Is it possible to create a 'command line'

Question

I'd like to be able to write a .swf file that is runnable as a command line app. In other words, I would be able to create actionscript classes which can interact with stdin and stdout, and could then execute that .swf directly in the command line.

I suspect that this isn't really possible. Can anyone confirm that?

EDIT: A couple of the answers pointed out that using Flash for command line work probably isn't the best choice. I wholeheartedly agree in most situations. The reason I am asking about this is because I want to do some AS3 code generation, and reflecting on AS3 classes within the runtime would be easier than parsing the code or walking the intermediary XML that asdoc produces. I'm doing the XML approach now in Ruby, but would love to have a cleaner solution!

Answer 1

Nope--not possible. The best you can do is a standalone app (which can be made in Flash or with a Projector version of flash player, available from the Adobe website).

And why would you want to--Flash is awesome because of the great GUI capabilities. There are plenty of other programming languages that are much better suited for the command line (Python or Ruby or, god forbid, even Perl)

Answer 2

If you are really that inclined, you could open a local socket, and then have a helper program, running from the command-line communicate with the open SWF.

This might be a good time to learn another language. May I suggest Java?

Answer 3

You could have a look at haXe with is very similar to AS3 and could compile NekoVM Bytecode, which could be run on the command line.

Also interesting could be HippoHX, it is a kind of framework to create desktop applications out of flash movies. (similar to AIR, but with full access to the system.)

Answer 4

There's no way to do this with a bare SWF right now.

However, you can publish your Flash content as an AIR app. The app can then be invoked from the command line, and you can collect the arguments from the arguments property of an InvokeEvent. The basic idea looks like this:

NativeApplication.nativeApplication.addEventListener( 
            InvokeEvent.INVOKE, onInvoke );
// ...
function onInvoke( e:InvokeEvent ) {
    var numArguments:int = e.arguments.length;
    // ...
}

Note, however, that this is essentially a one-way street. You can grab the command-line arguments, but Flash still doesn't grok the idea of stdin and stdout.

Answer 5

Actually, there is a project that makes it possible. RedTamarin is a project that extends AS3 (technically, the Tamarin project which is the Adobe/Mozilla ECMAScript project) to have access to low-level libraries (ie. POSIX). In its current state it appears to be good for stuff like shell-scripting-like programs which is what it sounds like what you're looking for.

Give it a try:

http://code.google.com/p/redtamarin/

Answer 6

You can interact with stdin, stdout and stderr with redtamarin

http://code.google.com/p/redtamarin/

see examples/docs here

http://code.google.com/p/redtamarin/wiki/System#stdout

http://code.google.com/p/redtamarin/wiki/System#stderr

http://code.google.com/p/redtamarin/wiki/System#stdin

there is a difference between Flash and ActionScript 3 Flash is a runtime, AS3 is a language

I don't see why AS3 would not be a good programming language for the command line and/or the server side

Now, redtamarin is just that, a runtime that allow you to run your AS3 source code on the command line.

Also, depending on your needs, you can use it in different ways

1. to run script on the command line

   $ ./redshell myscript.as

2. run ABC or SWF files on the command line

   $ ./redshell myscript.abc

   $ ./redshell myscript.swf

3. run an exectuable

   $ ./myscript

When you will run an AS3 script it will be dynamically interpreted, using ASC you will be able to compile this same script to an ABC file that can also be run from the command line.

If for example you need to assemble numerous ABC files together, you can use swfmake to merge them into SWF file and the runtime will run that SWF file too from the command line.

Finally, if you need to bundle everything in one executable, you can use createprojector to take your ABC or SWF file and merge it with the runtime itself to obtain an independent executable.

Redtamarin provide native API that cover file system access, sockets, operating system info, etc.