AIR APPLICATION DESCRIPTOR FILES

An Adobe AIR application descriptor file contains parameters that are used to identify, install, and launch an AIR application.

Each new project created in Flash Builder automatically generates an AIR application descriptor file template. The AIR application descriptor file name is usually generated by the name of the application set in the Flash Builder New Project wizard, as covered in Chapter 2, in which HelloWorldApp generates HelloWorldApp-app.xml.

This section takes a look at editing an application descriptor file focusing on each of the core elements.

Setting Properties in the AIR Application Descriptor File

The AIR application descriptor file is essentially an XML file consisting of many elements that you need to specify for your mobile applications to be built. When these are packaged and then deployed to the mobile device, the installation of AIR on that device can interpret the package correctly and ascertain where to install files, write directories, and set data. Some of the elements in the application descriptor file are required, and some are optional.