection becomes available.

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So I've built my application. Now what?

• Users need Adobe runtime environment
• Install once
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• Download application as .air file
• Installs as a regular application on system
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Demo

• Download files
• http//christinadulude.com/heweb08/DukeRSSViewer.z
  ip
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• Christina Dulude
• christina.dulude_at_duke.edu