Comments on Iain Lobb: 10 reasons I prefer FlashDevelop to Eclipse and FD...

In the past, FlashDevelop had limited functionalit...

2012-01-18T12:05:49.748Z

In the past, FlashDevelop had limited functionality and some issues (just because it was in early development stage) but today it has technically all the functionality a Flash developer needs, it is easy to use, it's constantly being improved, built specifically for ActionScript programming (unlike Eclipse whch was made specifically to cause headaches). Frankly, there is no reason for trying anything else, other then your boss forcing you to do that or your interest in self-inflicted pain.

FlashDevelop is the best. Eclipse, and IntelliJ I...

2011-12-16T18:51:41.123Z

FlashDevelop is the best. Eclipse, and IntelliJ IDEA, are both too complicated.

coming from the flash ide, flashdevelop has absolu...

2011-02-06T10:12:17.210Z

coming from the flash ide, flashdevelop has absolutely no learning curve. Eclipse, which I tried before, was a real pain.

Happy FlashDevelop user here, just throwing my thu...

2010-11-16T10:05:59.776Z

Happy FlashDevelop user here, just throwing my thumbs up at you!

I started one year ago with FD. It was good, I lik...

2010-07-05T10:17:18.438+01:00

I started one year ago with FD. It was good, I liked it. Then Adobe gave for free FB3 for a short time(under some conditions). Since it was based on eclipse and that I wasn't eager about it, I stayed on FD. But after I had to use eclipse at my work (for java), I learned to use it and I started to really like it. So I gave a chance to FB3, even tough it uses an old version of eclipse, and I can't imagine to return to FD.
The arguments in favor of FB are:
- autogeneration and refactoring. It's just astonishing how eclipse is powerful in that.
- debugger. In FD it's almost inexistant. And Flash has a very poor one. But FB can even decompile external swf with classes(as long as you have the source somewhere).
- shortcuts. With eclipse you have almost no need for the mouse. And when you passed the steep learn curve, you are efficient. It's like Blender (powerful 3d authoring tool using a lot of shortcuts and being disliked for the same reason).

What I miss in FB that is, even partially, in FD are:

- formatting. I heard it's in FB4, but I miss it. In eclipse/java, it becames essential for me. FD does it a bit.
- autocompletion of reserved words. I liked how FD completes pr to private, and things like that. But it seems eclipse itself doesn't do that (shame! because netbeans does).
- a lot of things and tools that exist only in more recent eclipse versions. Getters and setters, alt+shift+up selection, etc.

Overall FD is really good, but alas I tasted eclipse at its full power (java) and it's hard to go back.
In order to go back to FD, I need a debugger (essential), and a lot, a lot, a lot of hotkeys, refactoring and editor features.

what about debugging/profiling tools in FlashDevel...

2010-06-18T14:30:51.729+01:00

what about debugging/profiling tools in FlashDevelop? I guess there is no such thing, or?

For me it comes down to the simple fact that on Wi...

2010-05-19T00:40:55.108+01:00

For me it comes down to the simple fact that on Windows there is no competing IDE that comes close to FD's responsiveness. It is blisteringly fast in all respects, almost supernaturally so comparing it to its competition.

Feature for feature you will always find an idiosyncrasy of a given IDE that makes you fall in love with it (ah, love, isn't that how it always is?), and for me the performance and footprint of FD makes the notion of switching to FB or FDT almost funny. This is, again, not to rail on those IDEs, but I simply cannot revert to a swiss army knife now that I've been slicing code with a freaking LASER for years.

My only complaint about FD is the lackluster refactoring. Beyond that, i wouldn't touch FDT even if i was given it for free.

Personal preference and workflow trumps all.

I used eclipse for java and Flash Develop for AS3 ...

2010-04-26T12:47:32.530+01:00

I used eclipse for java and Flash Develop for AS3 and i agree that FD is more comfortable.
Yes eclipse as a lot more functionality (like code re factoring, mass import complite and more), but FD's interface is more clear and intuitive. its a lot easier to work with and as less annoying quirks and bugs.
something about the text size,positioning and coloring is better in FD (and i worked with eclipse before i started with SD, so its not a "used to" thing).

@Anonymous person: FlashDevelop is a stand-alone a...

2010-03-24T11:05:13.156Z

@Anonymous person: FlashDevelop is a stand-alone application for Windows. It isn't available for Mac. It is nothing to do with Eclipse and doesn't relate to Eclipse in any way. FlashDevelop.org has all the resources you need to get started. FlashDevelop will work pretty much out of the box, you just need to download the free Flex SDK from the Adobe website and point FlashDevelop to it. Alternatively, you can create a Flash IDE project in FlashDevelop which will use Flash CS3/4 to publish your swf. It is not dumb, it is awesome ;)

Where is a handy and clearly put together setup an...

2010-03-23T22:27:49.926Z

Where is a handy and clearly put together setup and configuration guide for FlashDevelop with Eclipse? Why is it a friken nightmare to get any of these pieces installed and configured without shelling out hundreds of dollars for a dumb ad on? Anyone?

