title: Best Tools for Debugging Flash ActionScript 3 (AS3)
body: <p>Does anyone want to share the <strong>best debugging tools</strong> they have found for <strong>Actionscript 3</strong> (AS3) and Flash CS5?</p>
  <p>I've just done a search and found a few, but would love to hear from people who've actually used any of them.  (In order of 'most promising')</p>
  <ul>
  <li><a href="https://helpx.adobe.com/air/archived-docs-download.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Adobe Scout</a> - Adobe Scout is the next-generation profiling tool for Adobe Flash Player and AIR</li>
  <li><a href="https://demonsterdebugger.com" rel="nofollow noreferrer">De MonsterDebugger</a> - open source AIR app that allows introspection and live tweaking</li>
  <li><a href="https://code.google.com/archive/p/flash-thunderbolt/wikis/ThunderBoltAS3Console.wiki" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Thunderbold AS3 Console</a> - AIR app that allows introspection of SWFs via Flash Debugger logfile</li>
  <li><a href="http://arthropod.stopp.se/stopp-mediamonks.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Arthropod</a> - another AIR app that can inspect SWFs</li>
  <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200116210512/http://www.luminicbox.com:80/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Luminic Box Flash Inspector</a> (example online, but can't seem to find source code)</li>
  <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120810064608/http://fatal-exception.co.uk/blog/?p=121" rel="nofollow noreferrer">DPanel</a> - simple, built-in to but good features to do live tracking of variables</li>
  <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160328163346/http://osflash.org/projects/alcon" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Alcon</a> - looks to have some good timing and profiling features</li>
  <li><a href="http://printrmx.sourceforge.net/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Print_R Inspector</a> - supports older FlashMX, not sure about AS3</li>
  <li><a href="https://www.breaktrycatch.com/tracer-better-debugging-in-as3/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Tracer - Better debugging in AS3</a> - enhanced <code>trace()</code> functions</li>
  <li><a href="http://www.marcosweskamp.com/blog/archives/000117.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Debugging AS3 with Firebug</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170724013140/http://help.adobe.com:80/en_US/flash/cs/using/WSD76536C2-C8AA-472a-BE2F-BD0D0855972Aa.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Flash CS5 built-in debugger</a> - works only on breakpoints, unable to track variables live without using <code>trace()</code></li>
  <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180302103252/http://www.senocular.com:80/flash/actionscript/?file=ActionScript_3.0/com/senocular/utils/Output.as" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Output panel from Senocular</a></li>
  <li><a href="http://osflash.org/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Xray (The AdminTool)</a> - AS1+AS2 only</li>
  </ul>
  <hr />
  <h2><strong>Screenshots...</strong></h2>
  <p>Adobe Scout:</p>
  <p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/FWgs3.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/FWgs3.png" alt="" /></a><br />
  <sub>(source: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20131108064033/http://wwwimages.adobe.com/www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/devnet/flashruntimes/adobe-scout-getting-started/adobe-scout-getting-started-fig04.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer">adobe.com</a>)</sub></p>
  <p>De MonsterDebugger:</p>
  <p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/aB5zA.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/aB5zA.png" alt="" /></a><br />
  <sub>(source: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20121024153207/http://demonsterdebugger.com/img/content/home/MDB-home02.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer">demonsterdebugger.com</a>)</sub></p>
  <p>Thunderbird AS3 Console:</p>
  <p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/8DqOa.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/8DqOa.png" width="450"></a><br />
  <sub>(source: <a href="http://flash-thunderbolt.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/as3/images/tbConsole_inaction.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer">googlecode.com</a>)</sub></p>
  <p>Luminic Box:</p>
  <a href="http://img1.UploadScreenshot.com/images/main/2/4406392687.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://img1.UploadScreenshot.com/images/main/2/4406392687.jpg</a>
  <p>Senocular:</p>
  <img src="https://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j223/drawkbox/OUTPUT.png">
  <p>Xray:</p>
  <p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/vw3vj.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/vw3vj.jpg" width="400"></a><br />
  <sub>(source: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130523012051/http://osflash.org/_media/screenshot_xray.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">osflash.org</a>)</sub></p>