   [web] Frustrations for JAVA & C++ developer working with Flash/FLEX
  I've recently been asked by my employer to work on a prototype of a game concept in Flash. I am finding Action Script an extremely frustrating programming language after using JAVA and C++ for years. It feels like a step backwards and an unfinished programming language. Many things I would have thought obvious are missing from the language and the support libraries.I also find the FlashDevelop IDE I am using very unstable, it crashes at least 5 times a day and sometimes locks the Flash Player. It is also has an irritating lack of features and after using Eclipse and Visual Studio for years it makes me feel very unproductive.Does anyone have any advice for programmers who are used to coding in C++ and JAVA and are now being forced to use something as inadequate as ActionScript 3?   
  Persevere. Many programmers have gone in the opposite direction and felt exactly the same. Actionscript has closures for example, which Java and C++ lack. Actionscript also has prototype-based inheritance which is very powerful. Actionscript isn't perfect by any means but it is a massively-used language and very capable.Also, it's wise to be humble about these things - sometimes, instead of asking "why doesn't language X have Y?", ask instead, "how do I achieve the results that I got with feature Y in language Z when using language X", and sometimes you get an answer that is even easier than you expected. I know I have learned interesting things that way, not just about ActionScript, but about &#106avascript, Python, and more.Perhaps the official Flash IDE would be better than FlashDevelop? Personally I've not had any trouble with FlashDevelop but I only dabble in Flash rather than work on it all day. Make sure you're keeping it updated, at least.   ;Quote:Original post by PurpleAmethystI am finding Action Script an extremely frustrating programming language after using JAVA and C++ for years. It feels like a step backwards and an unfinished programming language.I have a C++ background too and I think it's a pretty neat language (beginning at version 3), but to each his own.Quote:Many things I would have thought obvious are missing from the language and the support libraries.Like what for example? Are there perhaps third party libraries or open source work you can use? After all, programming C++ often requires the use of specialized libraries, as the standard library isn't exactly the most extensive.Quote:I also find the FlashDevelop IDE I am using very unstable, it crashes at least 5 times a day and sometimes locks the Flash Player.I know it doesn't solve you problems, but my installation runs very stable, pretty much out of the box (except for some manual Flash Player 10 specific configurations). Have you consulted the FlashDevelop forums? It has a friendly and knowledgeable community.Quote:It is also has an irritating lack of features and after using Eclipse and Visual Studio for years it makes me feel very unproductive.Yeah, it isn't Visual Studio, but you but can't really expect that I'm afraid. What features are you missing?Quote:Does anyone have any advice for programmers who are used to coding in C++ and JAVA and are now being forced to use something as inadequate as ActionScript 3?You haven't really given any specific examples of this inadequacy, so it's hard to give any sort of advice. Once you're frustrated, you can only see the negative things; perhaps a good night of sleep and a fresh start tomorrow could help? [smile]Quote:Original post by KylotanPerhaps the official Flash IDE would be better than FlashDevelop?It used to be horrendous with a capital H, but perhaps the latest version has improved dramatically.   ;  Part of the reason I am posting is to help get over my prejudices against Flash and AS3 in general :), I realize a lot of what I said was not properly justified. I am trying to reach a more rational opinion. What makes me feel like the programming language is unfinished is the lack of things that IMO should be obvious .For example, the built in Array type has no obvious method delete an index. One has to use the "splice" method in a rather strange way. The gets annoying very fast, even the Vector type has no remove method.The prototype polymorphism is great, when it works, I couldn't get it to work.I guess part of the problem is learning how to code in AS3 properly. I'm used to having all the power with C++ and JAVA because I'm far more experienced in these languages.external libraries can be somewhat problematic. I like using them but sometimes we get told not to.I've got pretty far with AS3 so far. I guess I just need time to get over the prejudices :). Does anyone have any recommend resources or book for people with a C++ and JAVA background moving to using AS3(for the foreseeable future :( )?Quote:perhaps a good night of sleep and a fresh start tomorrow could helpAlways sensible advice :)!