Use the trace statement

A trace() statement sends specific information to the Output panel. For example, while testing a SWF file, you can send results to the Output panel when a button is pressed or a frame plays. The trace() statement is similar to the JavaScript alert statement.

When you use the trace() statement in a script, you can use expressions as parameters. The value of an expression appears in the Output panel in the test environment.

Select a frame in the Timeline and add a trace() statement. For example, you might select Frame 1 and add the following ActionScript 2.0 code:

	this.createEmptyMovieClip("img_mc", 10);
	var mclListener:Object = new Object();
	mclListener.onLoadInit = function(target_mc:MovieClip) {
		trace(target_mc+" loaded in "+getTimer()+" ms");
	};
	mclListener.onLoadError = function(target_mc:MovieClip, errorCode:String, httpStatus:Number) {
		trace(">> error downloading image into "+target_mc);
		trace(">>\t errorCode="+errorCode+", httpStatus="+httpStatus);
	};
	var img_mcl:MovieClipLoader = new MovieClipLoader();
	img_mcl.addListener(mclListener);
	img_mcl.loadClip("http://www.helpexamples.com/flash/images/404.jpg", img_mc);

Select Control > Test Movie to test the SWF file.
The Output panel displays the results of the trace() statement. For example, the panel might display the following message:

Output panel

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Use the trace statement

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