Would love to use this instead of FDT or whatever, but I'll have to use Flash CS4 for my coding because there is no guide anywhere online (that I can find) that goes through the setup and configuration process in detail. It's really dumb.

I know that this is quite an old post, but I have ...

2010-03-16T20:14:23.888Z

I know that this is quite an old post, but I have to agree with you. I struggled with moving from the Flash IDE to FlexBuilder and found it completely unintuitive - it seems to presume that you know everything about everything before you can use it. 2 months of frustration later someone introduced me to FlashDevelop...I picked it up in under 5 minutes and have found it wonderful to use ever since. I just wish it had a little more support - it doesn't feel as though many add-ons are or will be produced for it. Currently though, I can see no reason to change - FD is truly excellent.

Read all that,informative Comments worked on FB, ...

2010-02-08T14:58:49.325Z

Read all that,informative Comments
worked on FB, FDT, FD.

Configuration:
FB,FDT works fine if properly configured.
FD minimum to no configuration.

Subversion + Build Task:
FB,FDT - ANT, SVN support.
FD - http://nareshkhokhani.wordpress.com/2008/08/17/flashdevelop-and-svn-integration/

Symbol Explorer:
FDT, FB !!
FD - Symbol Explorer

Learning Curve
FD-Immediately intuitive
FB,FDT-learning curve

Debugger:
FB,FDT-Quality One's.
FD- Good Enough.

Price
FB,FDT- Sends my boss for a ride!
FD-Please Donnate!

Cross OS:
FB,FDT - Cross Os
FD - Windows

The Straight Way:
FB-mxml,AS;
FD-flash IDE,AS;
FDT-Somewhere in the middle;

I've just moved to a new job where they use FD...

2009-12-15T18:51:44.933Z

I've just moved to a new job where they use FDT 3.

I was previously using Flex Builder 3 and FDT 3 isn't quite as good. The things I miss are:

1) If you type "override protected function" then press space, all the inherited functions are listed in FB3, but not in FDT.

2) When creating a variable or inside a function declaration, you type ":" e.g var myVar: a list of native and user defined datatypes becomes available in FB3 not FDT.

3) As above, when selecting a datatype from thye list, the relevant import is created.

I used to use Flash Develop back in 2006, then it was the best editor around. Not used it since though because I moved to Macs.

My personal reason for using FD3 is the Ctrl+Mouse...

2009-12-14T16:12:11.910Z

My personal reason for using FD3 is the Ctrl+Mousewheel-Textzoom since I am sitting in front of a 15"-UWXGA+-Laptop (Thinkpad Z61p) with 1920 x-resolution. FD3 allows me to zoom in and out of code superfast and in combination with the magic F4 makes me feel like a god of programming. FDT makes my eyes bleed...

I think the only real advantages I see in FlashDev...

2009-11-19T22:42:23.169Z

I think the only real advantages I see in FlashDevelop is its non-existent price and its light-weightness. Other than that, Adobe Flex Builder seems a bit heavy on my old Macbook White, but still performs pretty good.

Most of your arguments against Eclipse are based on bad configuration/system on your side, so they really don't count... Eclipse is a great tool for developing, especially when you know all those neat hotkeys you can use to speed up development.

And I find the "Open Resource" (CMD-SHIFT-R) option in Eclipse to be a great time-saver for opening project files by name directly, whereas I can't find any such function in FlashDevelop. Don't get me wrong here, I like FlashDevelop and I prefer using it to Eclipse on Windows, but Eclipse is still a great IDE to use.

I'm sure the others have their advantages but ...

2009-11-12T13:15:12.596Z

I'm sure the others have their advantages but when it comes to a slick lightweight, but feature full editor for Flash that has handled all the projects I've worked on recently perfectly, Flash Develop wins for me. The auto-completion options are great and it feels so fast, plus if I'm moving round to other machines the setup is quick and transfering projects easy.

For now anyway I don't need any of the added features or other languages enough to warrant paying up or dealing with a newer less snappy system.

Just downloaded FDT 3.5 beta (Cocoa 64). Right out...

2009-10-23T10:09:30.898+01:00

Just downloaded FDT 3.5 beta (Cocoa 64). Right out of the box created new Flash Project. Created new class, also wanted to choose "Sprite" as super class, but this window did not find it automatically, I had to press "Browse" button to the right. Took like 6 seconds to create a new class after pressing "ok" button. Started typing in the constructor method:

var moo:URLLoader = new URLLoader( new URLRequest( "...") );

no code hinting, no imports happened. Then I added my libraries to the linked libraries and added that folder to the project. At the imports I started typing:

import MovieMaterial

FDT did not find it. The actual path to this class is org.papervision3d.materials.MovieMaterial . FDT did not find it. While FlashDevelop did all what I needed in no time, without a question.

Next, I like working with dark theme. FD3 does this much more efficiently than FDT.

I cannot use ctrl+space since i have multiple languages and changing input language is bound to this key combo. Found NO way to make auto-complition to be AUTO - completion. However, I temporarily disabled the ctrl+space for Spotlight, and yes, in case of typing inside the constructor method - FDT found the path to MovieMaterial and automatically added the import line. In the imports block this auto-completion did not find the path to MovieMaterial.

