Adobe Bridge does not integrate the CSXS technology stack; this means that you cannot use the CSXS library in Adobe Bridge extensions, and that changes you make to CSXS configuration properties (such as panel dimensions) in the extension’s manifest are not honored in Adobe Bridge extensions. You can set properties such as panel dimensions directly in your extension's MXML file.
Adobe Creative Suite Extension Builder does not support the automatic export of Adobe Bridge extensions; the Export wizard does build a package for an Adobe Bridge, even if you have selected it as a target product. If your extension additionally targets other Creative Suite products, you can use the Export wizard to generate a ZXP installation package for those targets. In order to export the Adobe Bridge extension, however, you must package and sign it by hand. To do this, download the Creative Suite Extension Packaging and Signing Toolkit (http://www.adobe.com/devnet/creativesuite/sdk.html). The download includes a user manual with detailed instructions.
To export an Adobe Bridge extension:
Run the extension at least once in Adobe Bridge, using Extension Builder. This automatically generates several files that you will need in order to export it.
Create a staging folder, called, for example, BridgeStaging.
In your file browser, navigate to
the folder Bridge Flash Extensions.
-- In Windows: ~\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Bridge
CS 5[.1]\Startup Scripts\Bridge Flash Extensions\
-- In Mac OS X: ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Bridge
CS5[.1]/Startup Scripts/Bridge Flash Extensions/
From this folder, copy the file
Bridge Flash Extension.jsx and the folder
containing your extension to your staging folder.
-- This JSX file is a small ExtendScript extension created by Extension
Builder that adds a menu item under Window > Extensions for each
extension in the Bridge Flash Extensions
folder. You must include it in your installation package so that the
user can open your extension.
-- The folder that contains your extension's SWF file also contains
an XML file that you must include in the installation package.
In your staging folder, create a
new MXI configuration file with the same name as your project. This
is the configuration file that Extension Manager uses to install the
package. It lists the target product, and all of the component files
that need to be installed. For details of the MXI file type, see http://www.adobe.com/go/em_file_format.
The MXI contents should be something like this:
<?xml version="1.0"
encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
<macromedia-extension name="com.example.hellobridge"
requires-restart="true" version="1.0">
<author name="Extension
Developer" />
<description />
<products>
<product
maxversion="" name="Bridge" version="4"
primary="true" />
</products>
<files>
<file
destination="$userscripts/Bridge Flash Extensions" products="Bridge"
source="Bridge Flash Extensions.jsx" shared="true"
/>
<file
destination="$userscripts/Bridge Flash Extensions/com.example.hellobridge/"
products="Bridge" source="com.example.hellobridge/HelloBridge.swf"
/>
<file
destination="$userscripts/Bridge Flash Extensions/com.example.hellobridge/"
products="Bridge" source="com.example.hellobridge/HelloBridge-app.xml"
/>
</files>
</macromedia-extension>
The $userscripts token points to the Startup Scripts folder in Adobe Bridge, where
Extension Manager must install the component files.
For a quick sanity check, you can open your MXI file in Extension Manager, which prompts you to save a ZXP file (an installation package). When you open this ZXP file in Extension Manager, you are prompted to install the extension into Adobe Bridge. However, this package is NOT a complete deployment package; you still need to build the deployment package yourself.
Package and sign your extension using the Creative Suite Packaging and Signing Toolkit.