Live Templates in JavaScript/ActionScript/Flex
January 28th, 2010 by Alexander DoroshkoWriting JavaScript/ActionScript/Flex code becomes easier with upcoming IntelliJ IDEA 9.0.2. New set of live templates (see Settings dialog (Ctrl+Alt+S), Live Templates, JavaScript/ActionScript group), allows to avoid tedious typing when you need to loop over an Array, Vector or anything else. Luckily, some abbreviations are the same as with Java: iter, itar, ritar. Here’s the list of currently available live templates:
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|---|
| iter | Iterate (for each..in) |
| itin | Iterate (for..in) |
| itar | Iterate elements of array |
| ritar | Iterate elements of array in reverse order |
To use a live template, just type its abbreviation anywhere in your code and press Tab.


Ctrl+J shortcut shows you all live templates available for current context.

Tags: actionscript, Flex, javascript, Live Templates, maia
February 5th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Are you planning to provide an ability to generate class setters that use method chaining technique?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Method_chaining
Thanks!
February 5th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
nick99, I’m afraid I don’t understand your question in context of Flex iterations live templates. Flex setters return void by definition.
You may discuss your question at our forum: http://www.jetbrains.net/devnet/community/idea/ideacommunity
February 24th, 2010 at 10:22 am
Because of the lack of block scope in ActionScript 3.0, it’d be nice if the iterator abbreviations put variable declaration at the top of the containing function, since that’s where they will first come into scope.
Otherwise, the second use in a function will cause compile errors.
Another option - and perhaps it’s in there - I haven’t actually started eval of IDEA for ActionScript yet - would be to have a refactor option to hoist a variable declaration.
February 26th, 2010 at 3:30 am
Sindisil,
the second local variable declaration causes only compiler warning, but compilation succeeds. It is very easy to manually tune live templates to better match your code style: see Settings (Ctrl+Alt+S), Live Templates node, JavaScript/ActionScript group. Though the logic of placing variable definition as the first statement in current function and only if not yet defined is not achievable by live templates paradigm.
Ctrl+Shift+Up/Down arrows move statements up and down the code.
February 28th, 2010 at 9:19 am
Are you starting the support for live templates that comes close to Java? Like finding the variable for a certain type etc.?
March 1st, 2010 at 3:27 am
We’ve added a number of live templates like
pv: public var
prv: private var
psv: public static var
prsv: private static var
and similar for functions and constants.
Please open YouTrack request for more templates that you would like to have.