1. Uninstall your Flash Player
   Find the uninstaller here:
   Adobe Flash Player Uninstallers.
   Even though this is the first step, this is the one that you’re going to question the most, should I really uninstall my Flash Player and install the Debug Player? The answer is an emphatic “yes”. The Flash Debug Player is the exact same player with a very nice extra feature.
2. Install the Flash Debug Player
   Find the installer here:
   Adobe Flash Debug Players
3. Verify installation of the Flash Debug Player
   Restart your browser and right-click (ctrl-click) on a swf.
   You should have the “Debugger” option in the context menu, like the example below.
   
4. Create a text file named “mm.cfg” and save it here:
   • OSX
     MacHD:Library:Application Support:Macromedia:mm.cfg
   • Windows Vista
     C:\Users\username\mm.cfg
   • Windows XP
     C:\Documents and Settings\username\mm.cfg
   • Windows 2000
     C:\mm.cfg
   • Linux
     home/username/mm.cfg
5. Add the following properties to mm.cfg
   • ErrorReportingEnable=0
   • TraceOutputFileEnable=1
   • MaxWarnings=0

   FLASH DEBUG PLAYERS 9,0,28,0 AND NEWER

   The property TraceOutputFileName is no longer needed in mm.cfg. The default location of flashlog.txt has changed and cannot be modified from the following locations:

   • OSX
     MacHD:Users:username:Library:Preferences:Macromedia:Flash Player:Logs:flashlog.txt
   • Windows Vista
     C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Macromedia\Flash Player\Logs\flashlog.txt
   • Windows XP and 2000
     C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Macromedia\Flash Player\Logs\flashlog.txt
   • Linux
     home/username/.macromedia/Flash_Player/Logs/flashlog.txt

   FLASH DEBUG PLAYERS 9,0,16,0 AND OLDER

   Add the property TraceOutputFileName to mm.cfg

   • OSX
     TraceOutputFileName=MacHD:Users:username esktop:flashlog.txt
   • Windows
     TraceOutputFileName=C:\Documents and Settings\username\Desktop\flashlog.txt
6. Test the Flash Debug Player
   Restart your browser and either publish a swf that uses trace() and view it in the browser, or surf around and find out what other people have been tracing in their movies (that’s one of my favorite options).
   The traces have been output from the browser to flashlog.txt.
   Open up flashlog.txt and see for yourself, you know you want to.

NEW STEP

7. View the text file updating in real time
   • OSX
     • Open Terminal
     • At the prompt type:
       cd <path to flashlog's directory>
tail -f flashlog.txt
   • Windows
     Go to Windows Server 2003 Tools, and download Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools near the bottom of the page.
     Although it says Windows Server 2003 all over the page, its also made for Windows XP.
     • Install
     • Open Command Prompt
     • At the prompt type:
       cd <path to flashlog's directory>
tail -f flashlog.txt

OPTIONAL STEP

8. Create a shortcut to quickly load up flashlog
   • OSX
     • Create aliases
       • Open Terminal
       • At the prompt type:
         cd ~
ls -a
       • Make sure there is a file named “.bash_profile”
       • If there isn’t, create one by typing the following at the prompt:
         touch .bash_profile
       • Open .bash_profile to edit it
       • Add the following content to .bash_profile:
         alias trace='open -a /Volumes/MacHD/Applications/Utilities/Console.app/ /Users/username/Library/Preferences/Macromedia/Flash\ Player/Logs/flashlog.txt'

alias cleartrace='cat /dev/null > /Users/username/Library/Preferences/Macromedia/Flash\ Player/Logs/flashlog.txt'
       • Save .bash_profile
       • Restart Terminal
       • To open up Console displaying the active flashlog.txt file, type the following at the prompt:
         trace
       • To clear flashlog.txt, at the prompt type:
         cleartrace
   • Windows
     1. Create a batch file
        • Create a text file and rename it flashlog.bat
        • Right-click on the batch file and select “Edit”
        • Add the following content to flashlog.bat:
          cd <path to flashlog's directory>
tail -f flashlog.txt
        • Double-click on the batch file to see it working.
     2. Create a shortcut to the batch file to set the Command Prompt colors and options
        • Right-click on the batch file and select “Create Shortcut”
        • Right-click on the shortcut and select “Properties”
        • To view the Command Prompt maximized change the pulldown under “Run:”
        • To change the colors of the Command Prompt select the “Colors” tab
        • Unfortunately the “Font” tab options are very limited
        • Under the “Options” tab, select “QuickEdit mode” to be able to easily select and copy and paste
        • Tip for copying and pasting in the Command Prompt:
        • Select the text you want to copy and then right-click it, this puts the selected text into the clipboard … now just hit ctrl-v or paste in any other program.
        • Close out of the properties and double-click on the shortcut to see the flashlog with your colors and options.