FlashDevelop - Test Project setting "Open Document" stops working when saving project as XFL

Question

I'm working in FlashDevelop. I was able to set it up so that I can debug the application by specifying URL in Test Project setting "Open Document". It works, I'm able to press Play in FlashDevelop, it launches my application in a browser and I'm able to set break points, etc.

This feature stops working when I save the FLA project as XFL. When I press play, the application builds successfully but it does not launch in a browser. I get no errors or warnings in output.

update

Here is my set up. I have Flash Developer and Flash Professional open. When I press Play "debug" in Flash Developer, it kicks off a build in Flash Professional project.

Here is what's different if I try to open .FLA project vs when I have it open in .XFL:

If I open a project as .FLA (in Flash Pro), when the build completes, Flash Developer knows about it and executes a post build step of opening a document and attaching a debug session to it.

When I open the project as .XFL (in Flash Pro), when the build completes, Flash Developer doesn't do anything.

My guess there needs to be some communication coming from Flash Professional to Flash Develp saying "hey I'm done building, do whatever post build steps you have set up".

Wendelin

More info please: how are you using Flash? Are you using the flex SDK to compile? What version of flash, what version of flash develop? – Nightlong

I have FlashDevelop 4.0.1 RTM for Microsoft.NET 2.0 (R2198). CS 5, Action script 3 – Wendelin

so the thing that is not working - it is the launch swf when compile is complete thing? – Nightlong

yes. everything compiles fine. i get the SWF, but now FlashDevelop won't launch localhost/index.php like it did before. the index.php file contains the swf. – Wendelin

Answer 1

This seems to be a bug in FlashDevelop: http://www.flashdevelop.org/community/viewtopic.php?p=42109

I seem to remember seeing something like Flash not sending the "build complete" event, but I can't find the link, so don't hold me to it.

You could always try asking on twitter if the bug is fixed yet (@flashdevelop or @elsassph) :)

I'd recommend not using Flash to compile your project as it's more hassle than it's worth. Download the Flex SDK - http://opensource.adobe.com/wiki/display/flexsdk/Downloads - and just do it directly, it'll save you time. The more recent FlashDevelops can do this automatically when you install it, so it's pretty seamless

Ovule

Thanks. From looking at the forum post that you linked, it looks like it is a bug in Flashdevelop. – Wendelin

As far as your suggestion. I'm trying to understand how it will work. (mind you I'm a newbie to flash world). Would the following do what you are suggesting flashdevelop.org/wikidocs/… ? – Wendelin

If your flashdevelop isn't up to date, then just download the new one, and let it set up the flex sdk for you. if it is, just head to the link provided, download the sdk and unzip it somewhere. then, in your flashdevelop, go Tools > Program Settings > AS3Context and set the Flex SDK Location to where you unzipped it. Now when you create your projects, pick pretty much any project except a flash IDE one – Ovule

you'll also need to download the flash debug players from here: adobe.com/support/flashplayer/downloads.html - the important one is the Projector Content Debugger, as that's the standalone player and what FD uses at it's base. Take the IE and Netscape ones if you're going to be testing the movie in a browser (unless you need to, testing it in the standalone is by far the quickest option) – Ovule

Answer 2

Well, first of all, I guess we are talking about XFL, not XLF :)

This is an uncompressed flash format that gives in output a bunch of files with xml declarations. The outputs has a following structure:

$ tree ./testing
./testing
├── DOMDocument.xml
├── LIBRARY
├── META-INF
│   └── metadata.xml
├── MobileSettings.xml
├── PublishSettings.xml
├── testing.xfl
└── bin
    └── SymDepend.cache

So, there is should be debug settings, huh? Let's look for them.

$ find ./testing | xargs grep -i 'debug'
./testing/PublishSettings.xml:    <DebuggingPermitted>0</DebuggingPermitted>
./testing/PublishSettings.xml:    <DebuggingPassword></DebuggingPassword>

So, I guess it's obvious now that we should try to set this option to 1 and try to start a debugging session!

P.S. I couldn't find any settings for this flag in Adobe Flash CS.

Scandinavia

DebuggingPermitted flags were set to 1 and I'm still getting same behavior. I updated my question with more details. It must have something to do with Flash Develop relying on Flash Professional to tell it when the build is done. – Wendelin