Haxe

FlashDevelop is a great Haxe code editor, and can be used to build websites and applications for desktop and mobile, using the multi-purpose Haxe language.

When using Haxe, you write in one language, and compile into any supported target. You can use general purpose (Std library) classes or per-platform classes (for Flash, PHP, Neko, OpenFL, etc).

The Haxe language syntax is similar to AS3, but with more features such as generic types, type inference, enums, typedefs, function-types, extension methods and more.

Some notable Haxe targets include:

• Neko is a Haxe VM, mostly used for command line tools
• Lime/OpenFL is a framework and toolchain to target the web, desktop and mobile leveraging the different Haxe targets (JS, Flash, C++).

Project Features

FlashDevelop tightly integrates with the Haxe compiler and debugger:

Supported compilers

• Compile via Haxe SDK v2 and v3+
  • Flash Player 6 (AVM1)
  • Flash Player 9+ (AVM2)
  • AIR
  • Neko VM
  • NME/OpenFL
  • PHP
  • JavaScript
  • C++
• Batch files for AIR Developer Tool
  • Package app for Android, iOS
  • Package native app for Windows, Mac OS X

Project templates for Haxe

• Flash Player 6 (AVM1)
• Flash Player 9+ (AVM2)
• AIR
• Neko VM
• NME/OpenFL
• PHP
• JavaScript
• C++

Compiling via Haxe SDK

• Project build config GUI (Project > Properties)
• Debug and Release mode configurations
• Build errors show in Errors panel (double click error to navigate)
• Multiple Haxe SDKs can be registered with FD4, and easily switched
• Automatic configuration of Haxe environment variables (easier to switch SDKs)

Debugging via Haxe SDK

• For Flash/AIR apps
  • Pause/resume support, Stepping (step over, step in, step out)
  • Assign breakpoints before and during debugging
  • View all breakpoints (panel), remove all breakpoints
  • Roll over variable to show live value (when debugging and paused)
  • Show live values of variables in tree format
  • Auto break on error (highlights the crashed line)
  • Call stack when stepping (double click callstack item to navigate)
• For JavaScript apps
  • Compile Haxe project to JS and use JS debuggers (not integrated in FD4)
  • Inbuilt debugger in Chrome
  • Firebug debugger in Firefox
• For C++ apps
  • Under construction, check the FD4 Forums for latest news!

SDK Management

• Auto downloads needed Haxe SDKs during installation
• App Manager to view/download latest SDKs (Tools > Install Software)

Profiling Haxe Apps

• Adobe Scout can be used to profile Flash/AIR apps built in Haxe (requires 64-bit PC)
• C++ profilers can be used to profile native C++ apps built in Haxe

Editing Features

FlashDevelop helps you work with your AS3 projects:

Code refactoring

• Find all references (limited, but improvements on the way)
• Rename classes/members not supported (under construction)

Code completion, or "IntelliSense"

• Platform API shows in IntelliSense (based on target platform)
• User classes, methods, and variables list in IntelliSense
• SWC library classes and code appear in IntelliSense
• Dual IntelliSense backends (FD4 - fast but limited, Haxe - slow but exhaustive)
• Manually open list : Ctrl+Spacebar or Ctrl+Alt+Spacebar (search all classes)

Code information tooltips

• ASDoc comments show when calling functions, or accessing classes/members
• ASDoc comments show on rolling over a member/function/class
• ASDoc comments show for the current argument, when Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar pressed

Code folding

• Functions, classes and namespaces can be expanded/collapsed
• Regions using //{ and //} syntax
• Collapse/Expand All (collapses functions but not regions)
• Collapse/Expand Regions (collapses everything including regions)

Code navigation

• Navigate to class definition (place cursor on class, press F4)
• Navigate to function/var definition (place cursor on member, press F4)
• Navigate back (press Shift+F4)

Code snippets

• Insert snippet from snippet library, auto placement of cursor
• Snippet library GUI, ability to add/edit/delete snippets

Syntax coloring