Instruction

1. Download Flex 2.0.1 SDK and the Apollo SDK.
2. Open Terminal and create a new folder typing mkdir /Applications/flex_sdk2.
3. Unzip both downloaded files. Type in your opened Terminal window unzip /{downloadFolder}/flex_sdk_2.zip -d /Applications/flex_sdk2 and unzip /{downloadFolder}/apollo_sdk_alpha1_031907.zip -d /Applications/flex_sdk2. Accept the replacing of “Version.as” and “mxmlc.jar” twice. Note: Don’t unzip the files using Stuffit Expander.
4. For installing the Apollo runtime open the /Applications/flex_sdk2/runtime in Finder and double-click the Adobe Apollo.dmg file. Drag the Adobe Apollo.frameworkfolder contained in the *.dmg file to the /Applications/flex_sdk2/runtime directory.
5. Configure the environment variable$PATH in your .bash_profile with pico. Type in Terminal pico .profile and add the following line export PATH=$PATH:/Applications/flex_sdk2/bin/. Save and close pico. Refresh .bash_profile typing (Note the double points with space) . .bash_profile and check it with echo $PATH.
6. Open TextMate and create a new project (⌃⌘N) named “textMateMeetsApollo.tmproj”.
7. Place a root content for Apollo creating a new file “HelloWorld.mxml” including following code:

   HelloWorld.mxml

   1. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
   2. <mx:ApolloApplication xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml"
   3.   layout="absolute"
   4.   title="TextMate meets Apollo"
   5.   backgroundColor="0×000000">
   6.   <mx:Label htmlText="TextMate meets Apollo"
   7.     fontSize="28"
   8.     color="0xFFFFFF"
   9.     horizontalCenter="0"
   10.     verticalCenter="0"/>
   11. </mx:ApolloApplication>
   In this case it’s a simple Flex file including a Label component.
8. Then add a XML file called “HelloWorldApp.xml” which defines the properties for your Apollo application:

   HelloWorldApp.xml

   1. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   2. <application xmlns="http://ns.adobe.com/apollo/application/1.0.M3"
   3.     version="1.0"
   4.     appId="HelloWorld">
   5.     <properties>
   6.         <name>Example for building an Apollo Application with TextMate</name>
   7.         <publisher>sectore [www.websector.de]</publisher>
   8.         <description>A sample Apollo application</description>
   9.     </properties>
   10.     <rootContent systemChrome="standard" transparent="false">HelloWorld.swf</rootContent>
   11. </application>

9. For easier handling define a TextMate command to compile your Apollo application. Open the project information panel (⌘I) and add two shell variables named APOLLO_APP and APOLLO_DESCRIPTOR.

   

10. Finally create a command opening the command panel (⌃⌥⌘C). Add a new bundle named “Apollo” and a new command called “build” as well. For running the compiler I’ve chosen STRG+ENTER.

    

    Source of TextMates build command:

    tm_buildApolloApp.command

    1. # Source some support functions we need.
    2. . "${TM_SUPPORT_PATH}/lib/html.sh"
    3. . "${TM_SUPPORT_PATH}/lib/webpreview.sh"
    4.  
    5. html_header "TextMate meets Apollo"
    6.  
    7. echo ‘<h2>Building Apollo App"’
    8. echo $APOLLO_APP
    9. echo ‘"</h2>’
    10. echo ‘<p>’
    11. amxmlc $TM_PROJECT_DIRECTORY/$APOLLO_APP
    12. echo ‘</p>’
    13.  
    14. echo ‘<h2>Test Apollo App "’
    15. echo $APOLLO_DESCRIPTOR
    16. echo ‘"</h2>’
    17. echo ‘<p>’
    18. adl $TM_PROJECT_DIRECTORY/$APOLLO_DESCRIPTOR
    19. echo ‘</p>’
    20.  
    21. html_footer

Screen shots

TextMates output window:

Apollo window:

Download

Source: textMateApolloExample.zip
(Downloads: 876)

Links

• Open book: “Apollo for Flex Developer”
• Adobe Labs: Installing and configuring the Apollo SDK and Creating an Apollo application using the command line tools
• Adobe Apollo Forum: Can not unzip the SDK on a Mac

Feedback and suggestions

Feedback and suggestions for improvement are welcome, especially smarter commands for TextMate . And is there anyone out there to create an Apollo bundle script for TextMate feel free to drop a comment, too.[EDIT: 04/04/07] I’ve just found that Tyler Hall has already build an Apollo bundle for TextMate. Check it out! [EDIT]

Personal top 5

1. Flash / Flex are one of the core technologies of Apollo.
2. Developing cross-platform web applications using Flash / Flex with possibilities of any desktop application, such as native installation, self update, offline support, Apollos File System API, drag and drop support between Apollo and native applications or operations systems, etc.
3. Full featured HTML support within Flash / Flex, because Apollos HTMLControll class uses the open source WebKit engine to retrieve, load and render HTML content. The HTMLControll class inherits the flash.display.DisplayObject class, which you can manipulate HTML content like any other display object with applying filters, using matrix for transformations to scale, rotate or skew. Furthermore it’s possible to manipulate the HTML DOM from ActionScript.
4. Script bridging between Flash and JavaScript without browsers incompatibilities.
5. Apollo SDK: You can use any tool of your choice (e.g. TextMate) to start developing Apollo applications – for free.

Great, isn’t it?