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Thread: [disc] coding in actionscript: editor alternatives

  1. #1
    I'm feeling supersonic kdsh7's Avatar
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    [disc] coding in actionscript: editor alternatives

    Edit: I've added links to other editors and corrected the bad links

    This post is prompted in part by Olli's recent revelations that he doesn't do in any coding from within flash, preferring to use #includes. I'm sure all of us suffer from intense eyestrain trying to debug code, following parentheses, and following lines upon lines of closely matching blue/black courier font.

    Dedicated Actionscript Editors

    SciTe:
    http://www.bomberstudios.com/sciteflash/

    SePY
    http://sourceforge.net/projects/sepy

    Subethaedit (Mac OS)
    http://www.codingmonkeys.de/subethaedit/

    General coding editors

    UltraEdit:
    http://www.ultraedit.com/

    Crimson Editor:
    http://www.crimsoneditor.com/

    Jedit:
    http://www.jedit.org/

    The obvious disadvantage would be having to run both the editor at the same time as flash and switching between the two. Still, I plan of giving this method of working a decent trial, and if nothing else it should make my code neater! What do the rest of you use?
    Last edited by kdsh7; 05-19-2004 at 09:56 AM.

  2. #2
    Ihoss
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    I would just write the code in flash and save it as an AS file (you can do that in flash). perfect

  3. #3
    Patron Saint of Beatings WilloughbyJackson's Avatar
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    I usually just adjust the font for the actionscripting to Verdana, and a slightly larger size.

    I've been using #included more lately though. I just wish they functioned more like virtual includes.

    -pXw

  4. #4
    alternative coder murraymint's Avatar
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    I use SEPY occassionally.

    If you have the FLA that your working on open, SEPY has a function to let you publish the swf, including the code you have just edited. It kinda takes control of Flash, publishing the new swf for you.

    difficult to explain, but it works well. It makes it as easy as coding in Flash itself.

    Some Games
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  5. #5
    I'm feeling supersonic kdsh7's Avatar
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    Ihoss/Willoughby, I've put with coding in flash till now, using #includes for my large functions or maps, but it's one heck of a chore on my 17" monitor, especially with all the "MX" additions to the flash interface.

    MurrayMint, after flaffing around with Sepy for the past half hour or so, I have to say I quite like it. You're right about the publishing bit - just press control-enter and Flash compiles the swf in the background.

    Some other nice features #include (see what i did there?) a "to do" list (which will save me post-it notes no doubt), an XML reader and a nice multiple clipboard feature called snippets.

    All in all, it's impressed and I'm going to give it a chance. If I release two games this week it will mean it's been worth it

  6. #6
    Feeling adventurous? T1ger's Avatar
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    I code my as directly in flash.. Why not? I mean, i can't see the advantages of using another program, having to switch between the two all the time.. ?

  7. #7
    Senior Member random10122's Avatar
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    I bet you don't see the advantages because youve never used another program! The editor within flash is terrible.

    Even the tabbed one in MX2004 is horrible.. I use SciTE:Flash the ability to collapse loops and functions is very nice, it also appears much cleaner and easier to use. Especially if not using MX2004 as the area is much larger to code in...

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  8. #8
    Patron Saint of Beatings WilloughbyJackson's Avatar
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    Random has convinced me.. I will try this program out when I start coding my game again. (Later this week )

    -pXw

  9. #9
    Senior Member random10122's Avatar
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    You'll enjoy it, especially if the majority of your development is based in code. If your coding efficiently 99% will be on the main timeline and all the action will be in one loop so there will be no messing around switching applications. in sciteFlash you can compile and run the SWF with CTRL+1 - when flash is not the active program

    Good stuff, i urge people to at least give it a go.

    fracture2 - the sequel
    fracture - retro shooter
    blog - games, design and the rest

    "2D is a format, not a limitation" -Luis Barriga

  10. #10
    Senior Member X-Tender's Avatar
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    I use UltraEdit :x .. Simple but Powerfull ..

  11. #11
    SaphuA SaphuA's Avatar
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    Hey Random,
    I've just downloaded the SciTe thing and it's indeed very handy . I like it that you can collapse loops and functions. The programm seems easy to use, if you have any more handy things that the programm can do, then plz tell me

    If someone else suggest another programm, please tell me. And give me the reasons why you do.

    SaphuA

    Edit:
    One thing I didn't like in SciTe was the font, and I immediatly changed that. If someone else wants to do that, folow these instructions:
    - In the upper-bar go to: Options -> Preferences -> Global Options
    - Search for the line 270
    - Change it with: font.base=font:Courier New,size:10

    Save and close. Voila

  12. #12
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    Just downloaded SciTE|Flash myself. Not sure if I like it though. That luminous yellow highlighted line... it burns! And when I saw the preference file was just one huge text file, my intinctive ( lazy ) reaction was "pfft, not wading through that". I'll give it a chance though, and see what it's like actually coding with it for something proper. I do love the sexy ability to shrink functions, but other than that, my personal text editor: Crimson Editor is much better I'm afriad. ( Probably just becasue I'm so used to it ). Also, this is quite sad, but I like the two-tone colour scheme in flash! So much so, I've changed CE to mimic it. I don't see the point of loads of colours. I just want one for inbuilt syntax, and black for mine. Oh well, each to his own.
    jonmack
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  13. #13
    Senior Member webgeek's Avatar
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    I use UltraEdit
    Whenever I need a quick look at any file (txt or otherwise), I just use UltraEdit. It's just so dang useful for the general stuff.

  14. #14
    Patron Saint of Beatings WilloughbyJackson's Avatar
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    I use NoteTab Light for HTML and other coding stuff, when I'm coding by hand... (except for actionscripting that is...)

    -pXw

  15. #15
    Game-coder Robtje's Avatar
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    I use ultra-edit to for almost everything.... but just never used it before to write my AS in.

    I think I'm just gonna to start using it for that to, or maybe I'll try out some of those other tools you guys discussed here. I just never thought of using an external editor for actionscript, but now you guys bring it up, it will indeed save me from several swears!

  16. #16
    Senior Member lapo73's Avatar
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    I rarely use the Flash AS editor unless the lines of code of the project are < 30 ...
    I used SciteFlash quite alot, and now I am testing SePY.
    SePY is a really promising Actionscript editor and coding AS 2.0 with is just great. It really feels like you're using a decent IDE.

    Anyway it works wonders also for AS 1.

    Higly reccomended

    Lapo

    p.s. = another one that should be mentioned is "Primal Script" from Sapien, a commercial script editor that supports many scripting languages (perl, python, php, javascript, as, as 2.0 etc...)
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  17. #17
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    I use Primal Script but I downloaded SEPY today and may switch.

  18. #18
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    Re: [disc] coding in actionscript: editor alternatives

    Originally posted by kdsh7
    And the second is SEPY
    fix your link...it should be http://sourceforge.net/projects/sepy/

  19. #19
    Start a Revolution al hack's Avatar
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    Sounds good, specially Scite, actually I use the action script editor of Flash MX 2004 but I don't like...

    Well, can anyone tell me what are all the editors and give the links if could be possible please.



    -Thanks in advice-
    Last edited by al hack; 05-18-2004 at 08:57 PM.

  20. #20
    For mac users check out SubEthaEdit

    BBEdit also works but its expensive and the only AS plugin is for AS1.

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