Finally some tools to go from FlashBuilder to InteliJ IDEA

For quite a while now I've wanted to get into IntelliJ IDEA IDE.  There are a couple of reasons for this.

1. I find Eclipse to be a bit annoying every now and then.
2. It seemed to me that IntelliJ IDEA really is an amazing IDE and everyone tells me so. (Even though I think it has a nasty Java UI)

I have tried downloading the IDE twice and both times had a hard time with it.  I felt that Eclipse was one culture I've gotten used to since 1999, and IntelliJ was just a whole new way of thinking that would require a tutor for me to understand.  To be honest, I've been very embarrassed about this last bit and I never quite knew how to ask anyone to help me, or even who to ask.

Well the other day something interest happened.  A few days ago IntelliJ posted some stats about the increase in ActionScript projects. This led to a discussion in the Apache dev list about the IDE.  After some back and forth someone named Jagan Langa Sami Dura wrote to the Apache Flex dev mailing list and fighting  through what I imagine was some embarrassment, wrote a very poignant email.

I thought to try the IDEA for my flex development, after seeing a lot of
discussions in this group and in linkedlin about the comparison between
IDEA and FB. I'm using FB for past 5 years (From FB3 to FB4.7). I really
don't know where to start in IDEA. I downloaded the community version and
installed it. after that I don't see any options to create a flex project.
or options to add a plugin to support flex project.
My Doubts are,
1. Can I create flex project in community version..?
2. Is there a trial version available for flex development ?
3. When compared to the cost of the FB4.7 and IDEA seems equal. How do you
guys(IDEA team) believe that you can attract the developers and most
importantly the Management peoples or the clients who is familiar
(almost addicted) with FB?
4. I don't see any dedicated page/product for "IDEA for Flex" in the IDEA
product page, do i really missed that page in their products page..?
To my surprise and I think to the surprise of others, an employee of JetBrains, Alexander Dorshanko, responded and his emails said the following:

Hi,
- ActionScript/Flex support is included in IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate 
Edition only [1]
- 30-day free fully functional trial period [2]. Afterwards you can ask 
sales@jetbrains.com to extend trial period.
- members of open source projects (e.g. Apache Flex committers) can 
apply for a free license [3]
- IntelliJ IDEA personal license costs $199 whereas Flash Builder is $699
Some documentation resources:
- Feature overview [4]
- Embedded help: Language and Framework-Specific Guidelines | 
ActionScript and Flex, also available online [5]
- More than 50 short video screencasts by John Lindquist at JetBrains TV 
[6] (start from 'IntelliJ IDEA 11.1 Flex Features')
- Two articles at JetBrains wiki: quick start with AIR app for Android 
[7], Flexmojos-driven workflow [8]
- A lot of 3rd party blog posts and tutorials in the Internet
You can try to start even without looking at docs: either Import Project 
| <select Flash Builder workspace> or New Project | Flash Module.
Feedback and any questions are welcome at the forum [9], bugs and 
feature requests - in the issue tracker [10]. Or just email me directly.
-- 
Alexander Doroshko
IntelliJ IDEA Flash Team Lead
http://www.jetbrains.com
"Develop with pleasure!"
[1] http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/features/editions_comparison_matrix.html
[2] http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/download/index.html
[3] http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/buy/index.jsp
[4] http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/features/flex_ide.html
[5] http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/webhelp/actionscript-flex-and-air.html
[6] http://tv.jetbrains.net/tags/john-lindquist
[7] http://wiki.jetbrains.net/intellij/Developing,_running_and_packaging_AIR_mobile_applications_for_Android


[8] http://wiki.jetbrains.net/intellij/Working_with_Flexmojos_projects_in_IntelliJ_IDEA


[9] http://devnet.jetbrains.net/community/idea/ideacommunity[10] http://youtrack.jetbrains.net



Sorry, forgot one more important link. Developers familiar with Eclipse and Eclipse-based products should first of all take a look at the page 'IntelliJ IDEA vs Eclipse Terminology' [1] and keep a link to 'Basic Concepts' [2].



[1] http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/webhelp/intellij-idea-vs-eclipse-terminology.html



[2] http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/webhelp/basic-concepts.html

I hope this information is helpful to others, and in the next couple weeks, I'm going to try to follow these links and move away from a very horrible coding experience that is a bloated Eclipse and FlashBuilder.