trace() outside the Flash IDE with tail

February 20th, 2007

As Josh Buhler and Mark Walters described it’s simple to log the trace() outputs of a SWF file running in Browser. If you familiar with Terminal you can also log the trace()-methods by using the Unix command tail.

tail monitors in real time the growth of the logfile named “flashlog.txt” which is being written by the Flash Debug Player.

Instructions

  1. Check that you installed the Flash Debug Player on your machine successfully.
    Press CTRL and click on a Flashmovie located in Browser and you’ll have a context menu with the “Debugger” option like the image above. If not, uninstall the current Player and install the latest version of the Flash Debug Player.
  2. Add a textfile named “flashlog.txt” in the following folder:
    /Users/{username}/Library/Preferences/Macromedia/Flash Player/Logs/
  3. The Flash Debug Player needs a textfile named “mm.cfg”. Typically it’s located in /Library/Application Support/Macromedia/mm.cfg. If not, create it and add the following properties:
    1. ErrorReportingEnable=0
    2. TraceOutputFileEnable=1
    3. MaxWarnings=0
     Note: If you have installed a Flash Debug Player older than version 9.0.28.0 you have to add a path to your “flashlog.txt” as well:

    1.  
    2. TraceOutPutFileName=Macintosh HD:Users:{username}:Library:Preferences:Macromedia:Flash Player:Logs:flashlog.txt
    3.  
  4. Open the Terminal and type tail -f /Users/{username}/Library/Preferences/Macromedia/Flash Player/Logs/flashlog.txtscreen_terminal.png

That’s it ;-)

P.S. If you have any trouble with your configuration, check Mark Walters’ detailed instructions, too.

Posted by sectore Filed in Debugging, Flash, OS X
7 Comments »

7 Responses to “trace() outside the Flash IDE with tail”

  1. Manfred Says:
    February 20th, 2007 at 7:53 pm

    Congrats to your new blog. Finally! I know there´s plenty of important stuff you have to say! Wish you all the best!
    Manfred

  2. How to use Console.app for Flash debugging at Bomber Studios Says:
    March 14th, 2007 at 8:30 am

    [...] googling around turned up more information. This article: “trace() outside the Flash IDE with tail” had all the information I needed (the first one isn’t very clear about where the log file is [...]

  3. Steve Says:
    August 9th, 2007 at 8:00 pm

    Nice blog. I’ve tried setting this up myself, but I simply cannot see Trace statements.

    I add them to my Flex app, run the “Build” command in the actionscript 3 bundle, and the app opens in a Textmate html window.

    But flashlog.txt is empty, despite the trace statements.

    If I run the app in flex builder, I see the statements’ ouput.

  4. JP DeVries Says:
    December 5th, 2008 at 4:17 am

    Sweet, does anybody know if this works the same for Flash Player 10 Debugger Version?

  5. sectore Says:
    December 17th, 2008 at 5:18 pm

    @JP DeVries: You might have to create the “flashlog.txt” by yourself.

    At the wiki for ThunderBolt AS3 on GoogleCode you will find a qick tutorial for the same issue: “Wiki ThunderBolt AS3 Console” -> Known issues -> “flashlog.txt” is not found on OS X (“Leopard”)

    -Jens

  6. Hay Says:
    April 21st, 2009 at 12:57 pm

    Why do you like this console stuff at all? This seem to be really unflexible and reaquires lots of tweaking. Why not to try existing flash tracing tools. There are lots of them in internet and really easy to use. Try at least http://code.google.com/p/flash-tracer/

  7. pdf2swf on Mac OS X and ASVM mismatch | elc technologies - Blog : Ruby on Rails, iPhone, Flash, Agile, Interactive Design Says:
    November 29th, 2009 at 3:11 pm

    [...] The above error will show only if — only if — you have a debugger enabled flashplayer and logging enabled. [...]

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