Creating A simple AIR Application
By Riyadh Al-Balushi | Flash CS4 | ActionScript 3.0 | Beginner | Page 1, 2, 3In this section we will configure the application settings, sign it, and then export the installer. This section is divided into the following subsections:
- Configuring AIR Settings.
- Signing the Application.
- Exporting the Installer.
Configuring the Application Settings
Before we create our installer we have to configure our application. These configurations involve putting the program name, details, and icons. This stage is pretty simple. To put all these details go through File>AIR Settings... to launch the following window:
For the File name, application Name, Version, ID, Description, and Copyright you can put any values you wish as they are pretty explanatory. You might not be familiar with the ID, but it is traditionally uses an inverse format for a domain name to refer to the original author. I supplied these values in the following format. You can put your own details:
The next option to configure is the Window style. The one which we wish to use for our application is the transparent chrome that shows no toolbar or visual outline for the application. To select this simply pick Custom Chrome (Transparent).
You might want to click OK now to go and test your movie again if you would like to see the difference between the regular chrome and the one we selected. The new one doesn't show any background for our application other than the body of the clock.
Go back to File>AIR Settings and configure the Icon sets next. Once you click on Select Icon Images button you will required to supply four images in four different sizes. The size you downloaded at the beginning of this tutorial has these files. Simply browse to them and pick them one by one.
That should do it. The final step we have to do before we create our installer is the digital signature.
Signing the Application
Digital signature requires creating a certificate to be attached to your application. This is usually used by applications developers to ensure that their applications are endorsed by a certain authority to indicate their safety and legitimacy. There are various vendors of certificates from whom you can acquire a formal certificate upon paying a certain fee. However, you can also create your own certificate and use it to sign your file if you feel that your users will trust you without the presence of a formal certificate.
The first step in creating your certificate is going through the same AIR Settings window and click on the Change button next to the Digital Signature field.
In the Digital Signature window that pops up, select the option to Sign the AIR file with a digital certificate, then click on the Create... button.
Clicking Create will open the self-creation certificate window. In this window you will have to put the name you wish to be identified with, the country details, and a password that you must remember. The type does not matter. However, you will have to select a folder to have your certificate created in. Once you are done simply click OK to have your certificate created for you.
Now you should go back to the Digital Signature window, simply put your password in the password field and then press OK now to finish the process. Your application will now be signed when you publish it.
Publishing the AIR Installer
Your application is now ready. You can create your installer by using the Publish AIR file from the AIR Settings window, or by going through File>Publish. That should create an AIR file in the same directory as your FLA. You can upload this file and share the link with others to have them install your application on their Windows, Mac, or Linux machines!
This concludes our tutorial, I hope that you learnt something new from it. You can download the end AIR application from here and the source file here. Feel free to post any comments or questions you have at the Republic of Code Forum.
- End of Tutorial.