View source for Adobe Director

{{Software
| name = Adobe Director
| logo = [[File:Adobe Director 12 icon+shadow.png|100px]]
| screenshot = 
| caption = 
| developer = [[Adobe Systems]], formerly [[Macromedia]]
| latest_release_version = [[Adobe Director 12|12.0]]
| latest_release_date = {{release date|2013|03|11}}
| operating_system = [[Mac OS X]], [[Microsoft Windows]]
| genre = Multimedia Content Creator
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]]
| website = [http://www.adobe.com/products/director/ Adobe Director Homepage]
}}'''Adobe Director''' (formerly '''''Macromedia Director''''') is a media application created by [[Macromedia]]&mdash;now part of [[Adobe Systems]]. It allows users to build applications built on a movie [[wp:Metaphor|metaphor]], with the user as the "director" of the movie. Originally designed for creating animation sequences, the addition of a powerful scripting language called [[Lingo]] made it a popular choice for creating CD-ROMs and standalone kiosks. Adobe Director supports both 2D and 3D multimedia projects.

==Features==
Its scripting language motivated some to use this application. Many companies deliver demonstrations or use it as a user interface ([[wp:Graphical user interface|UI]]) for content on [[wp:Compact disc|CDs]] and [[wp:DVD|DVD]]s.  It can incorporate many different bitmap, audio and video file formats making it possible to integrate media.  It also supports [[vector graphics]] and 3D interactivity (via [[Adobe Shockwave|Shockwave 3D]]). Since Version 8, Director also natively incorporates [[Adobe Flash|Flash]] animation files. 

Director's functionality can be extended through plug-in applications named [[Xtra (Macromedia)|Xtra]]s. These can be created by users or purchased from third party vendors. They are created using Macromedia's XDK (Xtra Development Kit), a C++ based [[wp:Software development kit|software development kit]].

One type of file created by Director can be viewed in a web browser using the [[Adobe Shockwave|Shockwave]] plugin. These files have a .DCR extension.

Director can also create stand-alone executable applications from a project, called projectors, which can be compiled for Macintosh or Windows operating systems.

==History==
[[File:MacroMind Director 1.0 cover.jpg|thumb|130px|right|[[MacroMind Director 1|MacroMind Director 1.0]]]]
[[File:Macromedia Player icon+logo.jpg|thumb|130px|right|[[Macromedia Player]] from the early '90s]]
Director started out as '''[[MacroMind VideoWorks|VideoWorks]]''', an application created by predecessor company [[MacroMind]] for the original [[Apple Macintosh]]. Its name was changed to "Director" in 1989 with the addition of paint and limited scripting capabilities. The [[Lingo]] scripting language was introduced with version 2.0 in 1990. A [[Windows]] version became available with version 4.0.3 in August 1994.

===Release history===
*1985: [[MacroMind VideoWorks]] is released.
*1987: [[MacroMind VideoWorks II]] is released with color support.
*1988: MacroMind VideoWorks Professional is announced.
*1989: VideoWorks Professional is released as [[MacroMind Director 1|MacroMind Director 1.0]].
*1990 Apr.: [[MacroMind Director 2|MacroMind Director 2.0]] is released with [[Lingo]] support.
*1991: [[MacroMind Director 3]] is released.
*1992: [[MacroMind Director 3.1]] is released with [[QuickTime]] support.[[File:Made with Macromedia logo 1992.png|thumb|130px|right|Logo for applications authored with Director from 1992 to 1997.]]
*1993 Feb.: rebranded as Macromedia Director with version 3.1.3.
*1994 Feb. 28: [[Macromedia Director 4]] was announced and was released in March.
*1995 Apr. 24: [[Macromedia Director 4.0.4]] was released for [[wp:Pentium|Pentium]]-based [[Windows]] computers.
*1996 Mar. 04: [[Macromedia Director 5]] was announced and was released in April.
*1997 May 27: [[Macromedia Director 6]] was released.[[File:Made with Macromedia logo 1997.svg|thumb|130px|right|Logo for applications authored with Director from 1997 to 2005.]]
*1998 May 11: [[Macromedia Director 6.5]] was released.
*1998 Nov. 16: [[Macromedia Director 7]] was released.
*2000 Mar. 22: [[Macromedia Director 8]] was released.
*2001 Apr. 24: [[Macromedia Director 8.5]] was released with [[Shockwave 3D]] support.
*2002 Dec. 17: [[Macromedia Director MX]] was released.
*2004 Jan. 05: [[Macromedia Director MX 2004]] was released.
*2008 Mar. 25: [[Adobe Director 11]] was released.
*2009 Mar. 23: [[Adobe Director 11.5]] was released.
*2013 Feb. 11: [[Adobe Director 12]] was released.