I'm not a pro user of FDT or FD3 ( was using Flex and Flash IDE ) and used them for couple of days only and coding efficiency in FD3 is notably better than in FDT. And here is the list of my thoughts about both of the products:

FD3 Advantages:
- real auto-completion
- fast and lightweight
- FREE

FD3 Disadvantage
- WINDOWS ONLY

FDT Advantages
- the Cocoa 64 ver works really quickly
- multi-platform
- error highlighting

FDT Disadvantages
- NO real auto-completion (you manual-completion)
- costs a fortune

In conclusion not FDT nor FD3 is the 100% product of the choice. However, i stick with FD3, even if I have to use it only via Parallels the coding goes much faster with it.

Flashdevelop kicks ass. Light, Fast, User friendl...

2009-06-30T13:00:50.429+01:00

Flashdevelop kicks ass.

Light, Fast, User friendly, installs in 10 seconds

I change the appearence of background, caret, selection, different parts of text with EXTREME ease and that's important for me cuase I hate white BGs. My Flashdeveloped is TUNED! I have colleagues using Eclipse and it's a pain in the ass to customize it's appearence (compared to flashdevelop at least).

When I type the name of a class that wasn't imported, it imports it for me without shortcuts.

Creating setters/getters, functions, or declaring variables is as easy as writing something and pressing CTRL-1.

Creating standard programming elements such as FORs, SWITCHs, etc is in a flash, just write the 2 first characters and press TAB, you're done.

I can make extra code snippets real easily.

Code completion is amazing, if not perfect, comes up automatically and can be called with shortcut.

I compile and switch to Flash IDE in ONE KEYSTROKE (F6). That's really awesome.

Predefined shortcuts I use a lot:
ALT-D: duplicate line
ALT-Q: comment line
ALT-SHIFT-DEL: delete text to the right

I don't fell like writing anymore.. need to go lunch. Get Flashdevelop!

Like I said, I'm going to persevere... Just fo...

2009-06-29T17:44:31.346+01:00

Like I said, I'm going to persevere... Just found this very useful tip, getting FDT to replicate the auto code hints functionality!! woo hoo!

http://blog.flashmech.net/2008/10/fdt-tip-boost-your-code-assist/

Been using FlashDevelop for ages, from the days of...

2009-06-29T16:01:48.246+01:00

Been using FlashDevelop for ages, from the days of mtasc through to mxmlc and quite honestly love it, it seems lightweight and fast where as fdt seems bloated. I have to use a mac at work and I'm going to give fdt a chance as I know it has some great features, but so far having to press Command+SPACE just to get code hints is a pain in the ass! FlashDevelop does this as you type.

Despite the extra fancy features, if FD lets me code faster without having to press Command+SPACE every few secs, then I'm firing up parallels and going back to FD.

Long live FD.

Flashdevelop has a good debugger NOW ... it's ...

2009-06-13T21:02:36.721+01:00

Flashdevelop has a good debugger NOW ... it's a plugin and quite stable, has breakpoints/stack/variables all the usual stuff all the windows doc as normal. A Radical improvement.

The team are also working on a native (non-plugin) one for the next major release along with refactoring.

... why would you need FDT or Eclipse ?

The FD team has done an amazing job. And any features you could ever want are in the pipeline.

It's free inoffensive and has zero learning curve ... I'm getting a hard on !!!!

Flashdevelop rules i'm sorry. One reason alone is...

2009-05-03T04:23:00.000+01:00

Flashdevelop rules i'm sorry.

One reason alone is the look.
You can't can't have TOO MUCH syntax code-coloring. In flash develop, i opened up the xml file, and added all kinds of terms to the reserved so they could be color coded.

addchil/addEventListener/removeEventListener/linestyle/lineTo/moveTo/int/Number/graphics
-
Those are special words and should be color coded as such. I hate text editors where very little is color coded like comments or numbers and very selective reserved words. What's the point?

Couldn't disagree more with the lack of cross plat...

2009-04-23T10:21:00.000+01:00

Couldn't disagree more with the lack of cross platform being a serious issue for FD. Most programmers/developers working on OS X have windows running in vmware or parallels. It is very easy to get FD running in vmware unity mode with the ctrl + enter shortcut functional.

I used FlashDevelop and liked all the keyboard sho...

2009-04-13T17:22:00.000+01:00

I used FlashDevelop and liked all the keyboard shortcuts but, had to use Mac at work, therefore, I had no choice other than using FlexBuilder since it runs on both PC and MAC. I think, the biggest weakness of FlashDevelop is that it doesn't support platforms other than PC and many Flash Developers/Designers use MAC.

'have to agree and repeat what philippe said:
<...

2009-04-10T01:26:00.000+01:00

'have to agree and repeat what philippe said:

And you're right, not being crossplatform is a major drawback for FD, so that's true: either it becomes crossplatform or it will fade out in a few years. But we don't see any problem with that ;)