Sidney de Koning - Automating ActionScript Projects with Eclipse and Ant

Copyright 2011 Sidney de Koning

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Let me start by saying Im a lazy developer by design. Id rather spend a day to code something once than code the same task over and over again. The same goes for processes: why do repetitive tasks if you can automate them? Imagine all the time youll save. We live in a world where time is scarce and where project managers are breathing down our necks to get that specific feature, that deployment, or that project done now .

Just think of all the stress it will save you when you return to that project you did a year ago and you can just build with the push of a button. Less stress, and more control over your workflow.

And besides that, computers were designed to do only one task for you: compute (and, if programmed correctly, help you solve problems).

That is what this book is about: giving you the tools and knowledge to set up your own ultimate development machine to help you code, compile, debug, and deploy faster i.e., to automate the whole process that takes place beyond the initial programming .

Before I started this book, I did a survey to see if people were using build systems as part of their daily workflow. Almost 50 people participatednot many, but it gave me a fairly accurate picture. My results showed that 95 percent of the people who filled in the survey were aware that they could automate their workflows for ActionScript development. But only 66 percent use build systems in their daily workflow.

The most common reasons people gave for not using build systems were: Too difficult, Our projects are not large enough, Perfectly happy doing it my way, and It takes more time, but Im fine with that.

Well, Im here to prove otherwise. Ill show you that it is not hard to make a consistent workflow for multiple machines, even complete departments. Ill show you that with minimum effort, you can have Ant do all the hard work for you.

It doesnt matter if you are doing a big or small project; all projects benefit from automation. They all need to be done under a high-pressure deadline, and Ant can help you with that. The only thing you need is a little time.

Most of the people who participated in my survey (but also in the Flash community at large) use either FlashBuilder or FDT, and since both are based on Eclipse, this book focuses on this IDE.

What do I hope to accomplish with this book? A small revolution, where every Flash developer knows what build systems are and can use them to his advantageand on a daily basis. Because build systems are sexy! And they make your life so much easier! So you can spend time on the stuff that matters most, creating the stuff you love.