AS3 – Getting started with Adobe Flash using the free Flash Develop IDE
Instead of using Flash CS3 or Flex 3, Flash Development provides a free alternative for building flash applications.
Install instructions:
- Flex 3 SDK (free)
- Download the Flex SDK (I used version 3.1.0.2710 from Fri Aug 15 2008)
- Unzip the files to a folder, for example: C:\_libraries\flex_sdk_3.1.0.2710
- Adobe Flash Player 10 (Debugger Version)
- Download from latest versions from: Adobe Flash Player Downloads
- Adobe Flash Player 10 ActiveX (Install)
- Adobe Flash Player 10 Projector (standalone)
(copy to C:\_libraries\flex_sdk_3.1.0.2710) - FlashDevelop 3.x
- Download the latest FlashDevelop.
- Start FD after the install.
- Click Tools -> Program settings (F10)
- Click AS3Context
- Set the Flex SDK Location to C:\_libraries\flex_sdk_3.1.0.2710
Optional debugger
- Installing a debugger
- Original post on FD forums.
- Download the latest version here (currently fdbPlugin0.4.5.0.zip, this version is only compatible with FlashDevelop 3.0.0 Beta9)
- Unzip it to a temp folder but don’t follow the instructions in the readme.txt
- Locate your FD plugins directory in your user files:
- From FD main menu: Tools > Application Files… (it will open up a new explorer dialog)
- Copy all the files Aga.Controls.dll and fdbPlugin.dll (its in the bin directory of the zipfile) to the plugin directory
(Example: C:\Documents and Settings\Falcon4ever\Local Settings\Application Data\FlashDevelop\Plugins). - Do not use FlashDevelop.exe from the zipfile (for some odd reason the exe seems to be corrupted here).
- Start FD.
- Click Tools -> Program settings (F10)
- Click FdbPlugin
- Set the DebugFlashPlayerPath to C:\_libraries\flex_sdk_3.1.0.2710\flashplayer_10_sa_debug.exe
- Using the debugger
- Start FD.
- It should show 2 new dialogs, which you can drag into the main GUI.
- To set breakpoints do a shift-click on the left.
- To start a debug session press the new play button (if you check the gui, you will see a few new icons, play, pause, stop, fastforward etc)
- When the program hits a breakpoint you can hoover on the variable to view its contents/value. (Just like in visual studio)
,
February 16th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
very very useful, great thanks
February 16th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
I set up the develop enviroment step by step according to your instructions. However, there is an error occurs when i try to run the as file, here are the details of the error
Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at FdbPlugin.PluginMain.CheckCurrent()
at FdbPlugin.PluginMain.Start_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)
Thanks
February 22nd, 2009 at 8:56 am
I get the same error as dewen. please help, using Flash develop 3.0 and flex_sdk_3.3.0.4852
February 27th, 2009 at 11:55 am
The error is probably related to the Fdbplugin.
It seems like the author of the Fdbplugin creates builds that only work with a specific version of flash develop. (Using it on an older or newer version than the one intended wont work).
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:31 pm
While trying with FD 3.0 RC2, I can set the DebugFlashPlayerPath but after restarting I can’t see the new debugger icons and moreover, I get this error:
Type ‘FdbPlugin.PluginMain’ in Assembly ‘FdbPlugin, Version=0.4.6.1, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null’ is not marked as serializable.
at System.Runtime.Serialization.FormatterServices.InternalGetSerializableMembers(RuntimeType type)
at System.Runtime.Serialization.FormatterServices.GetSerializableMembers(Type type, StreamingContext context)
at System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.WriteObjectInfo.InitMemberInfo()
at System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.WriteObjectInfo.InitSerialize(Object obj, ISurrogateSelector surrogateSelector, StreamingContext context, SerObjectInfoInit serObjectInfoInit, IFormatterConverter converter, ObjectWriter objectWriter)
at System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.WriteObjectInfo.Serialize(Object obj, ISurrogateSelector surrogateSelector, StreamingContext context, SerObjectInfoInit serObjectInfoInit, IFormatterConverter converter, ObjectWriter objectWriter)
at System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.ObjectWriter.Write(WriteObjectInfo objectInfo, NameInfo memberNameInfo, NameInfo typeNameInfo)
at System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.ObjectWriter.Serialize(Object graph, Header[] inHeaders, __BinaryWriter serWriter, Boolean fCheck)
at System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.BinaryFormatter.Serialize(Stream serializationStream, Object graph, Header[] headers, Boolean fCheck)
at PluginCore.Utilities.ObjectSerializer.Serialize(String file, Object obj)
Pity, cause debugging is certainly very, very usefull.
Ronald
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Sorry, I forgot to mention this is fdbPlugin0.4.6.1
April 30th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
fdbPlugin0.4.6.1 is not working with FlashDevelop 3.0.0 RC2. When I use “Start” from the “Debug” menu:
Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at AS3Context.PluginMain.HandleEvent(Object sender, NotifyEvent e, HandlingPriority priority)
at PluginCore.Managers.EventManager.DispatchEvent(Object sender, NotifyEvent e)
December 13th, 2009 at 10:38 am
error does not happen when you debug a project, not a stand alone .as file. this works for both fdbplugin0.4.6.1 and 4.5.0