Debugging a SWF file from a remote location

You can debug a remote SWF file using the stand-alone, ActiveX, or plug-in versions of Flash Player. When exporting a SWF file, you can enable debugging in your file and create a debugging password. If you don't enable debugging, the Debugger will not activate.

To ensure that only trusted users can run your SWF files in the Flash Debug Player, you can publish your file with a debugging password. As in JavaScript or HTML, it's possible for users to view client-side variables in ActionScript. To store variables securely, you must send them to a server-side application instead of storing them in your file. However, as a Flash developer, you may have other trade secrets, such as movie clip structures, that you do not want to reveal. You can use a debugging password to protect your work.

When you export, publish, or test a movie, Flash creates a SWD file that contains debug information. To debug remotely, you must place the SWD file in the same directory as the SWF file on the server.

To enable remote debugging of a Flash movie:

Select File > Publish Settings.
On the Flash tab of the Publish Settings dialog box, select Debugging permitted.
To set a password, enter a password in the Password box.
After you set this password, no one can download information to the Debugger without the password. However, if you leave the Password box blank, no password is required.
Close the Publish Settings dialog box, and select one of the following commands:
- Control > Debug Movie
- File > Export Movie
- File > Publish Settings > Publish
Flash creates a debugging file with the .swd extension and saves it alongside the SWF file. The SWD file contains information that allows you to use breakpoints and step through code.
Place the SWD file in the same directory as the SWF file on the server.
If the SWD file is not in the same directory as the SWF file, you can still debug remotely, but the Debugger ignores breakpoints and you can't step through code.
In Flash, select Window > Development Panels > Debugger.
- In the Debugger, select Enable Remote Debugging from the Options pop-up menu (at the upper right of the panel).

To activate the Debugger from a remote location:

Open the Flash authoring application.
In a browser or in the stand-alone player, open the published SWF file from the remote location.
The Remote Debug dialog box appears.

If that dialog box doesn't appear, Flash can't find the SWD file. In this case, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) in the SWF file to display the context menu, and select Debugger.
In the Remote Debug dialog box, select Localhost or Other Machine:
- Select Localhost if the Debug player and the Flash authoring application are on the same computer.
- Select Other Machine if the Debug player and the Flash authoring application are not on the same computer. Enter the IP address of the computer running the Flash authoring application.
When a connection is established, a password prompt appears. Enter your debugging password if you set one.
The display list of the SWF file appears in the Debugger.