Intro To haXe Development With FDT

From FDT Documentation

Revision as of 14:47, 10 May 2011 by J.jackson (Talk | contribs)
Jump to: navigation, search

Supported by Influxis

010 015.png
haXe is an open source and multiplatform programming language. To learn more and get the latest info on using haXe and the platforms it targets, check out the haXe's Introduciton.


Contents

HaXe Programming Language

haXe (pronounced hex) is a versatile open-source high-level programming language. The code can be produced entirely within the haXe development environment by using a single and unmodified code-base when compiling from one target to the next. Compared to most other languages are bound to their own platform (Java to the JVM, C# to .Net, ActionScript to the Flash Player), haXe is a multi-platform language.


More information can be found on the HaXe website: haxe.org/

And has a highly active developer community mailing list: 
lists.motion-twin.com/mailman/listinfo/haxe


HaXe supported targets

  • Javascript : You can compile a haXe program to a single .js file. You can access the typed browser DOM APIs with autocompletion support, and all the dependencies will be resolved at compilation time.
  • Flash : You can compile a haXe program to a .swf file. haXe is compatible with Flash Players 6 to 10, with either "old" Flash 8 API or newest AS3/Flash9+ API. haXe offers very good performance and language features to develop Flash content.
  • NekoVM : You can compile a haXe program to NekoVM bytecode. This can be used for server-side programming such as dynamic webpages (using mod_neko for Apache) and also for command-line or desktop applications, since NekoVM can be embedded and extended with some other DLL.
  • PHP : You can compile a haXe program to .php files. This will enable you to use a high level strictly-typed language such as haXe while keeping full compatibility with your existing server platform and libraries.
  • C++ : You can now generate C++ code from your haXe source code, with the required Makefiles. This is very useful for creating native applications, for instance in iPhone development.


About the FDT HaXe Plugin

Developed in collaboration with Powerflasher and Influxis, the FDT haXe plugin provides developers a powerful tool for authoring the haXe multi-platform language. Our goal is to provide the best haXe coding experience and that it feels like coding in the AS2, AS3 or MXML editor of FDT: same shortcuts, same syntax coloring, same coding comfort. 

Plugin Status : Public Beta

Here’s a feature overview:

  • Live error checking
  • Autocompletion (variables and functions)
  • Syntax coloring
  • Code editing features
  • Open Type
  • New Class/Interface/Enum wizards
  • HaXe Project Wizard


You can follow our development progress on Twitter @FDThaXe

Installation

To get started with haXe, you'll need to download a few extra add-ons.

Download haXe

Visit haXe's download page Img preview.png, and download one of the automatic installers for your platform. For this example, we'll be installing haXe for OSX.

While installing, the installer may ask you to install Neko. Neko is a language / Virtual Machine platform that comes with the installer. Even if you've never use Neko and haXe together, it may come in handy in the future so go ahead and install that as well Img preview.png.

When the installer is complete Img preview.png, confirm that the installation of haXe was successful by opening your console and executing the command haXe:

haxe


If installed correctly, the console should print out haXe info:

OSXs-MacBook:~ OSX$ haxe
haXe Compiler 2.07 - (c)2005-2011 Motion-Twin
 Usage : haxe -main <class> [-swf|-js|-neko|-php|-cpp|-as3] <output> [options]
 Options :
  -cp <path> : add a directory to find source files
  -js <file> : compile code to JavaScript file
  -swf <file> : compile code to Flash SWF file
  -as3 <directory> : generate AS3 code into target directory
  -neko <file> : compile code to Neko Binary
  -php <directory> : generate PHP code into target directory
  -cpp <directory> : generate C++ code into target directory
  -xml <file> : generate XML types description
  -main <class> : select startup class
  -lib <library[:version]> : use a haxelib library
  -D <var> : define a conditional compilation flag
  -v : turn on verbose mode
  -debug : add debug informations to the compiled code
  -help  Display this list of options
  --help  Display this list of options

If it doesn't - try restarting your computer or reinstalling it again.

