Testing a movie > Using the Debugger > Displaying and modifying variables

 

Displaying and modifying variables

The Variables tab in the Debugger displays the names and values of any global and Timeline variables in the movie. If you change the value of a variable on the Variables tab, you can see the change reflected in the movie while it runs. For example, to test collision detection in a game, you could enter the variable value to position a ball in the correct location next to a wall.

The Locals tab in the Debugger displays the names and values of any local variables that are available wherever the movie has stopped at a breakpoint or anywhere else within a user-defined function.

 
To display a variable:

1

Select the movie clip containing the variable from the display list.

To display global variables, select the _global clip in the display list.

2

Click the Variables tab.

The display list updates automatically as the movie plays. If a movie clip is removed from the movie at a specific frame, that movie clip, along with its variable and variable name, is also removed from the display list in the Debugger. However, if you mark a variable for the Watch list, that variable is not removed.

 
To modify a variable value:

Double-click the value and enter a new value.

The value cannot be an expression. For example, you can use "Hello", 3523, or "http://www.macromedia.com", and you cannot use x + 2 or eval("name:" +i). The value can be a string (any value surrounded by quotation marks), a number, or a Boolean value (true or false).

Note: To write the value of an expression to the Output window in test mode, use the trace action. See Using the trace action.