Using CTRL-ENTER to compile ActionScript code in FDT

If you have made the switch from the Flash IDE to PowerFlasher’s FDT you might be missing the beloved CTRL-ENTER (or COMMAND-ENTER on Mac) shortcut to compile your code. Don’t sweat it. This is easily fixed.

In order to setup FDT to compile on CTRL-ENTER, there are two things you need to do. First, you need to open the Preferences window. Then go to Run/Debug and then Launching. In there, select Always launch the previously launched application.

Eclipse Launch Preferences

This will make it so that each time you click the Run Application button (the green “play” button), it will use the last run configuration. Once this is done, you need to go back to the Preferences window. This time go to General then Keys. In the long list, find a command called Run Last Launched. Select it and click Copy Command. Assign the shortcut CTRL-ENTER to the copied command (you can also simply modify the existing command if you do not intend on using CTRL-F11).

FDT Shortcuts Configuration

While you’re at it, you might want to do the same thing for the Debug Last Launched command and assign it Flash’s default shortcut : CTRL-SHIFT-ENTER.

Depending on your configuration, you might have to deactivate other shortcuts using the same key combination. For example, in my case CTRL-SHIFT-ENTER was assigned to add a line above the cursor. You can sort the commands by the Binding column to see conflicting shortcuts.

Obviously, the first time you need to manually select the appropriate run configuration. But once you’ve done it, you are good to go.

That’s it. Now you have the power of FDT with your good old habit intact.

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