Why Use Tofino?

• Easily combine the advantages of Flex clients and .NET server-side development.
• Use a familiar user interface.
• No need to remember what files to put where or how to invoke the compiler.
• Better maintain context and mental model by not having to switch between environments.

Application and System Compatibility

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 (Standard edition and up).
• Windows XP or Windows Vista.

Tofino Download Package Includes:

• Visual Studio Plug-in.
• Integrated Help Documentation.
• Sample Projects.

Flex Design Practices

Our advice regarding a best practices design for web applications, particularly "rich" ones: implement your web app in a "proper" client/ server fashion, with the server *only* being concerned with fielding data requests and updates, and the flex client being the sole owner of the UI.

There are variations on this theme of course, especially if you consider mixed html/flex applications, but that is a good starting position. There are also various ways to talk to the server, including BlazeDS for remote procedure calls. We tend to start with simple xml messages posted to the server as http requests.

The sample included in our Tofino installation shows a simple client/ server example that demonstrates the approach we prefer for developing Flex client/.NET server applications.

What you can expect:

• Create new projects in a solution using the Visual Studio wizard approach.
• Debugging: Run Flex applications from within Microsoft Visual Studio.
  • Set breakpoints at code locations in ".as" or ".mxml" files.
  • Step into code while in break mode.
  • Inspect local variables while in break mode.
• Build errors are reported in the Visual Studio error list, and are linked to the source location.
• Browse ActionScript types from referenced components (SWCs) in the Visual Studio object browser.
• Navigate types and members in ActionScript files via drop-downs in the ActionScript code window.
• Simple installation; Tofino includes the Adobe Flex SDK.
• Adds links to relevant Adobe LiveDocs and PDFs for Flex to Visual Studio Help.
• Intellisense code completion.
• "Go to definition" navigation.
• Object/class browser.

Email questions and feedback to tofinosupport@ensemble.com

 

Ensemble Tofino is available for free.