Flashbuilder for debugging in Flash Professional project

[Shawn_Makinson]

I am using Flash CS5 professional and FB Burrito. I am building an AIR for android game. My intended workflow is to do all of my coding in Flashbuilder, but I also have a designer who will be adding a bit of nice animation, etc via Flash Pro. I want to attach classes to some of the library items in Flash Pro. I was originally going to use the Embed metatag and specify the symbol in Flashbuilder, but it strips out the timeline code when I do that. I also considered making a Flash Pro project in Flashbuilder and working from there, but it seems it forces the debugging to happend in Flash Pro instead of Flashbuilder if I do it that way. I want all of my debugging to be done through Flashbuilder. So here is what I am doing now to accomplish making sure I can debug in Flashbuilder:

I have my Flash Pro file with the library symbols with the corresponding classes attached as the base class to each. I also provide a different class name above it to avoid conflicts in Flashbuilder. I publish a .swc file and have it added to my Flashbuilder project. This seems to get me what I want, but the workflow of it is not ideal and a bit error prone. I am trying to be sure I just dispatch events from the classes attached to library items in an attempt to avoid constant republishing in Flash Pro, but this is also not ideal because I would like to move more over so I can lay them out more quickly by using the stage.

Here are the things slowing me down:

* Switching to Flash Pro to publish a new .swc ( Remembering that I need to before I run it from Flashbuilder )

* Flashbuilder either doesnt ( or is very slow to do so ) update to the new .swc, so I end up cleaning the project before running/debugging.

* The extra class name in the default package for use on the Library item is slightly annoying.

I would like to know if I am totally missing a workflow that would let me code and debug in Flashbuilder and let my designer go crazy on the timeline with stop actions, etc. Or can I do one of the following somehow:

* Use a Flash Pro project in Flashbuilder and set it to use Flashbuilder for debugging.

* Auto publish the .swc file in Flash Pro when I run from Flashbuilder. I probably need it to auto refresh or do a clean also.

Any input would be appreciated. Also I'd like to mention that so far I really like the way I can emulate and also run straight on my phone for debugging from Flashbuilder!

One other side question: Where is the best place to give bug/feature feedback on Burrito? I have been using the bug system, but Burrito is not actually in the choices. Thanks!

If I didn't make my scenario clear above, please ask questions so I can help flush out the best workflow.

[creacog_-]

Just commenting on two points, based on my current project part flash part flex:

* Switching to Flash Pro to publish a new .swc ( Remembering that I need to before I run it from Flashbuilder )

* Flashbuilder either doesnt ( or is very slow to do so ) update to the new .swc, so I end up cleaning the project before running/debugging.

(Using Fb4 plugin version on a mac with Fl CS5)

Although Fp publishes the swc, I didn't have to switch to it. The 'publish' button on the Flash project in builder signalled Fl to do the publish, and did so without shifting application focus to the Flash IDE. I have found that this runs a lot smoother if the IDE is actually open in the background with the fla or xfl document open. If the xfl document isn't open, there does seem to be some distracting application switching going on.

I concur that after publishing a swc i had to clean the flex project to be sure of picking up the changes.

[Shawn_Makinson]

Thanks for the input. So you have a Flash Pro project set up in Flashbuilder? I tried that first, but it seemed to want to force me to use the Flash Pro debugger. Is that what you are seeing? Also I didn't mention that I am not using any Flex components at all, its all just actionscript.

[creacog_-]

Sorry i was only commenting on those local points. I have two projects set up in Fb. One a Flash project. One flex project which used the swc output from the flash project.

The flash project  behaved as you described. i.e. debugged within the Fl ide. The only point I was really adding was that by hitting the publish button within Fb you should have been able to trigger a compile/publish without actually switching to Fl. Handy if you are intending using the output in another project.

For debugging within Fb, you could set up a library project in Fb in addition to your Fl Pro project and link to the swc. So long as 'allow debug' was on in the Fl publish settings, your Fb library project would be able to step into code within the swc. - essentially that's what i've been doing in my flex/flash combo.

[Shawn_Makinson]

Ok, thanks again! Seems I have a similar approach to you. Hopefully we can get an answer that will be ideal. Or perhaps a feature in Burrito?