ALF - Advanced Library for Flash

Updated with svn code repository information and trac system information provided by osflash.org

Advanced Library for Flash, AKA ALF, is a Flash IDE extension that extends Flash Library capabilities allowing you to find assets in a search as you type way and, when found, execute some actions on them which will help you refactor your library.

Searches can be performed following diferent criterias. You can find an asset on the library by its name, linkage name or by its classname. Also it allows you to filter the results depending on the symbol type (MovieClip, Graphic, Compiled Clip, Screen, Font, Bitmap or Sound). Depending on your criterias results are shown in one way or in another.

When you have found an asset you can open it in "Edit Mode" in the timeline, attach a new instance to the current selected timeline, select it on the library or change it's name, linkage name or binded className. In case you select more than one item at the same time you can change their className all at once.

How can ALF help you?

Lots of times when working on medium/large flash applications, flash libraries can become really untidy and finding an item on them can be a big headache.

At a first glance, flash library only shows you a little bit of information about an item (item Name, an if using the extended view, linkage id is also shown). But how many times have you wanted to look up an item binded to a concrete class? Or what about if you want to know all items binded to a concrete class? How many times have been looking up a symbol for more than 2-3 minutes (or more)? What if you want to bind several items to the same class? Or just change a class binding for another one? All this can be easily achieved with ALF.

On the other hand if you use Flash Screen based applications, ALF can also help you. When this kind of applications grow in size finding screens becomes more dificult. Now you can find them really fast and perform the same actions as to other items.

See it in action

It's hard to me to explain how it works. For those of you using eclipse, ALF concept will be familiar to you, so it's a kind of "Find Resource" utility.

I've prepared a captivate movie so you can see it working. Although this captivate movie isn't updated with the latest build of ALF it'll give you a first idea.

Features

• Find items based on their name, linkage name or binded className.
• Filter results depending on the item type you're looking up. (MovieClip, Graphic, Bitmap, Sound, Font, Compiled Clip or Screen).
• See all information of an asset in a glance.

• Change name, linkageName or className of any item and Screen.
• Change several items className's all at once.
• Select a concrete item in the library.
• Enter edit mode of a Screen.
• Enter edit mode of a concrete item.
• Attach a new instance to the timeline.

Shortcuts

ALF has been developed with speed of use in mind, so you can do everything from the keyboard. Here's a list of programmed shortcuts:

• Start writing what you want to find without giving focus to the input text.
• shift + 1 Toggles MovieClip filter
• shift + 2 Toggles Graphic filter
• shift + 3 Toggles Bitmap filter
• shift + 4 Toggles Sound filter
• shift + 5 Toggles Font filter
• shift + 6 Toggles Compiled Clip filter
• shift + 7 Toggles Screen filter
• ctrl + shift + 1 Enables MovieClip filter and disables all other ones
• ctrl + shift + 2 Enables Graphic filter and disables all other ones
• ctrl + shift + 3 Enables Bitmap filter and disables all other ones
• ctrl + shift + 4 Enables Sound filter and disables all other ones
• ctrl + shift + 5 Enables Font filter and disables all other ones
• ctrl + shift + 6 Enables Compiled Clip filter and disables all other ones
• ctrl + shift + 7 Enables Screen filter and disables all other ones
• shift + a Enables all filters
• shift + d Disables all filters
• Down arrow Give focus and move through the results view.
• ctrl + enter to select an item in the library. Folders and nested folders will open automatically.
• shift + enter to enter edit mode
• ctrl + shift + enter to attach a new instance to the current timeline
• ctrl + click will allow you to select multiple items on the results list view.
• shift + click will allow you to select contiguos items on the results list view.
• ESC closes ALF

How do I install it?

ALF is packaged as a Flash extension, so the only thing you've to do is download the extension and double click it. Flash Extension Manager will do it everything else for you.

Once you have installed it, restart Flash IDE (if it was opened while instalation). You will find FlashResourceManager under the commands menu.

I haven't found the way to automatically assign a shortcut to run the command. But here's how you can assign it:

• Go to Edit menu.
• Choose Keyboard Shortcuts.
• Create a duplicate set.
• In the commands list find ALF and assign your preferred shortcut for it. (mine is ctrl + shift + R as in Eclipse).

Downloads

• Advanced Library for Flash extension
• Advanced Library for Flash source code (SVN)

FAQ:

• Is ALF a tool for developers or for designers? IMHO ALF is a tool for all skills using flash IDE.
• Why does ALF opens in a pop up? This is the only way I've found to capture some shortcuts inside flash IDE. Also it's the only way I've managed to refresh the library so that, every time you run ALF all symbols in your library can be found.
• Why doesn't exist a 'button' filter? I don't like buttons at all and I never use them, in fact they're a bad practice to me.
• Why doesn't ALF allows Regular Expression usage? When I first wrote this tool it had Regular expressions, but using them on a search as you type way was really CPU intensive.
• When I shift+enter in an item nothing happens. When you select an item in the library from within jsfl, jsfl can't managed library scrolls. So to find your selected item you'll have to scroll up or down and open the library by hand.
• Under which license is ALF distributed? ALF is distributed under a GPL license (OSI Approved)
• Is source code available to download? Yes. You can download it here with and SVN client. You can modify and redistribute it as stated by the GPL license.
• Why have you developed ALF? I think this kind of tool has always been a must for flash IDE. During my projects development I've lost lot of time finding assets, sometimes it's been my fault for not keepinkg tidy the library but others it hasn't.
• Why do you make it open source? Well I'm using daily lot of open source stuff, so this is a good occasion to do the same with my own programs. If I take profit from others work, now it's time others take profit from mine ;-)
• Is there any new feature going to be added soon? Well, right now I've developed everything I've thought could be helpful. But If you've any feature request please let me know throgh the TRAC system and I'll try to add it ASAP. Remember that ALF is an Open source project so you can develop it yourself and contribute it to the community.
• Can I request new features? Yes, feel free to add them in the TRAC system and I'll review all of them. But remember that ALF is an Open source project so you can develop it yourself and contribute it to the community.
• How can I notify a bug or missfunctionality? Again use the TRAC system providing as much information as posible.

Thanks to:

Last but not least I want to thank everyone who has been testing this tool during it's initial phases and for their invaluable feedback!! Special thanks to Gabriel Belvedere, Carlos Rovira, Joseba Alonso, Freddie, Satori, Ralf Bokelberg, Aral Balkan, and Nico Zimmermann.