Flash CS5: The Missing Manual

Analyzing Code with the Debugger

When you need as much debugging muscle as Flash can provide, click Debug→Debug Movie→in Flash Professional. You may think you've fired up a different program, but actually, Flash has merely closed some panels, opened others, and rearranged your view of your animation (Figure 19-17). It also automatically compiles and runs your animation. Your first visit to the debugger can be a little intimidating, but don't worry. Look around for familiar landmarks, and you'll soon figure out the purposes of the multiple panels and the messages within:

• The Debug Console in the upper-left corner shows buttons (Figure 19-16). You use these to move through your code and to end the debug session. You can also open the Debug Console using menus: Window→Debug Panels→Debug Console.

• The Variables panel below the Debug Console is where you really learn what's going on in your program. As you work in the debugger, you'll see variable and object names here, along with their related values. There are probably a lot of unfamiliar words in there, because this panel keeps track of every property for every object in your animation. You don't need to worry about many of these, because Flash takes care of them perfectly well. But when something goes wrong, look up the name of the offending text box, variable name, or object in this list, and you'll be on your way to a solution. You can also open the Variables panel using menus: Window→Debug Panels→Variables.

  Figure 19-16. The Debugger ...