Quick Tip: Check Flash Player Version Using ActionScript 3

In this Quick Tip, I’ll show you how to get and display the Flash Player Version using ActionScript. Let’s take a look!

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Final Result Preview

Here’s the final result we will be working towards:

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Step 1: Brief Overview

Using the Capabilities class, we’ll get the Flash Player version and Operating System then display them in a series of TextFields.

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Step 2: Set Up Your Flash File

Launch Flash and create a new Flash Document.

Set the stage size to 300×100px.

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Step 3: Interface

This is the interface we’ll be using, a simple background with six TextFields, three static, three dynamic. Don’t forget to add the instance names shown in the image.

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Step 4: ActionScript

This is the class that does the work, it’s basically a common class structure, the constructor sets the Capabilities returned values to the TextFields in stage.

package
{
	import flash.display.Sprite;
	import flash.system.Capabilities;

	public class Main extends Sprite
	{
		public function Main():void
		{
			playerVersion.text = Capabilities.version;
			osVersion.text = Capabilities.os;

			/* This is a shorthand if statement, the regular if would look like this:

			if(Capabilities.isDebugger == true)
			{
				debugger.text = "Yes";
			}
			else
			{
				debugger.text = "No";
			}
			*/

			debugger.text = Capabilities.isDebugger ? "Yes" : "No";
		}
	}
}

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Step 5: Document Class

Remember to add the class name to the Class field in the Publish section of the Properties panel.

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Conclusion

Now you know how to check and display the Flash Player version, useful in many ways, especially if your application requires a newer version and you want to display a message to alert the user.

I hope you liked this Quick Tip, thank you for reading!