Extending the application with Flash Builder
If your application needs to retrieve data at runtime from a web server, web service, or third-party API, you can share your Flash Catalyst project file (FXP) with a developer. The developer completes the project using Adobe Flash Builder 4.
Flash Builder (formerly Flex Builder) is the integrated development environment (IDE) for developing cross-platform data-centric RIAs using ActionScript and the Flex framework.
Flash Catalyst and Flash Builder are designed to work together. The applications you create using Flash Catalyst are Flex applications. The entire time you’re designing artwork, building components, adding interactions, and creating smooth transitions, Flash Catalyst is writing MXML code for you automatically. A Flex developer can open your Flash Catalyst projects in Flash Builder and pick up right where you left off. For example, you can create a Data List component in Flash Catalyst and use design-time data to define the appearance and behavior of the list. Then, have your developer bind the component to a data source using Flash Builder. When the application runs, your data list includes every record in the data source. The data is kept separate from the application, so the data can change at any time without redesigning or republishing the application. You can also use Flash Catalyst to design data management controls to view, edit, add, and delete records in a database. Flash Catalyst is an excellent tool for designing user input controls, including text input fields, radio buttons, check boxes, and the button used to submit a form. Design your forms using Flash Catalyst and then have your developer add the code to collect, store, and circulate the information by email. These are just a few examples.