Yeah, you're right. Not being able to make system calls / launch apps IS a major shortcoming of AIR, at this point.
Here's an official Adobe statement, as of June: *src*: http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/webforums/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=641&threadid=1298770&STARTPAGE=2&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear Thank you everyone who has contributed to this thread. My name is Rob Christensen and I'm a product manager on Adobe AIR. I'd like to provide some clarity on this topic, but also invite you to share additional thoughts. The primary reason that AIR 1.0 does not include support for launching native applications originates from a founding design decision/philosophy. Applications that do not depend on other applications to be installed result in a better user experience. Our goal with AIR has been to deliver a runtime that delivers applications consistently across operating systems. Please note that this doesn't mean we're right nor that we might not change our minds on this. We'd like to hear what you think on this topic. It's helpful if you can let us know what you're trying to build. The more specific you can be, the more helpful it is to our team. Please reply to this thread or send us a note through our feedback form. This form will send a message directly to our development and product management team. Feedback for (Adobe AIR) http://www.adobe.com/go/wish/ As with any design decision, there's plenty of opportunity to debate the topic and this is something we continue to discuss even internally. The major disadvantage is that it's much more difficult to take advantage of existing code libraries or launch other native applications. At the same time, one advantage to the current design is that when you distribute an application, you do not need to say, "This is a really great application, but make sure you have Microsoft Windows (or OSX) installed as well as Microsoft Word (or Photoshop or some other native product) to really take advantage of this application." Again, we may revisit this decision in the future and as with any 1.0, you almost always come to reconsider your initial design goals. There are some interesting options here such as the one discussed earlier of launching the default application for a specific file type. Stuartc11: It is possible to launch a web browser by the way and some of the sample applications have code that that demonstrate how to do this. Thanks, - Rob Product Manager, Adobe AIR -Scott PS: Zinc blows holes in the ozone. On Feb 8, 2008 5:41 AM, Cedric Muller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Actually, I was able to launch VLC with Zinc (not Zinc specific, but > it does manage activex) and pass the HD streams to VLC > now, I am looking at a splitted screen with 4 HD streams, all totally > fluid. > Ok ok, I have a tough graphic card, but my tests so far indicate that > there is plenty of margin. > Moreover, with VLC I can load in almost any video type (even FLVs)... > though i am doing an internal check, and if video is FLV I stream it > with Flash... > The app I am building is quite technical, and clients' constraints > are very high (regarding HD (and full hd) Streaming). To be honest, > it isn't a desktop application, more like a 'computer app' > > Cedric > > > Not to be obtuse, but can you stream HD video with Zinc? > > > > Does streaming HD video establish the validity of a desktop app? > > > > Anyhow, you can stream video with Flash Media Server to the flash > > player (AIR). Probably Red5 too. Right? > > > > > > On Feb 8, 2008 2:02 AM, Cedric Muller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > yes works well, but quite not a true desktop app: how would you > > stream Full HD video with AIR ? > > > > > > > yeah, and just to be the rah rah boy - AIR rocks. > > > > > > fine, shoot me, but it *works* well > > > > > > On Feb 7, 2008 7:33 PM, Arnoud Bos <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Try screenweaver haxe (swhx) if you are not afraid of command line > > > tools. > > > > > > Works great! > > > > > > > > > And it's opensource (this is an open source list, right?) > > > > > > > > > Arnoud > > > > > > > > > Van: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:osflash- > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] Namens bean tickler > > > Verzonden: donderdag 7 februari 2008 23:25 > > > Aan: [email protected] > > > Onderwerp: [osflash] MDM Zinc v3 rant > > > > > > > > > Sad sad sad. > > > > > > > > > Too long have I and almost everyone I know suffered with this poor > > > product and its predecessors. 2.5 buggy buggy buggy. V3 beta, buggy > > > but fine, BETA. V3 RELEASE, same as BETA, not one bug fixed from > > > what I can tell and they have ditched tons of the functionality > > > they had in 2.5!!! > > > > > > > > > Why oh why do we bother??? Well, at one point they were the best of > > > a bad bunch with shed loads of commands and slick marketing. > > > However, I feel the competitors have overtaken them. Just look at > > > the likes of Janus (a new but reliable tool) and SWF studio. > > > > > > > > > For me I would have loved to have stayed with SWF Studio but they > > > had no handheld or Mac output. Janus is my new favorite as it has > > > yet to cause me an embarrassing client crash and has Mac and Linux > > > output coming up). But wow, I feel soo dumb for ever buying Zinc!! > > > > > > > > > Every negative post on their "community" forum gets deleted, they > > > are now even checking posts _before_ they go live. > > > > > > > > > Sorry for the rant. But guessing this post wont be deleted!!! > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > osflash mailing list > > > [email protected] > > > http://osflash.org/mailman/listinfo/osflash_osflash.org > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > [ JPG ] > > > _______________________________________________ > > > osflash mailing list > > > [email protected] > > > http://osflash.org/mailman/listinfo/osflash_osflash.org > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > osflash mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://osflash.org/mailman/listinfo/osflash_osflash.org > > > > > > > > -- > > : : ) Scott > > > > Helping your grandma on the interweb > > at: http://blog.criticalpile.com > > _______________________________________________ > > osflash mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://osflash.org/mailman/listinfo/osflash_osflash.org > > > _______________________________________________ > osflash mailing list > [email protected] > http://osflash.org/mailman/listinfo/osflash_osflash.org > -- : : ) Scott Helping your grandma on the interweb at: http://blog.criticalpile.com
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