Syntax highlight Flash Builder

[croxover]

I don’t know if this is the right place but I have a simple question about Flash Builder.

In the following example, how can I change the color of the "MovieClip"? I want my variable types highlighted.

private var myMc:MovieClip;

[Guest]

I don't know anything about Builder, but in some editors you need to have the class imported before coloring works properly.

[croxover]

I have all the correct imports

import flash.events.MouseEvent;

var mc:MovieClip = new MovieClip();

Still no sintax highligh.

[Kenneth Kawamoto]

I don't think you can customise beyond what is available in Preferences > Flash Builder > Editors > Syntax Coloring. Since FB is Eclipse, in theory you can modify it deep inside if you want. I'd imagine you need full-on Java knowledge for it though

[croxover]

Is there any plugin?

I use flash develop as my main IDE, but I'am trying to change to FBuilder. This highlithing problem its making everithing so much more difficult!

The highlithing in flash builder sucks so hard...

How can I request a better highliht to Adobe or find a plugin for FBuilder/Eclipse?

[Kenneth Kawamoto]

You may request it from here: https://bugs.adobe.com/flex/

[9999pippoflash]

Flash Builder 4.5 = same source of disappointment.

How are we expected to code with such primitive, useless syntax highlighter?

6 keywords in total!!!!

Impossile to add custom keywords!!!

Free text and classes in same style and color.

It doesn't make sense to me... such a powerful editor, so useless in a core functionality...

It's since version 4 that I am longing to move to Flash Builder, but again, I have to stick to SciTe free text editor to have decent syntax highlighting...

[malden44]

Is there any progress on this feature?

I'm contemplating jumping from FlashDevelop to FB to take advantage of the more robust refactoring (via Sourcemate), but discovered that the syntax coloring in FB is absolutely primitive.

[croxover]

Can someone tell me if this problem still exists on Flash Builder 4.6?

Any plugin to FB or Eclipse compatible?

thank you...

[malden44]

I don't know if the problem still exists, but I've since abandoned Flash Builder for Intellij IDEA. It's the best Actionscript editor out there in my opinion AND the company that makes it actually listens to AND responds to bug reports and feature requests:

http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/features/flex_ide.html

[sinious]

Ahm.. Anything imported (SWC/import/etc) will have highlighting if it is a known type.

In your example above you said MovieClip and then proceeded to import MouseEvent.

import flash.events.MouseEvent;

dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent(MouseEvent.CLICKED)); // MouseEvent will be colored.

In FB a "known class" is highlighted. It's an abstract and simple to understand concept. If you use a strict type on a class with a deliberate type set, it will work. If you expect that to interpolate between references, that's not going to happen, nor will code completion.

e.g.:

import flash.display.MovieClip;

var a:MovieClip = new MovieClip(); // MovieClip is understood as a strict class, code completion works on var 'a'

var b:Object = a; // b is a reference and can run methods that 'a' can, but code completion will not work.

The exception is going to be Core classes. They will be black.

edit:

http://help.eclipse.org/indigo/index.jsp?topic=%2Forg.eclipse.platform.doc.isv%2Fguide%2Feditors_hig...

[croxover]

In the example I made above I typed the wrong import, sorry...

I made a simple example on a older version of FB:

I think this suck, there´s no MouseEvent or MovieClip highlight =X

I prefer FlashDevelop syntax highlighter but FB has a lot other cool stuff that FD doesn´t have.

[sinious]

I used FD for 4 years. I know what you mean. It's still installed to the latest version as of right now. I use it as a text editor for other purposes or to write up quick samples for people (easier than making a new project wtf). It does also auto-add in import statements, etc. I found the code completion to be very good as well.

My main beef with the built-in actions panel is it has horrific code completion and it feels excessively boggy. Code folding and auto-generation were terrible. It barely recognizes its own classes. FD fixed all those issues. And so does FB.

However...

If you have both, then just use FB to set up the project and FD to edit all the code. Only problem is if you go flex, good luck. Aside that, my favorite feature (besides obviously having good project structure) is profiling. There's something you won't get with FDT, FD or Flash. It has been invaluable to help me track down rogue references. Gotta keep that memory trim baby.

Though I did figure out how to export an IPA from flash and then launch it in Xcode to use Xcodes instruments on it (the few that work, like allocations) to help with ANE debugging.

Do note there is no update in CS6 for Flash Builder. I hope they're going to excite us with some of this in FB5 (or CS6 or whatever it's called).

[9999pippoflash]

Yeah, syntax higlighting in FB sucks.

It is the main reason why I didn't make the move, and stick to SciTE text editor, even though syntax errors while typing would be a great plus.

Syntax highlighting means setting your own keywords, colors, styles, etc.

It is 15 years I develop in AS, I have a huge library and complex framework I rely on, and without the possibility to add my own coloring I would decrease productivity.

So far I do not know about any plugin that works well... did you hear anything about such?

I do not have enough time to make a complex research.

Annyway, so far Adobe is losing $ from developers who need steroid syntax coloring.

Having "public" and "private" in blue doesn't do it.

Too bad, I like FB, but without proper coloring I will stick to my habit.

[sinious]

Perhaps to help your coders you simply need to start making some interfaces. Just a common code convention. Make a file that clearly illustrates the public interface to your code and how to use it. That solves everything.

I realize helping coders visually see code efficiently is the point and I do agree syntax coloring, code assist, etc helps. But relying on "steroid syntax coloring" is pretty weak for your developers to complain about. Get them some decent documentation on your huge codebase with some interfaces and they should be competent enough to code in notepad with no color.

NFN, AS hasn't even been out 15 years haha. In fact they didn't call it AS until 2000. And that's 1.0. Before that was a mock script with tellTarget. I'm sure you're not packing any of that crap.

[malden44]

Seriously people, IDEA is an amazing IDE for Flash/Air development. I have no affiliation with them at all, I'm just trying to spread the word about a great dev environment. I was really frustrated with the state of FB, and was an avid FlashDevelop user for a long time, but the functionality in IDEA is an amazing productivity boost.

Tricked out syntax highlighting is just the tip of the iceberg... There's robust refactoring, a local history for every file. built-in docs, robust templating/snippets, I'm compling to AIR with no problems... the list goes on. A really amazing simple functionality that I didn't even know I needed is the fact that IDEA has an option to change the formatting for unused vars and functions. Cuts way down on code clutter...

Here's how code can look in IDEA. Walk away from FB and don't look back.

[sinious]

That really reminds me of the VMS or DOS days looking at something in vi..

To each their own on color

[9999pippoflash]

Somehow on SciTe I have a much nicer syntax coloring...

Also with bolds, italics, etc.

Speeds me up so much in finding things... I guess my brain got so used to it...

Even though the thing I really miss from FB and flash as ide is the context helper... wehn you type a function name and it shows you needed parameters, etc.

Or when you call a static class and gives you a list of static methods...

ah how I would like to have that in SciTe

[aholla_p3]

Is there any chance this will be fixed/added to Flash Builder 4.7?

I too am trying to transition from Flash Develop over to Flash Builder but it is hard when it seems inferior.

Thanks.

[sinious]

Check out FDT/Eclipse coloring while learning something (Signals). Watch the "AS3 Signals Tutorial" video. The code completion, generation and coloring looks pretty amazing.

http://pv3d.org/page/2/?s=rsjfdqoyiil