Eclipse: why I'm using MTASC after all...

In my last post, despite my respect for MTSAC, I said I wouldn't use it. I haven't completely changed my mind but, since then, I discovered coding ActionScript in Eclipse.

Eclipse is normally associated with Java developers, and is generally considered the best IDE for coding Java, with all kinds of cool features a huge number of extensions available.

A few weeks ago, Darron Schall mentioned that he was using it and that he used ASDT, which is the ActionScript plugin for Eclipse, which I believe Darron has also played a part in developing. I tried it for a day, and I was hooked.

Returning to my sensationalist title for this post, the best feature is the live syntax checking. This accomplished by compiling your code with MTASC as you type, which reports any errors straight away. You can also have it check for errors whenever you close or open a file. I'm still using Flash to compile my projects, but the syntax checking is a huge time-saver. I finish working on a class, compile in Flash, and it compiles without errors. Every time. All the errors were caught as I typed. It dramatically reduces the number of times that you have to switch between apps, and the amount of time that you spend waiting for Flash to compile your project. I just can't believe I only just discovered it.

What you need (all free downloads):

1. Java Runtime 1.4.1 if you don't already
2. Eclipse Platform SDK
3. ASDT extension
4. MTASC

1. In Eclipse, go to Window->Preferences->ActionScript2->MTASC and enter the directory of where you installed MTASC. For me it was "C:\Program Files\MTASC\mtasc.exe"
2. Choose the options for when you want MTASC to run. You should at least try having it run as you type...
3. Next, got to the "Pathes" (?) section, which is underneath the MTASC node in preferences, and enter the location of your Macromedia Flash classes directory. For me it was "C:\Program Files\Macromedia\Flash MX 2004\en\First Run\Classes"
4. Create a new AS2 project, then go to Project properties->ActionScript2 Properties and set the classpath, so that MTASC knows where to look for the classes in your project. Just put "." if all your packages start at the root of the project

If anyone else is using Eclipse for coding ActionScript, I'd be interested in what other plugins you've found useful. For example, I also downloaded the Subversion source control plugin, Subclipse.