Macromedia unveils Director MX 2004

Macromedia today announced the newest version of its multimedia authoring tool, Director MX 2004. The new release, due out in February, includes support for JavaScript, DVD video, Flash MX 2004, and Windows Media. With the new release, developers can script using either JavaScript or Macromedia’s own scripting language Lingo or a combination of the two. Those that still prefer Lingo also get some new benefits, including every commands available using the “dot-syntax” programming method. Another highlight in the release is the ability to author once and create executables for both the Windows and Macintosh platforms. On the Flash integration side, performance is said to be greatly enhanced when using files created in Flash MX 2004, says Miriam Geller, director of product management for Director. From a workflow perspective, developers can now rename “sprites” in a project, instead of relying on Director’s number scheme. When it ships in February, Director MX 2004 will still carry the same $1,199 pricetag as previous releases.