Amethyst 1.2 Released (Plus WebORB integration)

This release incorporates a number of new and improved features to make Amethyst work more effectively with code shared with Adobe’s IDEs such as Flash Builder/Flex Builder and the Flash IDE (CS4/CS5). For .NET developers, it also introduces optional integration with Midnight Coders’ WebORB to enable developers to create Flash-based applications that communicate easily and efficiently with .NET servers.

New Features

 Support for Flash IDE ‘profiles’ attached to Visual Studio Build Configurations
 Ability to ‘add files as links’ in Solution Explorer
 Macro substitution in HTML templates
 Better SDK detection when creating projects

For full details of the changes, see the Amethyst Release History.

WebORB Integration

We are pleased to announce the availability of integrated support for Midnight Coders’ WebORB For .NET. This is an optional add-in to Amethyst (‘Amethyst For WebORB’) which, when enabled, provides dedicated support for Flash Platform/.NET development inside Visual Studio. This makes it possible to create, edit and debug mixed-language (ActionScript and, for example, C#) and mixed-platform (Flex and .NET) projects in a single Visual Studio Solution!

Amethyst For WebORB provides a uniquely powerful development environment for .NET developers working with the Flash Platform. It is even possible to debug between Flex and .NET in a single debugging session!

Amethyst For WebORB is enabled free for 60 days during the normal trial period of Amethyst Professional. If you wish to use it after that period, you must first purchase a regular license for Amethyst Professional and then purchase an additional license for Amethyst For WebORB.

Getting started with WebORB is easy - just download and install a FREE copy of WebORB running in Development Mode - all you will need is IIS 5.0 or above and .NET 2.0 or above. Licensed versions of WebORB are also available for deploying commercial projects. See: WebORB for .NET Licensing (on the Midnight Coders web site).

The following resources provide more information and guidance on using Amethyst 1.2:

 Amethyst Tutorials (screencasts on various Amethyst features)
 Amethyst Product Page (overview of Amethyst)
 Amethyst Download page (free 60 day Trial or buy a license to unlock Amethyst Professional)

The following resources provide more information on using Amethyst For WebORB:

 How to Use the Amethyst/WebORB IDE Plug-in for Visual Studio (Midnight Coders web site)
 New Plug-in for Visual Studio Enables Flash/Flex Design, Dev, Debug and more (Midnight Coders announcement)
 Flex Client-.NET Server Development in Visual Studio (YouTube video)
 Debugging Flex and .NET apps using Visual Studio (YouTube video)