views:

810

answers:

4

Some apps and IDEs recommend installing the debug version of the Adobe Flash player. I know this allows seeing trace statements even when not running Flash via Test Movie, but what else is different? Anything?

Also, how can I tell when I am looking at the debug player running and not the regular player?

Thanks!

A: 

The debug version will be slower, and I think it makes it easier to inspect some of the variables while running.

CookieOfFortune
+1  A: 

I'm not sure the debug player is slower. It allows you of course, as you mentioned to see trace statements in flashlog.txt, it also allows you to see redraw regions by right clicking and selecting 'show redraw regions'. There are some apps like the De Monster Debugger (http://demonsterdebugger.com/) and flash tracer (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3469) that allow you inspect variables a bit more easily with the debug player.

quoo
Thanks! Is there an easy way to tell which Flash player (whether it is debug and the version) is running when looking at a movie in my web browser?
ZenBlender
Right click on a swf, if it has an option that says 'Debugger' (it may be grayed out), it's the debug player.
quoo
and by it, i mean the right click context menu.
quoo
Comments about other answers should probably be entered as comments. ;)
fenomas
Right, but it's a bit more than just a comment about the other answer.
quoo
I understand that, but now your answer starts off with a response to another answer that's been downvoted to the bottom of the page, and might later be removed or whatever. It's best to put comments in comments and let answers stand on their own.
fenomas
A: 

Along with what quoo mentions, the Debug player will show a popup window with a stack trace for any uncaught exceptions that occur in the application (at least for AS3-based SWFs).

Herms
ooh right! i forgot that one
quoo
+3  A: 

The debug player has several differences:

  • You can connect to it with the remote debugger
  • The (right-click) context menu will include an option to "Show Redraw Regions", which lets you verify how much of your content is being redrawn each frame
  • The debug player will show a pop-up error message for uncaught exceptions (in the regular player they would fail silently)
  • There are a handful of AS3 commands which only work in the debug player, such as System.gc(). See the System reference.

That's just off the top of my head, it's not an exhaustive list. Basically the debug player has a sprinkling of features to make it more suited for development, and anyone developing their own content should probably be using it.

fenomas