Install FDT's haXe Plugin

  • Before you install the plugin you will need the latest copy of FDT (currently 4.3.1), so you not got it please either update or download, install, setup licence, etc...
  • Start up FDT 4 and select Help>Install new Software  *Select the FDT Plugins Site update site (If it is not included in your drop down menu, enter: http://fdt.powerflasher.com/plugins in the Work with text input and hit return)


When you install the plugin if drill down into the FDT Plugin you will see two options now

  • FDT haXe Plugin
  • FDT haXe SDK Feature (Optional)

If you have the following error raised during installation, then repeat the install and un-tick the "FDT haXe SDK Feature (Optional)" tick box.

An error occurred while installing the items

session context was:(profile=epp.package.jee, 
phase=org.eclipse.equinox.internal.provisional.p2.engine.phases.Install, 
operand=null --> [R]com.powerflasher.fdt.haxe.sdk_win 2.7.0, 
action=org.eclipse.equinox.internal.p2.touchpoint.natives.actions.UnzipAction).


Haxe plugin install new software.png
*Select "FDT haXe Plugin" from the plugin list, hit Finish and follow the final installation steps.

Setting up the haXe Plugin

Before authoring and compiling haXe, you'll need to define the haXe SDK location for FDT to reference. Open FDT's preference widow and navigate to HaXe>SDK Img preview.png and input the installation directory of haXe. If you're not sure where haXe is installed, the installation window will clue you in Img preview.png. Here we can see that the installer is moving files and creating links to /usr/lib/haxe - this is the default location for OSX. After inputing the sdk location, hit OK Img preview.png.

Create Your First haXe Project

All haXe projects begin with a Flash Project base and then are converted to a haXe project. Begin by creating an Empty AS3 Project Img preview.png and then create a new HaXe class by right clicking on src and choosing Other Img preview.png. When the wizard pops up choose HaXe Class Img preview.png and give the class the name Main and hit Finish Img preview.png.

Convert Project To A haXe Project

With your first class created, right click on the project and select Add HaXe Project Nature Img preview.png. When this happens, FDT will ask you to input some project variables. We already have configured our HaXe SDK Location so just hit Next Img preview.png.

Let's leave the haXe configuration file to the default location but modify the Output Path to bin/Main.swf Img preview.png. When completed, FDT will have created a few extra files and folders for us. We don't need to worry about .hxtypes but we use project.hxml to set configurations to our project Img preview.png. We can also see that FDT has begun to parse our project for syntax errors Img preview.png.

Adjust Compiler Settings

Before writing some code, let's alter some compiler options - this is done via the project.hxml file. Open us the file by double clicking on it Img preview.png and then add this argument to the bottom:

<span class="re5">-swf-header</span> <span class="nu0">550</span>:<span class="nu0">400</span>:<span class="nu0">40</span>:FFFFFFF

Here we are setting the Width and Height properties to 500 x 400 Img preview.png.

Compiling and Viewing your .SWF

Adding haXe Code

The syntax of haXe is a bit beyond the scope of this tutorial - but that doesn't mean we have to code something boring! Copy and paste the code below to make a simple animation Img preview.png. Or type in the the code yourself to begin exploring the syntax auto completion FDT provides Img preview.png.


