Adobe has released a trial version of their second release of Creative Suite Extension Builder 1.5. This is the first time such a trial is being offered, and earlier the software was only available for those who were part of Adobe’s Enterprise Developer Program.
Creative Suite Extension Builder makes the process of creating extensions to Creative Suite (CS) applications similar to creating RIAs. The CS Extension Builder plugs into Flash Builder, and allows you to create an additional project type, a Creative Suite Extension Project.
The new version has several improvements. With CS Extension Builder 1.5, you can create extensions that target multiple versions of CS (both CS5.5 and CS5). Hybrid extensions that combine native code and ActionScript are now easier to build and package. This version also improves how ActionScript libraries are deployed and updated.
With the CS Extension Builder, you can easily create user interfaces and panels in Flash Builder while still using native code libraries for the bulk of the work. The CS Extension Builder gives access to a lot of the functionality of the CS application through ActionScript itself.
To find out more about what’s new in this version, read this article that introduces the new version. Videos showcasing the extension builder can be found on the CSExtensionBuilder channel.
You can also download a trial version of the software here. For this you need to have Flash Builder 4 installed in addition to at least one Creative Suite application. The trial version of the application will expire on November 01, 2011, after which you’ll have to purchase an Adobe Enterprise Developer Program membership to continue using it.