Macromedia has announced the launch of Macromedia Director MX 2004, the latest version of the industry-standard multimedia authoring tool, which will be available through Macromedia distributor and Web-enablement specialist, Dax Data.
Macromedia Director has been at the forefront of multimedia development for more than a decade, and this latest version adds support for JavaScript, Flash MX 2004 content, DVD-Video, and the ability to create projector files for both Mac and Windows platforms in one simple step.
"Macromedia Director remains one of the most sophisticated multimedia authoring tools to this day," says Jeremy Matthews, MD of Dax Data.
"The new release, Macromedia Director MX 2004, builds on the product`s rich legacy and adds new features that will enable richer content and easier development due to its seamless workflow with other MX 2004 products and the addition of an industry standard, widely used, scripting language," says Matthews.
Macromedia Director MX 2004 empowers professional multimedia developers, advanced Flash developers, professional DVD developers, e-learning designers and game developers who need to create multimedia content that can be deployed anywhere, whether it be CD, DVD, intranets, kiosks, or the Internet.
Director MX 2004 supports most major video, audio, bitmap, 3D, and vector formats to give developers the broadest content palette from which to deliver sophisticated, compelling user experiences.
Extensive video capabilities within Director MX 2004 allow developers to stream video files in DVD-Video, Windows Media, RealMedia, QuickTime, and Flash formats. DVD-Video functionality will enable developers to embed, control and playback DVD-Video content within multimedia projects.
Director also has a powerful Xtras plug-in architecture, which enables developers to extend both the application and playback to add nearly limitless functionality.
Macromedia Director MX 2004 is also tightly integrated with other products and servers in the MX family. In addition to adding support for Flash MX 2004 content and applications, Director also has the ability to launch and edit both Flash and Fireworks to enable a seamless workflow.
Director also includes support for Flash MX 2004 components, including user interface components. Flash content can be integrated into Director projects, and Flash performance within Director projects has been dramatically improved over previous versions.
Like other MX 2004 products, the workspace is entirely customisable and Director now offers the ability for users to even customise both the stage and movie-in-a-window interfaces for better workspace management.
The product has also added new features to make developers more efficient and productive. Interactivity within projects can now be scripted directly using JavaScript, Lingo, or a combination of both.
Content can be published to both Macintosh and Windows, and online across different platforms, in one simple step. The ability to name sprites and channels enabled workflow efficiencies for the production of content within Director. For a detailed list of new features in Director MX 2004, visit www.macromedia.com/go/dirmx2004new.
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Dax Data
Dax Data is a value-add software distributor providing solutions in the Web development and Web enablement area. Incorporated in September 1989, Dax Data has offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg, is an IBM Business Partner, a Microsoft Solution Provider and holds local distribution rights for Macromedia, NetManage, DataMirror and Graphon products. The company has an extensive skills-base for these products, assisting southern African enterprises to tackle complex host-to-any connectivity issues, Internet-based delivery mechanisms and data replication solutions. Dax Data and its partners offer value-added services around the Web enablement of business applications - in effect, helping customers to maximise their investment in systems by making the data, information and applications they contain available across multiple backend and client technologies. (www.daxdata.co.za).
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