ActionScript editor
The ActionScript editor is used by both the Actions panel and the Script window when working with ActionScript. The Script window opens standalone ActionScript files.
The ActionScript editor controls the way that your code is coloured and provides options for working with code. In Flash 8, some additional options have been added including:
- Display of hidden characters
- Debug options in external .as files
- Preference to reload modified script files
Displaying hidden characters
You can now view hidden characters in your code. This is an incredibly useful feature as it can help you track down problems that prevent your code from running. Many times, I’ve copied code from other places, only to find that it didn’t work correctly when tested the movie. There was no apparent reason but I’d accidentally copied hidden characters from the other location.
Open the Actions panel and choose the menu options button at the right. You’ll see the Hidden Characters option. You can also use the Ctrl-Shift-8 shortcut to turn on this option. The following screen shot shows the location of this option.