Flexbuilder 3 Install under Linux

Question

Solving this problem would make my life a hundredfold easier, because working in Windows XP blows, and save for this one Adobe POS, I would be working entirely in Linux.

The Flex project I'm trying to build can be built successfully on Flexbuilder 3 Pro (licensed version, 3.2 SDK) in both Windows XP and Mac OS X.

I followed these instructions to get a basic install of Flexbuilder under Fedora 13 (32-bit machine, so I skipped the instructions for 64-bit) - deviating only to install Flexbuilder under /opt/flexbuilder. I tried several different versions of the SDK to work with this particular project, and had best success with SDK 3.4.0, which is currently in my /opt/flexbuilder/sdks directory. After a few dead ends, I also skipped the step where the Air SDK overwrites the Flex SDK (it only adds a couple of Air-specific binaries).

I ran into the "An internal build error problem has occured" after attempting a build. I followed these instructions to patch the zornproject.jar file successfully, and was able to get rid of the error.

And here's where I end up in uncharted territory.

When I build the project, I was unable to locate a reference to a library that was needed by the project. This library is datavisualization.swc. I took my co-workers version of his Flex SDK frameworks directory, which contains the licensed libraries. After making a backup and replacing my SDK frameworks directory with his, I attempted to build again, but it still fails to locate the classes in the datavisualization.swc library.

If anyone has been successfully with getting the licensed Flexbuilder 3 installed/configured/blessed correctly under Linux, please enlighten me to your wise steps - because working in Windows XP has been nothing but a huge PITA.

Answer 1

Hey there, I feel your pain. I also use Flex Builder under Linux (support from Adobe is a joke).

I am at home right now and don't have my work laptop with me... so I cannot verify that what I am about to say is completely correct.

At any rate.... you need to have the datavisualization.swc library in your frameworks directory - so you are on the right track. However you also need to have the datavisualization-xx.swc (not 100% sure of the name of this library) library in your local/frameworks directory - and this is the part that I'm not sure of. I'll double check the directory / library tomorrow when I am in front of my work laptop.

EDIT

Alright, below see the structure of the SDK I am currently building against:

sdks/3.4.0/frameworks/libs
├── air
│   ├── airframework.swc
│   ├── airglobal.swc
│   ├── AIRIntrospector.js
│   ├── AIRLocalizer.js
│   ├── AIRMenuBuilder.js
│   ├── AIRSourceViewer.js
│   ├── applicationupdater.swc
│   ├── applicationupdater.swf
│   ├── applicationupdater_ui.swc
│   ├── applicationupdater_ui.swf
│   └── servicemonitor.swc
├── datavisualization.swc
├── flex.swc
├── framework.swc
├── player
│   ├── 10
│   │   └── playerglobal.swc
│   └── 9
│       └── playerglobal.swc
├── rpc.swc
└── utilities.swc

4 directories, 18 files

sdks/3.4.0/frameworks/locale
├── en_US
│   ├── airframework_rb.swc
│   ├── datavisualization_rb.swc
│   ├── framework_rb.swc
│   └── rpc_rb.swc
└── ja_JP
    ├── airframework_rb.swc
    ├── datavisualization_rb.swc
    ├── framework_rb.swc
    └── rpc_rb.swc

2 directories, 8 files

Lastly, I would make sure the folder permissions are correct: logged in user needs rx permissions on the SDK directory.

Answer 2

I highly recommend using IntelliJ for doing Flex development on Linux. I've made the switch and am much more productive now. :)