package ;
<span class="kw3">import</span> flash.<span class="me1">display</span>.<span class="me1">Sprite</span>; <span class="kw3">import</span> flash.<span class="me1">events</span>.<span class="me1">Event</span>;   <span class="kw2">class</span> Main<span class="br0">{</span> <span class="kw3">static</span> <span class="kw2">var</span> view:Sprite; <span class="kw3">static</span> <span class="kw2">var</span> x: Float = <span class="nu0">0</span>; <span class="kw3">static</span> <span class="kw2">var</span> y: Float = <span class="nu0">200</span>; <span class="kw3">static</span> <span class="kw2">var</span> speed :Float = <span class="nu0">20</span>; <span class="kw3">static</span> <span class="kw2">var</span> max_x : Float = <span class="nu0">550</span>;   <span class="kw3">static</span> <span class="kw2">function</span> main<span class="br0">(</span><span class="br0">)</span> <span class="br0">{</span> <span class="kw2">new</span> Main<span class="br0">(</span><span class="br0">)</span>; <span class="br0">}</span>   <span class="kw2">function</span> <span class="kw2">new</span><span class="br0">(</span><span class="br0">)</span><span class="br0">{</span> view = <span class="kw2">new</span> Sprite<span class="br0">(</span><span class="br0">)</span>; flash.<span class="me1">Lib</span>.<span class="me1">current</span>.<span class="me1">addChild</span> <span class="br0">(</span>view<span class="br0">)</span>; flash.<span class="me1">Lib</span>.<span class="me1">current</span>.<span class="kw3">stage</span>.<span class="me1">addEventListener</span><span class="br0">(</span>Event.<span class="me1">ENTER_FRAME</span>, update_view<span class="br0">)</span>; <span class="br0">}</span>   <span class="kw2">function</span> update_view <span class="br0">(</span><span class="kw3">e</span>: <span class="kw3">Dynamic</span><span class="br0">)</span><span class="br0">{</span> view.<span class="me1">graphics</span>.<span class="kw3">clear</span><span class="br0">(</span><span class="br0">)</span>; view.<span class="me1">graphics</span>.<span class="kw3">beginFill</span><span class="br0">(</span>0xff0000, <span class="nu0">1</span><span class="br0">)</span>; view.<span class="me1">graphics</span>.<span class="me1">drawCircle</span><span class="br0">(</span>x, y, <span class="nu0">50</span><span class="br0">)</span>;   <span class="kw1">if</span><span class="br0">(</span>is_invalid_x<span class="br0">(</span><span class="br0">)</span><span class="br0">)</span> speed = speed <span class="sy0">*</span> -<span class="nu0">1</span>; x+= speed; <span class="br0">}</span>   <span class="kw2">function</span> is_invalid_x<span class="br0">(</span><span class="br0">)</span> : Bool <span class="br0">{</span> <span class="kw1">return</span> x <span class="sy0">></span> max_x <span class="sy0">||</span> x <span class="sy0"><</span> <span class="nu0">0</span>; <span class="br0">}</span> <span class="br0">}</span>

Compiling haXe

For the time being, FDT will automatically attempt to compile your .SWF every time you save it. If there are no errors in your project, your .SWF will appear in your bin folder Img preview.png. If it doesn't appear, try refreshing your project Img preview.png.

View Your SWF

As this FDT plugin is still in it's early stages, there are no launch configurations to automatically view your .SWF - but we can make a simple Ant script to view our .SWF! We'll quickly go over a simple script to view our .SWF but for more in depth know-how on using Ant, check out the FDT and Ant Tutorial.

Create a new Ant script by beginning with a simple XML file by right clicking on the project and choosing new>other Img preview.png and then select an XML file to create Img preview.png and hit Finish. Give the script any name you like, this one is called view_swf.xml and hit Finish Img preview.png.

Next, copy the code below to have FDT launch the external .SWF viewer Img preview.png:

<span class="sc3"><span class="re1"><project<span class="re2">></span></span></span> <span class="sc3"><span class="re1"><target</span> <span class="re0">name</span>=<span class="st0">"view.swf"</span><span class="re2">></span></span> <span class="sc3"><span class="re1"><fdt.extSWFViewer.startSWF</span> <span class="re0">width</span>=<span class="st0">"550"</span> <span class="re0">height</span>=<span class="st0">"400"</span></span> <span class="sc3">                     <span class="re0">file</span>=<span class="st0">"${basedir}/bin/Main.swf"</span><span class="re2">/></span></span> <span class="sc3"><span class="re1"></target<span class="re2">></span></span></span> <span class="sc3"><span class="re1"></project<span class="re2">></span></span></span>


Then, drag your .XML file to the Ant view Img preview.png and double click the target to launch Img preview.png. You will then see a red ball moving back and forth on the screen.

  • note: If you get an error while tying to run the Ant file, it's probably a JRE error, check out the FDT and Ant Tutorial to learn how to correct it.

Wrap Up

That's it, you've successfully set up your first FDT haXe Flash project!

As this plugin is still an Alpha release, please bare with us! For any feedback, feature requests, improvements, bugs and other issues we encourage you to use Jira, our community driven tracking website, to make the haXe support in FDT the greatest ever. We also suggest anyone anyone interested in haXe developement to subscribe to the haXe mailing list. It's a very active group with smart people and interesting topics.

On the behalf of the FDT Team and Influxis, we hope you are as excited as we are and enjoy the FDT haXe plugin.

Get FDT5