Flex builder running applications in Projector (Standalone FlashPlayer)

Personally I don’t like to run/debug/profile applications in browser. Sometimes few tabs are opened in browser, sometimes browser may even crash. Projector  or Standalone FlashPlayer is desktop application allowing you to run swf files. There is a way to use projector to run/debug/profile your Flex projects (projects created in flex – flex project or actionscript project, etc..).

I have tested this on windows but on mac it should be the same.

First of all you have to download projector from Adobe webside. Sine it will be also used to debug applications you should download debug version – Projector content debugger (EXE)

http://www.adobe.com/support/flashplayer/downloads.html

Then you have to download projector exe file somewhere to your hdd. After you save projector exe you’ll have to ‘register’ it into system registry by simply running it (it will register path to default application witch will be used to open swf files). Now each time you’ll run swf file it will be launched in this specified projector, so make sure you won’t move this projector  file.  You can use this ‘relation’ ex for changing projector versions witch will be used to run/debug/profile your project.

Now go to Flex and create new project. Go to Run menu -> Run -> other

Double click on Flex Application to create new run configuration. Select newly created  configuration and Uncheck use defaults. Now just change .html extension to .swf in all 3 paths (Debug, Profile, Run) and click Apply.

Now each time you’ll run/debug/profile you project it will be launched in projector. The downside is you’ll have to change those settings separate for each project.

There is a Bug (on Windows Vista) – sometimes after clicking on configuration you won’t see right window content. There isn’t 100% working solution, but there are few things you can try.

• Try to change width by dragging ‘center separator’ (try to open whole run configuration window few times and drag).

• Try to run Flex in Compatibility mode right click on FlexBuilder.exe (default path is C:\Program Files\Adobe\Flex Builder 3) , select properties, go to compatibility tab, select run program in compatibility mode, and choose Windows XP
• Try to disable visual themes for Flex (compatibility tab as above)

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Tags: Actionscript 3, Flex, Flex Project Browser, Run in Projector, Run in Standalone