Advanced macros can be developed for FlashDevelop - the sky is the limit as long as you can stay keep it in one class

Here is a very simple macro which "flattens" single line XML code in the current document.

Save this code as "FlattenXML.cs" in your user FD directory (locate it from FD main menu: Tools > Application Files...).

Now you can <Add> a new macro in the Macros dialog (Macros > Edit Macros...):

The macro properties are pretty straightforward:
* AutoRun - optionally execute macro on FD startup
* Entries - list of basic macro commands (click <...> to edit)
* Image - you can build a nice icon for the menu item using "icomp", a tool included in FD program files (Tools\icomp)
* Label - text of the menu item
* Shortcut - obviously a shortcut to execute your macro

The macro command to run a script during development is the following (the script will be loaded and compiled each time it is executed)

When your script is completed, change the command for better performance (the script will be compiled only once):

Code completion?

Writing C# code without an appropriate editor can be a pain. You could probably use Visual Studio (or the great and free C# Express) but there is a better solution...

The Snippet Compiler Live 2008 Ultimate Edition for Developers (yeah)!

It's not a joke, this is free, lightweight C# editor offering actually good code completion and compilation - precisely designed to quickly code and compile one class (typically to create a little command line application).

So download Snippet Compiler (SC) and run it. You'll be presented with a default C# class for a command line application.

The template class has 2 methods: RunSnippet and Main. This is a nice way to let you write your code in RunSnippet and to not worry about the usual try/catch and ReadKey when you test a command-line application.

For FD macro scripts:
- you'll want to compile your script using SC to trap compile errors (that's one thing you won't have to worry when testing),
- this means a public static void Main() method is required (SC compiles command line application only),
- you can keep the default class as-is (use RunSnippet() for your tests outside FD).

1. For most code completion needs you'll have to add a "reference" to FlashDevelop's PluginCore:
- in SC, select: Tools > References > File System
- click <...> to browse to FD program files and choose PluginCore.dll (double-click once to add it in the DLL list at the bottom of the dialog) then click <Ok>
(you may have to re-add the reference when you restart SC)

2. You will then simply add a public static void Execute() method with your FD script.

3. Code, compile with Ctrl+Shift+B to control your code is ok, then test in FlashDevelop.

Basic scripts debugging (ie. tracing):

You won't have breakpoints and step debugging but you can trace to FD output panel from your plugin:

Color levels:
- 0: info (gray)
- 1: debug (black)
- 2: warning (orange)
- 3: error (red)
- 4: fatal (purple)