1084: Syntax error: expecting rightparen before colon - actionscript-3

Question

I'm new to ActionScript and I'm confused about these two errors. I already have some prior coding experience from other languages.
Scene 1, Layer 'Actions', Frame 1, Line 78, Column 20 1084: Syntax error: expecting rightparen before colon.
Scene 1, Layer 'Actions', Frame 1, Line 85, Column 20 1084: Syntax error: expecting rightparen before colon.
This is my code.
function moveCharacter(evt:KeyboardEvent):void
{
if (evt.keyCode == Keyboard.RIGHT)
{
eggHead.scaleX = 1; //flip right
eggHead.x += 10;
//cycle through frames
if (eggHead.currentFrame == 9)
{
eggHead.gotoAndStop(2);
}
else
{
eggHead.gotoAndStop(eggHead.currentFrame+1);
}
}
if (evt.keyCode == Keyboard.LEFT)
{
eggHead.scaleX = -1; //flip left
eggHead.x -= 10;
//cycle through frames
if (eggHead.currentFrame == 9)
{
eggHead.gotoAndStop(2);
}
else
{
eggHead.gotoAndStop(eggHead.currentFrame+1);
}
}
}
function timing(evt:TimerEvent):void
{
timeStep += 1; //increment counter
if (run)
{ //only if run = true is shift key has been pressed
moveCharacter(evt:KeyboardEvent)
{
timeStep = 0; //reset the counter
}
}
else if (timeStep == 2)
{
moveCharacter(evt:KeyboardEvent)
{
timeStep = 0; //reset the counter
}
}
}
Lines 78 and 85 are the moveCharacter(evt:KeyboardEvent) function.
I'm not sure where the problem is, I can't see one, unless I'm blind.

Answer 1

The : character has a limited amount of uses in AS3 (most of them are various type declarations):
// Variable declaration.
var a:int;
// Variable declaration within a loop statement.
for (var i:int = 0; i < 10; i++)
{
// ...
}
// Ternary operator.
a = (Math.random() > 0.5)? 1: 0;
// Function declaration (both arguments and return type).
function convert(j:int, k:Number):String
{
return j + "_" + k;
}
// XML NameSpaces.
var x:XML = <soap:Envelope xmlns:soap="http://.../envelope/" />;
This is neither of them, hence the syntax error.
if (run)
{
moveCharacter(evt:KeyboardEvent)
{
timeStep = 0; //reset the counter
}
}
You should probably explain what kind of logic you wanted to code, because it is not clear what are you trying to do here.

Answer 2

The function moveCharacter was being called but you were typing a parameter declaration where the argument goes.
moveCharacter(evt:KeyboardEvent)
Your code doesn't have a keyboard event to pass at this spot. moveCharacter should be refactored to accept either "left" or "right" as arguments so that it doesnt require a keyboard event.
It's inherently unclear which direction the character should be moved from the time function. I assume the moveCharacter function is incomplete and missing forward and backward movement.
function moveCharacter(direction:String):void
{
direction = direction.toLowerCase();
if (direction == "right")
{
eggHead.scaleX = 1; //flip right
eggHead.x += 10;
//cycle through frames
if (eggHead.currentFrame == 9)
{
eggHead.gotoAndStop(2);
}
else
{
eggHead.gotoAndStop(eggHead.currentFrame+1);
}
}
if (direction == "left")
{
eggHead.scaleX = -1; //flip left
eggHead.x -= 10;
//cycle through frames
if (eggHead.currentFrame == 9)
{
eggHead.gotoAndStop(2);
}
else
{
eggHead.gotoAndStop(eggHead.currentFrame+1);
}
}
// TODO: Implement forward and backwards
}
function timing(evt:TimerEvent):void
{
timeStep += 1; //increment counter
if (run)
{ //only if run = true is shift key has been pressed
moveCharacter("forward");
timeStep = 0; //reset the counter
}
else if (timeStep == 2)
{
moveCharacter("forward");
timeStep = 0; //reset the counter
}
}