Flex SDK - Compiling .as or .mxml?

[matthewjumps]

I just installed the latest Flex SDK, and have got that working great...added the C:\Flex\bin to my system path etc, so now i can compile as and mxml files from the command line...

I was wondering though - I prefer to use programs like Notepad++, and its a bit of a hassle having to flick back and forth between that and the cmd line to compile...

Are there any text editors that have syntax-highlighting for AS and MXML, code folding, and possibly even code-completion - with a "build" button so i can easily compile things?

I tried out Flashdevelop, but i cant get its .mxml compiling to work...

[CarlLooper]

I use EditPlus (www.editplus.com) which allows you to configure a menu item to run a program (eg. mxmlc.exe) with the current file as the argument. You can also download syntax colour coding files from there (for all sorts of file types) - someone's done one for Actionscript, or you can write your own. There is a colour syntax file for XML there as well.

Carl

[Sirisian]

Save yourself the time and just use FlashDevelop. There's no need for the MXML files. You just use .as files.
http://www.flashdevelop.org/communit...pic.php?t=1592
That's the newest build. It runs just fine. If you choose to use flashDevelop all you have to do is install it then goto tool->installed plugins then click on AS3 context then click settings then in the Flex 2 SDL location set the folder where the Flex 2 SDK is. Then when making a project (by clicking Project->New Project and selecting Empty AS3 project) you must set the debug drop down to release and go into: project->properties then at the bottom of that window it says, "open swf in:" set that to external.
There you're done.
Another thing to note when you make a project in the project outline there's a button that says show hidden items, click that. Then for your main class that you create remember to extend Sprite and right click on it in the outline and select "Always Compile"

The IDE also does XML and other languages with highlighting I believe built in.

[CarlLooper]

In case this is not known, (eg, if FlashDevelop hides this fact), mxmlc.exe is the SDK compiler. Despite it's name mxmlc.exe compiles either .mxml or .as files.

Carl

[matthewjumps]

deleting the global classpath entries in FlashDeveloper preferences that pointed to the non-existent flash 8 as3 folder resulted in my mxml/as3 project compiling perfectly

[CarlLooper]

One of the nice things about a generic text editor/programming IDE such as EditPlus (and others) is that the editor isn't making any unnecessary assumptions about the sort of thing you are doing. You don't have to spend any time second guessing how the editor is trying to make life easy for you. You just type in text - hit compile and voila - done.

Carl

[Sirisian]

Originally Posted by CarlLooper

One of the nice things about a generic text editor/programming IDE such as EditPlus (and others) is that the editor isn't making any unnecessary assumptions about the sort of thing you are doing. You don't have to spend any time second guessing how the editor is trying to make life easy for you. You just type in text - hit compile and voila - done.

Carl

Well flashdevelop has settings that can be changed so it's not necessarily doing anything you don't want it to do. Plus FlashDevelop is open source so if you know how to program it's not too hard to see how it works.

Actually since I haven't used mxml. What is the point of using it? Does it allow for different things other than using .as files? Or is it that FlashDevelop uses it's own mxml document and hides the fact?

[CarlLooper]

MXML files are just ordinary xml text files that you can write to specify prebuilt flex components, your own components, and their layout.

But I don't write .mxml files - just .as files.

Now the SDK compiler goes by the name of mxmlc (note the c at the end). But as mentioned this compiles either .mxml files or .as files. It's just named mxmlc.

FlashDevelop will call mxmlc to compile your .as files!

But it's not introducing any hidden MXML files

The important point is that mxmlc (despite it's name) can and does compile standalone .as files.

Now I doubt the idea behind MXML files would be to actally write such files. Just as nobody would actually write anything of substance in HTML. They'd use a drag and drop interface such as Dreamweaver etc. So I'm assuming there are drag/drop interfaces for otherwise authoring MXML files (and a compile button to then compile such!!)

But in the worse case scenario - you could just write the MXML yourself. And then compile such with mxmlc (the SDK compiler).

Or just write .as files and compile those (ie. with mxmlc - the SDK compiler).

Carl

[skabele]

I am compiling .as from Notepad++ by free Flex SDK. Easiest way is to download latest FlashDevelop and set up compilation there. It prepares configuration files for you and in output window you can see exact syntax how it calls mxmlc.exe.Than put this command into .bat file, add pause on next line (to see results) add this .bat file to Notepad++ menu Run. That's it. You can uninstal FlashDevelop if you want.

My .bat file

"c:\Program Files\flex.SDK\bin\mxmlc.exe" -load-config+=F:\projects\cesta_z_gheta\src\obj\GhettOutConfig.xml -debug=true -benchmark=false  -o F:\projects\cesta_z_gheta\src\GhettOut2Dbg.swf
pause

[Jerryscript]

I use several different text editors, depending on where I'm working at the moment. I carry the Flex2SDK on a memory stick, and use the command line to compile AS via mxmlc.exe easily. No need for authorization to install an executable on a clients machine (try tracking down the IT guy when you need him), I can make on the spot changes anywhere and compile the results on the spot.