Flex 3 Cookbook: Chapter 21, Compiling and Debugging
Pages: 1, 2, 3, 4

Note that both actual command-line calls to the compilers use a configuration.xml file containing information about the location of the runtime shared libraries that will be passed to mxmlc:

<flex-config>
  <compiler>
    <external-library-path>
      <path-element>example.swc</path-element>
    </external-library-path>
  </compiler>
  <file-specs>
    <path-element>RSLClientTest.mxml</path-element>
  </file-specs>
  <runtime-shared-libraries>
    <url>example.swf</url>
  </runtime-shared-libraries>
</flex-config>

In place of adding the external-library-path flag to the command-line invocation of mxmlc as shown here

mxmlc -external-library-path=example.swc

the configuration.xml file is passed as the load-config flag in the call to the compiler, and each option is read from the XML file.

A similar file can be passed to compc:

<flex-config>
  <compiler>
    <source-path>
      <path-element>.</path-element>
    </source-path>
  </compiler>
  <output>example.swc</output>
  <include-classes>
    <class>oreilly.cookbook.shared.*</class>
  </include-classes>
</flex-config>

The complete Ant file for this recipe is shown here:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<project name="useRSL" basedir="./">

  <property name="mxmlc" value="C:\FlexSDK\bin\mxmlc.exe"/>
  <property name="compc" value="C:\FlexSDK\bin\compc.exe"/>

  <target name="compileRSL">
    <exec executable="${compc}">
      <arg line="-load-config+=rsl/configuration.xml" />
    </exec>
    <mkdir dir="application/rsl" />
    <move file="example.swc" todir="application/rsl" />
    <unzip src="application/rsl/example.swc" dest="application/rsl/" />
  </target>

  <target name="compileApplication">
    <exec executable="${mxmlc}">
      <arg line="-load-config+=application/configuration.xml" />
    </exec>
  </target>

  <target name="compileAll" depends="compileRSL,compileApplication">
  </target>

</project>

Section 21.6: Create and Monitor Expressions in Flex Builder Debugging

Problem

You want to track the changes to a value in your Flex application as the application executes.

Solution

Use the Flex Builder Debugger to run your application and set a breakpoint where the variable that you would like to inspect is within scope. In the Expressions window of the Flex Builder Debugger, create a new expression.

Discussion

The use of expressions is a powerful debugging tool that lets you see the value of any variable within scope. Any object within the scope where the breakpoint is set can be evaluated by creating an expression, as shown in Figure 21-2.

For example, if you place a breakpoint at the line where the array is instantiated, marked here with breakpoint here

<mx:Canvas xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml" width="400" height="300" 
creationComplete="init()">
    <mx:Script>
        <![CDATA[
            import mx.collections.ArrayCollection;

            private var arr:ArrayCollection;

            private function init():void {
                arr = new ArrayCollection([1, 2, 3, 4, 5]);//breakpoint here
            }

            private function newFunc():void {
                var newArr:ArrayCollection = new ArrayCollection([3, 4, 5, 6]);
            }

        ]]>
    </mx:Script>
</mx:Canvas>

the expression arr will evaluate to null. When you advance the application by pressing the F6 key, the expression will evaluate to an ArrayCollection wrapping an Array of five integers (Figure 21-3).

The expression newArr evaluates to null, however, because the variable newArr will not be in scope (Figure 21-4).

If you instead place a breakpoint at line 17, the expressions newArr and arr both evaluate to ArrayCollections, because both variables will be in the current scope

Section 21.7: Install the Ant View in the Stand-Alone Version of Flex Builder

Contributed by Ryan Taylor

Problem

You can’t find the Ant view in the stand-alone version of Flex Builder.

Solution

Install the Eclipse Java Development Tools.

Discussion

To access Ant in Flex Builder’s stand-alone version, you must install the Eclipse Java Development Tools. To do so:

1. In the Flex Builder menu bar, choose Help → Software Updates → Find and Install.
2. Select the Search for New Features to Install option and then click Next.
3. Choose The Eclipse Project Updates in the dialog box and then click Finish.
4. A menu appears, asking you to select a location from which to download the files. Select any location, preferably one that is geographically near you for faster download times, and then click OK.
5. Browse the various SDK versions in the Eclipse Project Updates tree until you find Eclipse Java Development Tools. Select the check box next to it and then click Next.
6. After the Update Manager finishes downloading the necessary files, you will be prompted with a feature verification dialog box. Click Install All.
7. After installation is completed, restart Flex Builder.

You can now find the Ant view in Flex Builder by browsing to Window → Other Views → Ant

Section 21.8: Create an Ant Build File for Automating Common Tasks

Contributed by Ryan Taylor

Problem

You want to leverage the capabilities of Ant to help automate common tasks such as compiling and generating documentation.

Solution

Create an Ant build file in which tasks can be added for automating your processes.

Discussion

Creating an Ant build file is easy and the first step toward using Ant to automate common tasks. Simply create a new XML document named build.xml and save it in a directory named build in the root of your project directory. Saving the file in this directory is not mandatory, but a common convention.

The root node in your build file should look something like this:

<project name="MyAntTasks" basedir="..">
</project>

You will want to set the name attribute to something unique for your project. This is the name that will show up inside the Ant view in Eclipse. For the basedir attribute, make sure it is set to the root of your project directory. You will use the basedir property frequently when defining other properties that point toward files and directories inside your project folder.

Next, you will likely want to create some additional properties for use throughout the various tasks that you may add later. For instance, to create a property that points toward your project’s source folder, you could do something like this:

<project name="MyAntTasks" basedir="..">
    <property name="src" value="${basedir}/src" />
</project>

The preceding example also demonstrates how to use a property after it has been defined, with the syntax ${property}.

If you find that you are defining a lot of properties and you would like to keep your build file as clean as possible, you can declare properties in a separate file instead. To do this, create a new text file named build.properties and save it in the same directory as your build.xml file. Inside this file, declaring properties is as simple as this:

src="${basedir}/src"

That’s all there is to it. Some examples of useful properties to define are paths to your source folder(s), your bin folder, and the Flex 3 SDK directory. You’ll catch on pretty quickly to what you need. From here, you are ready to start adding tasks to your build file.

See Also

Recipe 21.3

Section 21.9: Compile a Flex Application by Using mxmlc and Ant

Contributed by Ryan Taylor

Problem

You want to add tasks to your Ant build file for compiling your application.

Solution

Add executable tasks to your Ant build file that use the MXML compiler to compile your files.

Discussion

Compiling targets are by far the most common and useful types of targets you will add to your Ant build files. Flex applications are compiled by using mxmlc, which is the free command-line compiler included with the Flex 3 SDK. By adding targets for compiling to your build file, you can automate the build process: Ant will compile all your files without you ever having to open up the command prompt or terminal.

The MXML compiler (mxmlc) included in multiple formats. You can use the executable version of it by creating a target similar to this:

<!-- COMPILE MAIN -->
<target name="compileMain" description="Compiles the main application files.">
    <echo>Compiling '${bin.dir}/main.swf'...</echo>
    <exec executable="${FLEX_HOME}/bin/mxmlc.exe" spawn="false">
        <arg line="-source-path '${src.dir}'" />
        <arg line="-library-path '${FLEX_HOME}/frameworks'" />
        <arg line="'${src.dir}/main.mxml'" />
        <arg line="-output '${bin.dir}/main.swf'" />
    </exec>
</target>

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