Make flashbuilder automatically copy compiled swf

Question

I don't know much about ant and I'm having trouble finding an example where I just copy a swf after it is compiled in flashbuilder. I'm working with a very small swf and I have it set to "build automatically" since the compile time is < .5 sec.

I'd like to shorten the length of my test cycles and I'm hoping to automate moving a file to a folder so I can test the swf in my application. I only need the file moved when built since that folder auto-uploads anything added to it. What's the path of least resistance to this automated copy using ant-build.xml? Is this a simple process or is there a lot of overhead to make this work? (This is a pure actionscript project imported into a larger application, not flex). Is this even possible with pure as?

Answer 1

This is a very simple build.xml for Ant, which compiles your MXML application and copies the SWF to a specific folder. Put it into your projects' root folder and replace bin-release with your desired export folder. Also adjust the path to your Flex SDK as well as to flexTasks.jar and Application.mxml.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<project name="Builder" basedir="." default="build">

<target name="init">
    <property name="FLEX_HOME" value="C:/Program Files/Adobe/Adobe Flash Builder 4.6/sdks/4.6.0" />

    <taskdef resource="flexTasks.tasks" classpath="${basedir}/libs/flexTasks.jar" />
</target>

<target name="compile">
    <mxmlc file="${basedir}/src/Application.mxml"
        output="app.swf"
        keep-generated-actionscript="false"
        optimize="true">

        <source-path path-element="${basedir}/src" />
    </mxmlc>
</target>

<target name="export">
    <copy file="app.swf" todir="bin-release" />
</target>

<target name="build" depends="init, compile, export" />

You can run this build.xml automatically if you add an Ant builder under Project properties - Builders.

Answer 2

Since you have a pure AS project, and you're using Flash Builder to build the SWF, all you need to copy the output is a very minimal build.xml, such as:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<project name="Builder" basedir="." default="build">

<target name="export-debug">
    <copy file="bin-debug/MyFlash.swf" todir="C:/my/test/path" />
</target>

<target name="build" depends="export-debug" />
</project>

Change the pathnames as needed and save in the root of your project as build.xml. Now go to Project -> Properties -> Builders -> New..., select "Ant Builder", and Browse Workspace to your build.xml.

Now go to the "Targets" tab and configure both the Manual Build and Auto Build to point to the "export-debug" target.

Now you should have two builders, the built-in compiler, and this Ant target. Whenever the SWF compiles, it will also be copied to the path you specified.