Eclipse Plug-in: Download AS3 libraries straight to your Eclipse/Flex Builder/FDT project

Posted by Dennis on Oct 9, 2009 in ActionScript • 41 comments

Do you use ActionScript frameworks a lot? Are you tired of always downloading each framework from different websites when setting up a new project in Eclipse, Flex Builder or FDT? Well, be tired no more :-)

I was getting sick of this myself so I wrote a plug-in that makes this a lot easier. Just right-click on a folder in your Eclipse project and select “Download ActionScript Framework Here”. A dialog will appear listing the ActionScript frameworks that you selected. It can also be a framework you added yourself. Just select the ones you’re after and press “Finish”. It will then either download from Subversion or from another URL. The download progress is then shown in the Eclipse console. When it’s finished refresh your project and you’re done!

What do you need for this to work?
- Eclipse 3.2 or higher
- Subversion command line tools (Windows: http://subversion.tigris.org/servlets/ProjectDocumentList?folderID=8100 Mac: http://subversion.tigris.org/getting.html#osx). To check if this is set up properly: open up a command prompt, type “svn” and hit enter. If it says “Type ’svn help’ for usage.” you’re good to go.

If you have this properly set up then download this jar file and place it in Eclipse’s plugin folder.

To check if it has been installed properly, right click on any folder and see if the “Download ActionScript Framework Here” option is there. By default there are no frameworks. You need to add them in Window > Preferences > ActionScript Framework Downloader.

The plugin has been tested on Windows, Mac, Flexbuilder standalone, FDT standalone. If for some reason it is not working on your machine, then please send me your Eclipse version, Java version and OS name/version.

If you know a framework that you’d like to see added to the list, just give me a shout and I’ll add it. Also, if you have an idea for an Eclipse plug-in, just let me know!

Download ActionScript Frameworks Preference Window

Download ActionScript Frameworks Preference Window

Add your own framework

Add your own framework

Right click on a folder and select "Download ActionScript Framework Here"

Choose the frameworks to download

The progress is shown in a console.



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41 comments

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  1. Nicolas on Oct 9, 2009, 5:14 pm:

    Nice!

    Would you be able to add these frameworks please?
    Guttershark
    http://codeendeavor.com/guttershark

    CASALib
    http://casalib.org/

    Open Source Media Framework
    http://opensource.adobe.com/wiki/display/osmf/Open+Source+Media+Framework;jsessionid=156BD29E7732DF33D204C4AC7DF64B78

    Thanks, great job on the plugin

  2. Fixative on Oct 9, 2009, 5:28 pm:

    This is _fantastic_, thanks!

  3. Hugo Matinho on Oct 9, 2009, 5:44 pm:

    Hi, cool plugin, though when i create a folder in Flashbuilder, he doesn’t seem to work with the plugin … any chance of getting it in FlashBuilder ?

  4. Dennis on Oct 9, 2009, 5:48 pm:

    @Hugo: What FB version/OS/Java version are you on?
    It has been tested with Flash Builder 4 beta 2 on Windows XP.

  5. Dennis on Oct 9, 2009, 5:50 pm:

    @Nicolas: I’ve added Casalib and Open Source Media Framework. Guttershark uses a different type of version control system though.

  6. Dennis on Oct 9, 2009, 5:59 pm:

    @Hugo: Ok, apparently it only works with normal folders and not with source folders. I’ll fix that tomorrow because tt’s beer time in London now!

  7. Steve on Oct 9, 2009, 6:05 pm:

    Two requests.

    Please add RobotLegs: http://github.com/darscan/robotlegs

    Also, please consider (if possible) adding the ability to add/remove libraries. Even just a xml file we can manually edit would be good.

    Great work.

  8. ActionScript 3 Toolbox | Lambda on Oct 9, 2009, 6:10 pm:

    [...] : Flash Develop | Flex Builder Must have tool : eclipse-plug-in-download-as3-libraries-straight-to-your-eclipseflex-builderfdt-project quite a long but expressive name, isn’t it [...]

