But the fix below should solve the two issues (5005: Unknown error optimizing byte code  and You cannot debug this SWF because it does not contain ActionScript)

Fix – windows

my computer -> properties -> advanced -> environment vars -> then make a new var like this

JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS

and its value

-Xmx128M     or       -Xmx256M

Fix – Mac: Nod to Liquidweaver who posted this in the comments

you have to add a value to the environment.plist:
JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS
-Xmx1024

if you don’t have this file, you can create it here:
~/.MacOSX/environment.plist
where ~ is your home dir, and you may have to create both the directory and the file; please refer to Apple’s documentation on plist creation:
http://developer.apple.com/qa/qa2001/qa1067.html

You will need to log out and then back in for this to take affect…

!!!AND!!!

YOU CANNOT RUN FLASH FROM SPOTLIGHT

For some reason, Spotlight ignores the environment.plist options; I’ve logged an issue with Apple regarding this shortcoming.

Another solution on the web is to delete the .aso files generated by Flash (Control -> Delete ASO Files) .

But sometimes you just really want and need global vars, so what to do.

Well never fear Paulius Uza has created a global class.

Global Object is a Singleton that lets you store dynamic variables in a globally accessible location within your AS3 application. This enables developers to accomplish things like self registering visual components, global events and event listeners.

I have used this class in many projects and found it great. Using it is simple see the example below

package  {
	import flash.display.*;
	import lt.uza.utils.*;
	public class Test extends Sprite
	{
		private var global:Global = Global.getInstance();
		private var testSprite:Sprite = new Sprite();
		public function Test(){
			//setting variables is easy, global object accepts any name / value pair, even functions
			global.stage = this.stage;
			global.testA = "a"
			global.testB = testSprite;
					global.testF = test;
					//getting variables is easy too
					trace(global.testA);
					this.addChild(testB);
					//as easy as calling a globally stored function
					global.testF();
		}
		private function test():void {
				trace("this is a global test");
		}
	}
}

Click here to find out more and download the class

See below

import flash.events.*;
import flash.system.System;
import flash.text.TextField;
import flash.text.TextFieldAutoSize;
import flash.utils.Timer;
 
var tf:TextField = new TextField();
tf.border = true;
tf.textColor = 0x333333
tf.background = true
tf.autoSize = TextFieldAutoSize.LEFT;
addChild(tf) 
 
initTimer();
 
function initTimer():void {
	var myTimer:Timer = new Timer(1000, 0);
	myTimer.addEventListener("timer", timerHandler1);
	myTimer.start();
}
 
function timerHandler1(event:TimerEvent):void {
	tf.text = String(Math.round(flash.system.System.totalMemory /1000 /1000)) + " MB \n " + String(flash.system.System.totalMemory) + " Bytes";
}

In my experience event listeners are the source of about 95 percent of all memory leaks. This is because event listeners are often forgotten by developers, which normally results in the listener never being removed from memory.

This is where weakly referenced event listeners come into their own.

Weakly references to objects that are not counted by the Garbage Collector in determining an object’s availability for collection. So if you forget to remove the listener you wont stop the Garbage Collector’s ability to collect the object and freeing your memory. Yay…

So from that stand point alone I suggest that you use Weakly reference Event listeners as standard practice.

To make your event listener weakly then just set the fith param in the addEventListner to true. See code below

stage.addEventListener(Event.CLICK, handleClick, false, 0, true);

Nod to the wondeful gSkinner for this.

Below is a code snippet posted by senocular at kriupa

function isValidEmail(email:String):Boolean {    
var emailExpression:RegExp = /^[a-z][\w.-]+@\w[\w.-]+\.[\w.-]*[a-z][a-z]$/i;
 
return emailExpression.test(email);
 
}
 
//...
 
trace(isValidEmail("senocular@example.com")); // true
 
trace(isValidEmail("@example.com")); // false
 
trace(isValidEmail("senocular@example")); // false
 
trace(isValidEmail("seno\\cular@example.com")); // false

Its a beautiful thing.

Find it here.
http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer

var myButton:SimpleButton = new SimpleButton();
myButton.upState = mySprite1;
myButton.overState = mySprite2;
myButton.downState = mySprite3;
myButton.hitAreaState = mySprite4;

You can also draw your sprites on the fly.

var myButton:SimpleButton = new SimpleButton();

//create the look of the states
var down:Sprite = new Sprite();
down.graphics.lineStyle(1, 0x000000);
down.graphics.beginFill(0xFFCC00);
down.graphics.drawRect(10, 10, 100, 30);

var up:Sprite = new Sprite();
up.graphics.lineStyle(1, 0x000000);
up.graphics.beginFill(0x0099FF);
up.graphics.drawRect(10, 10, 100, 30);

var over:Sprite = new Sprite();
over.graphics.lineStyle(1, 0x000000);
over.graphics.beginFill(0x9966FF);
over.graphics.drawRect(10, 10, 100, 30);

// assign the sprites
myButton.upState = up;
myButton.overState = over;
myButton.downState = down;
myButton.hitTestState = up;

Actionscript 3 now allows you to detect when the users mouse has left the movie using the mouseLeave event.

Lets take a look:

package {
    import flash.events.Event;
    import flash.events.MouseEvent;

    public class mouseLeaveTest extends Sprite {

        public function mouseLeaveTest() {
            stage.addEventListener(Event.MOUSE_LEAVE, mouseHasLeft);
        }

        public function mouseHasLeft)(e:Event):void {
            trace('Mouse have left the stage');
        }

    }
}