Understanding ActionScript > Using the Actions panel > Choosing Actions panel options

Choosing Actions panel options

The Actions panel allows you to work with scripts in a variety of ways. You can change the font size in the Script window. You can import a text file containing ActionScript into the Actions panel and export actions as a text file, search and replace text in a script, and use syntax highlighting to make scripts easier to read and errors easier to detect. The Actions panel displays warning highlights for syntax errors and Flash Player version incompatibilities. It also highlights deprecated, or no longer preferable, ActionScript elements.

These Actions panel options are available in both Normal and Expert Modes unless otherwise noted.

To change the font size in the Script window:

1 From the pop-up menu at the upper right of the Actions panel, choose Font Size.
2 Select Small, Normal, or Large.

To import a text file containing ActionScript:

1 From the pop-up menu at the upper right of the Actions panel, choose Import from File.
2 Select a text file containing ActionScript, and click Open.

Note: Scripts with syntax errors can only be imported in Expert Mode. In Normal Mode, you'll receive an error message.

To export actions as a text file:

1 From the pop-up menu at the upper right of the Actions panel, Choose Export as File.
2 Choose a location where the file will be saved, and click Save.

To print actions:

1 From the pop-up menu at the upper right of the Actions panel, choose Print.
The Print dialog box appears.
2 Choose Options and click Print.

Note: The printed file will not include information about its originating Flash file. It's a good idea to include this information in a comment action in the script.

To search for text in a script, choose an option from the Actions panel pop-up menu:

Choose Goto Line to go to a specific line in a script.
Choose Find to find text.
Choose Find Again to find text again.
Choose Replace to find and replace text.
In Expert Mode, Replace scans the entire body of text in a script. In Normal Mode, Replace searches and replaces text only in the parameter field of each action. For example, you cannot replace all gotoAndPlay actions with gotoAndStop in Normal Mode.

Note: Use the Find or Replace command to search the current Actions list. To search through text in every script in a movie, use the Movie Explorer. For more information, see Flash Help.