<gallery hideaddbutton="true" position="center" captionalign="center" bordercolor="transparent" columns="5" widths="112" spacing="small" navigation="true">
Macromedia Director Multimedia Studio 1 Mac box.png|[[Macromedia Director Multimedia Studio|Director (4) Multimedia Studio]]|link=Macromedia Director Multimedia Studio
Macromedia Director Multimedia Studio 2 box.png|[[Macromedia Director Multimedia Studio 2|Director (5) Multimedia Studio]]|link=Macromedia Director Multimedia Studio 2
Macromedia Director 6 Multimedia Studio box for Mac.jpg|[[Macromedia Director 6 Multimedia Studio|Director 6 Multimedia Studio]]|link=Macromedia Director 6 Multimedia Studio
Macromedia Director 7 Shockwave Internet Studio for Windows.jpg|[[Macromedia Director 7 Shockwave Internet Studio|Director 7 Shockwave Internet Studio]]|link=Macromedia Director 7 Shockwave Internet Studio
Macromedia Director 8 Shockwave Studio box.jpg|[[Macromedia Director 8 Shockwave Studio|Director 8 Shockwave Studio]]|link=Macromedia Director 8 Shockwave Studio
Macromedia Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio box.jpg|[[Macromedia Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio|Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio]]|link=Macromedia Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio
Macromedia Director MX box.jpg|[[Macromedia Director MX|Director MX]]|link=Macromedia Director MX
Macromedia Director MX 2004 box.gif|[[Macromedia Director MX 2004|Director MX 2004]]|link=Macromedia Director MX 2004
</gallery>

===Adobe Director 11===
[[Image:Adobe Director 11 box.jpg|thumb|100px|right|[[Adobe Director 11]]]]
In 2005, [[Macromedia]] was acquired by [[wikipedia:Adobe Systems|Adobe Systems]], which renamed the products to Adobe Director and [[Adobe Shockwave]].<ref name="loc-macromedia-flash">[https://www.loc.gov/preservation/digital/formats/fdd/fdd000130.shtml Macromedia Flash SWF File Format], Library of Congress. Accessed 2018-06-26.</ref>

[[Adobe Director 11|Director 11]] was the first version to be released under the Adobe brand. It featured [[wp:DirectX|DirectX]] 9 and [[wp:Unicode|Unicode]] support and extended 3D capabilities based on the [[wp:Ageia|Ageia]] [[wp:PhysX|PhysX]] engine, as well as bitmap filters, enhanced video, audio and image file formats support, and [[Adobe Flash CS3]] integration. [[Adobe Shockwave Player]] 11 was also announced.

===Discontinuation===
Adobe stopped selling [[Adobe Director 12]] and [[Adobe Contribute 6.5|Contribute 6.5]] on February 1, [[2017]]. Support for [[Shockwave Player]] on [[macOS]] ended on March 14, 2017.<ref name="slashdot-adobe-killing">[https://tech.slashdot.org/story/17/01/27/1727202/adobe-is-killing-contribute-director-and-shockwave Adobe Is Killing Contribute, Director, and Shockwave] by msmash, Slashdot. 2017-01-27.</ref> In February [[2019]], Adobe announced that all remaining support for Shockwave on [[Microsoft Windows]] would be officially discontinued, effective April 9, 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://helpx.adobe.com/shockwave/shockwave-end-of-life-faq.html|title=End of Life (EOL) for Adobe Shockwave|website=helpx.adobe.com|access-date=2019-03-05}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2|small}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190414142649/https://www.adobe.com/products/director.html Adobe Director - End of Life] at Adobe (archived 2019-04-14)
**[https://web.archive.org/web/20170310060001/https://helpx.adobe.com/director.html Director Learn & Support] (archived 2017-03-10)
**[https://web.archive.org/web/20170310055957/https://www.adobe.com/support/director/downloads.html Director Support Center Downloads] (archived 2017-03-10)
* [http://www.deansdirectortutorials.com/ Dean's Director Tutorials and Resources]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120410044821/http://www.directorforum.com/ DirectorForum] director user group (archived 2012-04-10)
* [http://director-online.com/ Director Online] resources for Adobe Director users
* [https://github.com/jht1900/macr Director artifacts] at GitHub
* [https://guidebookgallery.org/splashes/director Director] at the Graphical User Interface Gallery
* [http://lingoworkshop.com/articles/history An Unofficial Brief History of Director] at Lingo Workshop
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080420095056/http://www.magicgate.com/podcast/director/index.html The Director Podcast] at Magicgate Software (archived 2008-04-20)
* [https://rhizome.org/community/32656/ Some Macromedia Director history] at Rhizome (2005-02-02)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080622143148/http://www.ieee.org/web/aboutus/history_center/biography/thompsonj.html John Thompson] (inventor of Lingo and XObjects) at IEEE History Center
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061019061119/http://veerle.duoh.com/blog/comments/macromedias_history/ Macromedia's history] at Veerle's blog (2005-04-19, archived 2006-10-19)
* [[w:c:macromedia:Macromedia Director|Macromedia Director]] at the Macromedia Wiki
* [[w:c:pippin:Macromedia Director|Macromedia Director]] at the Pippin @World & Atmark Wiki
* [[wikipedia:Adobe Director|Adobe Director]] at Wikipedia
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{{Wikipedia|Adobe Director}}
[[Category:Discontinued software]]