I do all my game dev (almost) on Linux, using only free tools. Sometimes it's hard to get things working; as a Linux game dev you are in the minority so prepare to feel marginalized!

@p The result is well worth it though, since Linux is invincible and incredibly responsive compared to Windows. Windows feels so clunky after using Linux!

@p Today I installed Adobe FlexBuilder for Linux, so I could do Flash development with Flixel without resorting to my Windows Box. I'ts not fully tested yet but it does seem I managed to get it installed.

@p Here is how I did it:

@p (note: Eclipse 3.4 is installed for me to /usr/lib/eclipse)

You can get it at:

@p http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/flexbuilder_linux.html

And click Download Alpha 5 -> Download for Linux

Downloading from Adobe...

It will ask you where you want to install FlexBuilder. Choose /usr/local/FlexBuilder as the installation folder.

@p Next, it will ask you where eclipse is installed. Choose /usr/lib/eclipse or wherever you have it.

@p You will get some warning that it doesn't know what it's doing, click the button that says "proceed with caution" (amazing!)

@p It should then try to install.

@p I didn't break my eclipse, but of course it didn't install properly either.

The Installer...

Oh, adobe, with your ever lovin' propietary software and ridiculous installers. Anyhow almost every browser has flash and at least you aren't Microsoft, so we play your ridiculous game: but don't think that we like it.

@p The point is the installer OF COURSE fails; if Adobe really wanted this to work properly they would just have a normal repository like every other eclipse plugin.

• It seems to copy some kind of configuration to /usr/lib/eclipse/configuration. Just delete the adobe stuff in there.
• It also creates something called /usr/lib/eclipse/links; also delete the adobe stuff in there.

You should now have nothing actually installed to eclipse (i.e., you've undone the broken installation attempt that the installer made) but what you DO have is a FlexBuilder repository site installed to /usr/local/FlexBuilder.

So just start up Eclipse, choose Help -> Software Updates -> Available Software -> Add Site...

Then choose /usr/local/FlexBuilder/com.adobe.flexbuilder.update.site/

@p You should now be able to select the FlexBuilder components, which will then install! Hooray!

Installing from Eclipse...

Well I haven't tested actually building anything yet, I plan to set this up with SCons, but at any rate you can click:

Help -> About Adobe Flex Builder Linux

And see some kind of screen relating your trial period, etc.

2009-12-17

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