Exit in ActionScript

Here’s the translation of the Go “Exit” example to ActionScript, formatted in Markdown suitable for Hugo:

import flash.system.System;

public class Exit {
    public static function main():void {
        // Deferred functions are not supported in ActionScript,
        // so we can't demonstrate the same behavior as in the original example.
        // Instead, we'll just print a message before exiting.
        trace("About to exit!");

        // Exit with status 3.
        System.exit(3);
    }
}

In ActionScript, we use the System.exit() method to immediately exit the program with a given status code. This method is part of the flash.system package.

Unlike some other languages, ActionScript doesn’t have a concept of deferred functions that run on program exit. Therefore, we can’t directly translate the defer behavior from the original example. Instead, we simply print a message before exiting.

To run this ActionScript code:

1. Save the code in a file named Exit.as.
2. Compile the code using the ActionScript Compiler (ASC):

$ asc Exit.as

3. Run the compiled SWF file using a Flash Player or AIR runtime:

$ adl Exit.swf

Note that the behavior of System.exit() can vary depending on the runtime environment. In a browser-based Flash Player, it might not actually terminate the process but instead throw a security exception. In AIR applications, it will terminate the process.

Also, unlike some other languages, ActionScript doesn’t use an integer return value from the main function to indicate exit status. The System.exit() method is the primary way to exit with a specific status code.

When running in debug mode or with appropriate logging, you might see output similar to:

About to exit!

followed by the program termination.

Remember that in real-world ActionScript applications, especially those running in a browser, abruptly exiting the program is often not the best practice. It’s usually better to handle errors gracefully and provide user feedback when possible.