![\"Adobe](\"http:\/\/installingcats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/12\/aapl.jpg\")
<\/li>\nsudo ln -s \/Applications\/Adobe Flex Builder 2\/Flex SDK 2\/lib\/fdb.jar \/usr\/local\/lib\/fdb.jar
\nsudo ln -s \/Applications\/Adobe Flex Builder 2\/Flex SDK 2\/bin\/fdb \/usr\/local\/bin\/fdb<\/p>\n
The following example debugs a flash file named salesforce-debug.swf. Note that you don’t debug your regular production compiled flash file, you debug, the “debug” version, which is automatically created for you when you compile your flash file or project. These files are normally located within the \/bin directory of your Flex project.
\nIf the following example, when you see prompts such as ‘$’ or ‘(fdb)’, do not mistake them for commands, those are my prompts and you should be typing what follows those prompts. Lines not preceded by either a bullet or prompts are output from the fdb program.<\/p>\n
To debug a Flash .swf using fdb on a Mac:<\/p>\n
- \n
- launch the Terminal program (from \/Applications\/Utilities\/Terminal)<\/li>\n
- change directories \/ folders until you’re in the same directory as the .swf file you want to debug<\/li>\n
- launch fdb<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
$ fdb<\/p>\n
- \n
- when you start up fdb you should see an fdb prompt: (fdb)<\/li>\n
- you need to specify the .swf file you want fdb to hook into and debug<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
(fdb) file salesforce-debug.swf
\n(fdb) run
\nAttempting to launch and connect to Player using URL
\nsalesforce-debug.swf
\nPlayer connected; session starting.
\nSet breakpoints and then type ‘continue’ to resume the session.
\n[SWF] Users:ben:Documents:Flex Builder 2:salesforce:bin:salesforce-debug.swf – 1,101,498 bytes after decompression<\/p>\n- \n
- At this point a browser window should pop-up and begin to load your flash .swf file, but it will not finish loading until you’ve set your breakpoints and tell fdb to ‘continue<\/strong>‘. Setup your breakpoints now by using the ‘break’ keyword followed by a function name or a line number. In the following I set a breakpoint in my function ‘sfquery’ which will stop the Flash .swf when it hits this function and you’ll get a prompt in fdb debugger.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
(fdb) break sfquery
\nBreakpoint 1 created, but not yet resolved.
\nThe breakpoint will be resolved when the corresponding file or function is loaded.<\/p>\n- \n
- At this point the browser window with the half-loaded Flash file is still hung at “Loading…”. Repeat with as many breakpoints as you need. When done with breakpoints, you must issue a ‘continue’ command to get Flash to continue loading the .swf for debugging.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
(fdb) continue
\nAdditional ActionScript code has been loaded from a SWF or a frame.
\nTo see all currently loaded files, type ‘info files’.
\nResolved breakpoint 1 to salesforce.mxml:64<\/p>\n- \n
- Ok, this step is key to the debugging setup in Flex… you have to hit Return\/Enter at an empty fdb prompt in order to get the your Flash file \/ Flex project to actually finish loading and to run in the browser window when in debug mode. No, there are no instructions for this, you just have to figure this out on your own through trial and error. Before this the browser window should have the Flash file running but frozen and “loading” until you hit the Enter key while in the fdb debugger, which is the next step:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
(fdb) [hit the Enter button here at this blank prompt]<\/p>\n
- \n
- Finally at this point your browser should finishing loading up the Flash file you’ve just set up for debugging and it should be ready for action. If you see a blank page that is still “loading”, go back into the Terminal and spank the Enter \/ Return button a few more times and see if the browser page responds by loading up your Flash debug file. Hopefully it does. And if it doesn’t, you’re back to square one. If you are reading this and have found other solutions to get fdb to actually work, please submit a comment and I’ll add it to this posting.<\/li>\n
- Now when you use your .swf file and hit the function that you’ve set a breakpoint for as mentioned previously, the Flash program will freeze and when you go back to fdb in the Terminal window you should see something like the following:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
[trace] Method name is: login
\n[trace] Method name is: login
\nBreakpoint 1, salesforce.mxml:64
\n64 private function sfquery():void {
\n(fdb)<\/p>\n- \n
- This is where you’ve hit paydirt. At this (fdb) prompt you can now start inspecting variables using ‘p’ <var_name>, step over lines using ‘n’, list lines of code with ‘l’, list previous lines of code with ‘l -‘, get help by typing ‘help’, step out of the current function with ‘finish’, and continue executing the program with ‘continue’.<\/li>\n
- After you’re finished debugging the function you’re in, type ‘continue’ to return focus back to your web browser that is running your Flash program and this will return you back into normal running mode.<\/li>\n
- To quit debugging just go into the Terminal running fdb and type ‘quit’<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
quit
\nDo you want to attempt to halt execution? (y or n)<\/p>\n- \n
- Enter ‘y’<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Attempting to halt.
\nTo help out, try nudging the Player (e.g. press a button)
\nExecution halted 00041994at 0xExecution halted 00041994 (268692)<\/p>\n
- Enter ‘y’<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Ok, this step is key to the debugging setup in Flex… you have to hit Return\/Enter at an empty fdb prompt in order to get the your Flash file \/ Flex project to actually finish loading and to run in the browser window when in debug mode. No, there are no instructions for this, you just have to figure this out on your own through trial and error. Before this the browser window should have the Flash file running but frozen and “loading” until you hit the Enter key while in the fdb debugger, which is the next step:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- At this point the browser window with the half-loaded Flash file is still hung at “Loading…”. Repeat with as many breakpoints as you need. When done with breakpoints, you must issue a ‘continue’ command to get Flash to continue loading the .swf for debugging.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- At this point a browser window should pop-up and begin to load your flash .swf file, but it will not finish loading until you’ve set your breakpoints and tell fdb to ‘continue<\/strong>‘. Setup your breakpoints now by using the ‘break’ keyword followed by a function name or a line number. In the following I set a breakpoint in my function ‘sfquery’ which will stop the Flash .swf when it hits this function and you’ll get a prompt in fdb debugger.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"Flash](\"http:\/\/installingcats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/12\/where_debugger.jpg\")
<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n