Troubleshooting ActionScript > Using the Debugger > Enabling debugging in a movie

Enabling debugging in a movie

When exporting a Flash Player movie, you can choose to enable debugging in your movie and create a debugging password. If you don't enable debugging, the Debugger will not activate.

As in JavaScript or HTML, any client-side ActionScript variables can potentially be viewed by the user. To store variables securely, you must send them to a server-side application instead of storing them in the movie.

However, as a Flash developer, you may have other trade secrets, such as movie clip structures, that you do not want revealed. To ensure that only trusted users can watch your movies with the Flash Debug Player, you can publish your movie with a Debugger password.

To enable debugging and create a password:

1 Choose File > Publish Settings.
2 Click the Flash tab.
3 Select Debugging Permitted.
4 To set a password, enter a password into the Password box.
Without this password, you cannot download information to the Debugger. If you leave the password field blank, no password is required.

To activate the Debugger in a Web browser:

1 Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) to open the Flash Debug Player context menu.
2 Choose Debugger.

Note: You can use the Debugger to monitor only one movie at a time. To use the Debugger, Flash must be open.

Flash Debug Player context menu