Lately, I’ve been wondering how to use Flash Builder on Linux. You know, Adobe is apparently putting Flash Builder (formerly also known as Flex Builder) for Linux on hold. So, if you are a Linux user, you’d better look for alternatives to FB (and certainly, there are a few...) However, I think that FB is the most feature-packed IDE for Flex development. So, how could we use that tool in our beloved system? Well, I managed to install it using Wine 1.1.23 on Ubuntu 9.04. This is the process that I’ve followed.
Download Flash Builder for Windows from Adobe Labs. Before the installation, you will have to configure Wine and install some needed DLL files. To do that, first and foremost, you’ll need to download the winetricks application and make it executable:
$ wget http://www.kegel.com/wine/winetricks
$ chmod a+x ./winetricks
$ ./winetricks
Now, you must select vcrun2005 and vcrun2005sp1 to install the needed dependencies : MS Visual C++ 2005 libraries and the related service pack.
Ok, time to install Flash Builder under wine:
$ wine flashbuilder4_b1_win_060109.exe
After finishing the installation, if you try to execute the application, you’ll get the following error:
«Licensing for this product has stopped working . This product has encountered a problem which requires that you restart your computer before it can be launched»
Restart the computer? on Linux? No way! 🙂 Now comes the tricky part, because you have to copy from a Windows installment some needed files:
a) On Windows, open the regedit tool and export the following branches:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREAdobe –> adobe.reg
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesFLEXnet Licensing Service –> flexnet.reg
b) Back on Linux, import the previously saved registry branches
$ wine regedit
(now import adobe.reg and flexnet.reg files)
Now, mount the windows partition and copy this folders to the related wine folder:
$ cp -R /mnt/windows/Program Files/Common Files/Adobe ~/.wine/drive_c/Program Files/Common Files/
$ copy -R «/mnt/windows/Program Files/Common Files/Macrovision Shared» ~/.wine/drive_c/Program Files/Common Files/
Voilá! After entering the Serial Number or choosing the trial version, you’ll be able to work with Flash Builder on Linux 🙂 Enjoy!
Note: don’t forget to visit the WineHQ AppDB page about Flash Builder, for learning some hacks&tweaks that will allow you to address some annoying issues with code completion and the use of spaces as tabs.
