MACROMEDIA FLASH MX 2004-USING ACTIONSCRIPT IN FLASH Use Manual page 155

Debugging a SWF file from a remote location
You can debug a remote SWF file using the stand-alone, ActiveX, or plug-in versions of Flash
Player. When exporting a SWF file, you can enable debugging in your file and create a debugging
password. If you don't enable debugging, the Debugger will not activate.
To ensure that only trusted users can run your SWF files in the Flash Debug Player, you can
publish your file with a debugging password. As in JavaScript or HTML, it's possible for users to
view client-side variables in ActionScript. To store variables securely, you must send them to a
server-side application instead of storing them in your file. However, as a Flash developer, you
may have other trade secrets, such as movie clip structures, that you do not want to reveal. You
can use a debugging password to protect your work.
To enable remote debugging of a SWF file:
Select File > Publish Settings.
1.
On the Flash tab of the Publish Settings dialog box, select Debugging permitted.
2.
To set a password, enter a password in the Password box.
3.
After you set this password, no one can download information to the Debugger without the
password. However, if you leave the Password box blank, no password is required.
Close the Publish Settings dialog box, and select one of the following commands:
4.
Control > Debug Movie
File > Export Movie
File > Publish Settings > Publish
Flash creates a debugging file, with the extension .swd, and saves it along with the SWF file.
The SWD file is used to debug ActionScript, and contains information that lets you use
breakpoints and step through code.
Place the SWD file in the same directory as the SWF file on the server.
5.
If the SWD file is not in the same directory as the SWF file, you can still debug remotely;
however, the Debugger has no breakpoint information, so you can't step through code.
In Flash, select Window > Development Panels > Debugger.
6.
In the Debugger, select Enable Remote Debugging from the Options pop-up menu (at the
7.
upper right of the panel).
Debugging your scripts 155