  9. sroucheray on Oct 9, 2009, 6:11 pm:

    Cool !

    I would suggest :
    Tweenlite / TweenMax : http://blog.greensock.com/tweenliteas3/
    AS3DMod : http://code.google.com/p/as3dmod/

    I add your plugin to my AS3 ToolBox Page ! http://sroucheray.org/blog/2009/09/actionscript-3-toolbox/

  10. Rafael on Oct 10, 2009, 4:30 am:

    please add Parsley. thanks a lot for this plugin.

  11. Shaun on Oct 10, 2009, 9:54 am:

    Awesome stuff. Do you think it would be possible to run your plugin off of the Eclipse Team system (rather than through SVN directly)? This might enable integration with libraries hosted on other SCM systems (like Git, Mercurial etc). Just a thought - I have no idea how easy/possible that is. Nice work!

  12. Dennis on Oct 10, 2009, 10:50 am:

    @Shaun: good call. I’ll have a look into that.

  13. Marcel Fahle on Oct 10, 2009, 10:54 am:

    Fantastic stuff!!

  14. Dennis on Oct 10, 2009, 12:18 pm:

    @Steve: I’ve added Robotlegs
    @sroucheray: I’ve added AS3DMod. Tweenlite & TweenMax have some kind of license agreement before downloading, so I won’t add that one.

  15. My favorite Adobe MAX Tweets & Links « Applications and Enterprises on Oct 11, 2009, 12:53 am:

    [...] Eclipse pluggin for downloading Actionscript frameworks - Rozengain [...]

  16. misprintt on Oct 11, 2009, 7:27 am:

    Thanks for a great little plugin!

    A couple little feature suggestions that would really add a lot of value to users:

    1. integration with the eclipse update manager so that users can be notified of updates to the plugin and download them straight from eclipse.

    2. Add a url link next to each framework that opens the framework’s website in a browser. This way people can easily find out more about frameworks that they haven’t heard about before.

    Thanks again.

  17. Mirage on Oct 13, 2009, 3:23 pm:

    Is there any way to add framework/librairies by ourselves ?

  18. Download AS3 libraries to Eclipse/FDT/Flash Builder/Flex Builder plugin updated | Rozengain.com - Creative Technology Blog on Oct 19, 2009, 3:29 pm:

    [...] The download page is here. [...]

  19. jchmielewski on Oct 19, 2009, 9:49 pm:

    great stuff
    THX

  20. Another Great Flex Eclipse Plugin | Flex Cubed on Oct 20, 2009, 4:46 am:

    [...] out the ActionScript Framework Downloader to download misc AS3 libraries straight to the current project.  A great plug-in to help speed [...]

  21. Another Great Flex Eclipse Plugin | Flex Cubed on Oct 20, 2009, 4:46 am:

    [...] out the ActionScript Framework Downloader to download misc AS3 libraries straight to the current project.  A great plug-in to help speed [...]

  22. Yogesh on Oct 20, 2009, 9:48 am:

    This is great..thanks

  23. Hugo Matinho on Oct 20, 2009, 10:11 am:

    @Dennis, sorry for the delay been busy lately, i have Flashbuilder Beta 2/Mac OS X SL/java version “1.6.0_15″
    Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_15-b03-219)
    Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 14.1-b02-90, mixed mode)

  24. Dennis on Oct 20, 2009, 10:16 am:

    @Hugo: the new version should work with Flash Builder source folders. Could you give it a try?

  25. Hugo Matinho on Oct 20, 2009, 10:31 am:

    @Dennis working like a charm now :) could you add Mr.Doobs libraries into it ?

  26. Dennis on Oct 20, 2009, 10:37 am:

    @Hugo awesome! thanks for checking :-)
    could you send me a link to those libraries?

