Flex Tip of the Day: -keep-generated-actionscript

July 9, 2007

Continuing my series of Flex tips for beginners ….

-keep-generated-actionscript

When you compile an mxml application, all your mxml is first converted to actionscript and then this actionscript is further compiled into a SWF. You can see this generated actionscript to learn the flex framework in depth using the flex compiler flag -keep-generated-actionscript.

To set this flag in Flex Builder right click to open the project Properties, select Flex Compiler, and add -keep-generated-actionscript to the Additional compiler arguments …. now rebuild the project and you will see a new folder called ‘generated’ that appears and has all the generated code.

You could also use just the short form -keep in place of the long -keep-generated-actionscript.

Keep Generated AS

UPDATE: I had earlier posted a screen shot without the -keep-generated-actionscript flag showing. (how silly am I) … anyways, I’ve corrected that now.

12 Responses - What do you think?

  1. As a shortcut, you can use “-keep” if you’d rather not type out the rest. :)

  2. Hi Mrinal,
    I am trying to learn Actionscript.
    But I am finding it hard to get started as I don’t know exactly which Adobe product I need to download.

    I believe we need to have:
    Flex Builder to write Actionscript (.as file)
    Flash CS3 to attach it and compile it (.swf file)

    Can you please direct me here. Then I can perhaps understand better what you write next in your blog.

  3. Hi Rahul,

    You just need either one of the products to do it all …. you can write and compile a pure actionscript application in either Flex Builder or Flash CS3.

    At this early stage I would highly recommend reading Adobe Livedocs

    At the same time I would also suggest you join the flex-india mailing list to get all your queries answered .. there are over 300 developers on that list helping each other out.

  4. Hi Mrinal,
    Can I also use Eclipse for Flex Development with the Flex plugin. Is it for free.
    I want to build the first program in Actionscript and Flash today. It could be the simplest of them, e.g. just a HELLO WORLD progam.
    Can U advise me how to proceed.
    I did went through the Flex livedocs, could get an overview.
    Can get started once I have installed thse softwares. Do U always work with the Trial version, or U work on a licensed version.
    For now, plz hlp me with HELLO WORLD on AS3,
    regds,
    Rahul.

  5. Sir, I owe you a beer!

  6. Really Helpful ! Thanks Mrinal :)

  7. To understand the generated actionscript is impossible.
    I thought i could easily convert my MXML component into corresponding Actionscript Class

  8. hey, i can’t find that in flex builder anywhere – can you show me some screen shots perhaps..

  9. interesting option -keep in flex compiler to convert mxml to as. http://bit.ly/9Knb

  10. Hi Mrinal, As per the above tip, i could not find the “-keep-generated-actionscript” or “-keep” option under the project Properties, select Flex Compiler. Can you please suggest me how to see the actio n script file..any mistake i did .?

    Thanks,
    Ravi

  11. Hi Ravi,

    This post is old so looks like my screenshot above got lost in a wordpress upgrade … anyway ..

    Project Properties > Flex Compiler > Additional Compiler Arguments:

    You have to add -keep to that textbox

    Mrinal

  12. [...] we compile our Example application the compiler will generate a class (you can see it with -keep) that subclasses our ApplicationLoader factory and implements some additional functionality .. an [...]

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