Archive notice: This article was originally published on May 23, 2003. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
The new Macromedia Flash MX Data Connection Kit is available immediately. It consists of software modules for use in Flash applications that allow different data sources to be integrated via drag&drop. Alongside these Firefly components, which were acquired from
the company CyberSage Software, the package consists of a developer version of Macromedia Flash Remoting MX and a number of special interfaces.
The Firefly component architecture includes special interfaces for fast data access. These ensure integration with a wide variety of data sources such as XML, Microsoft SQL Server and Macromedia Flash Remoting. For consistent visualization of the data, the Firefly components include simple elements that can be used to separate presentation logic from application logic. So-called “XML
Shadowing” supports real-time tracking of data changes and sends back to the server only the difference for updating the original data source – and not the complete data set. This reduces the the data traffic on the network and allows different users to work with the same data source at the same time.
The Macromedia Firefly Remoting Connector is fully integrated into the
Macromedia ColdFusion MX application server and thereby offers
developers a number of advanced features, such as automatic updates and server-side self-testing. The developer version of Macromedia Flash Remoting MX included in the Macromedia Flash MX Data Connection Kit can be used together with the Macromedia Firefly components to access additional data sources such as ColdFusion, Microsoft .NET, Java and SOAP-based web services. The target group for the new Macromedia product is primarily web designers who have only limited Flash knowledge and Visual Basic, Delphi or
Java programmers who want to enter the development of Flash applications.
The Macromedia Flash MX Data Connection Kit for Windows 98 SE, Windows ME, Windows NT4, Windows 2000 and Windows XP is available in English in the Macromedia online store (www.macromedia.com/store) and in retail outlets. It costs 289 euros for commercial users and 189 euros for users in the education sector.