  27. Hugo Matinho on Oct 20, 2009, 10:43 am:

    @Dennis sure http://mrdoob.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/
    by the way love to be able to download the frameworks i use most into Flashbuilder right into the folders :D you rock! way to go

  28. Dennis on Oct 20, 2009, 10:46 am:

    @Hugo I’ve added the Mr Doob stuff, you should see it right away :)

  29. Hugo Matinho on Oct 20, 2009, 10:58 am:

    @Dennis sweet!!! thanks

  30. Hugo Matinho on Oct 20, 2009, 11:26 am:

    Hi Dennis sorry to be bothering you (again) maybe you could look into Robert Penner’s new Event Framework, Signals (http://robertpenner.com/flashblog/2009/09/my-new-as3-event-system-signals.html), Somerandomdude’s Layout Framework (http://code.google.com/p/coordy/) and addicted2flash’s collection framework, layout framework and generic data services (http://code.google.com/p/addicted2flash/)

    :)

  31. Eclipse Plug-in: Download AS3 libraries straight to your Eclipse | Simeon Says on Oct 28, 2009, 4:53 pm:

    [...] Eclipse Plug-in: Download AS3 libraries straight to your Eclipse/Flex Builder/FDT project | Rozengai…. [...]

  32. Tiago Dias on Oct 30, 2009, 10:02 am:

    Hi Dennis, great plugin!! I wonder if you could also implement the possibility of integrating own frameworks / libs to the list without having you to integrate it globally? Something like an addSite button where you can enter the SVN location of the lib. Thanks for your reply

  33. onelove on Oct 31, 2009, 3:46 am:

    oh~ Thank you..

  34. Germain LECOURTOIS on Nov 13, 2009, 8:47 am:

    Very very good idea !
    A step to Maven librairies approach

  35. Manage your AS3 Libs in Eclipse / Flash Builder | n8o on Nov 18, 2009, 4:15 pm:

    [...] @ rozengain.com has made a plugin for Eclipse / Flash builder that works like a charm called the ActionScript Framework Downloader. All you need to make it work is: > Eclipse 3.2 or greater > SVN Command line [...]

  36. gedw99 on Nov 24, 2009, 4:15 pm:

    Hey,

    I am working on o3d.
    I have Sketchup with o3d running inside it.

    i am wondering if anyone if working in Eclipse and o3d ??

  37. Joeflash on Nov 24, 2009, 5:04 pm:

    This is a cool plugin, will definitely save me some time. Is there a way for us to add our own frameworks to the list, some XML file to edit or something?

    It would be cool if the community could add their favourite frameworks to a web form, which would then appear in the list.

    Having said that, what I use now is similar: I’ve got Subclipse installed, so I just add my favourite frameworks to my repository list, and in the repository view, I do an Export to a library project, and then link to that library project. If I want to keep the library updatable (i.e. still connected to the repository), I download it versus export the framework, and then just use SVN>Update. This saves me from having multiple versions and copies of the same frameworks spread throughout my projects.

    Although this tool does make it easier for me to find new frameworks, it doesn’t have the same advantage as connecting them via SVN instead of downloading. What would be cool is a tool like this, but integrated with Subclipse, so I could stay connected to the repository if I wanted to, and the selected frameworks would show up in my Subclipse repository list.

  38. dmind's me2DAY on Nov 27, 2009, 2:02 pm:

    디마인드의 생각…

    actionscript framework downloader as3 오픈소스를 좀 더 쓰기 편하게 해주는 이클립스 기반 plugin…

  39. Ashoka on Dec 8, 2009, 10:55 am:

    sounds like a great pugin, tx

  40. ed hardy on Dec 18, 2009, 9:42 am:

    it easier for me to find new frameworks, it doesn’t have the same advantage as connecting them via SVN instead of downloa

  41. Stephane Schittly on May 28, 2010, 2:02 pm:

    Works like a charm in flashbuilder 4 mac. Thanks a lot for that, it’s the best plugin ever ;-)

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