I made this menu that launches at the start-up of my program.
(Main.as: launches mainMenu.as, mainMenu.as: launches other instances inside itself.) This mainMenu has a button on top which says "new game", I want this button to take me to the next menu, thus removing the mainMenu-instance.
I did successfully remove the mainMenu. However, I reveiled by using trace() inside one of my classes that a function was still running in the background. (This was the class of an instance inside the mainMenu-instance).
I have tried both to eliminate the mainMenu-instance by using:
this.parent.removeChild(this);
trace("all processes shall now be over");
and, by removing all the children inside mainMenu by using:
while (this.numChildren > 0) {
this.removeChildAt(0);
}
trace("there shall be nothing going on after this");
This has removed all the visual stuff from the screen. But a timer-loop-function from one of the instances inside mainMenu is still running in the background, once again reviled by trace(). All these children should be eliminated at this point, so how come these processes are still running? This noobie needs help.
Removing an object from the display list doesn't instantly force it to be garbage collected. Any timers you have defined will keep firing until they're stopped or garbage collected.
You can read more on this topic by searching for "flex memory management" or "actionscript 3 memory management".
Regarding your specific menu example, update your code as follows:
Your menu class and children of the menu class should all implement an interface "ITimerUser" which specifies a "stopTimers" function - it will look something like this:
public function stopTimers():void {
//If there is a timer defined
this.myTimer.stop();
this.myTimer = null;
}
Then change your removal code to look like this (n.b. if you have non-timer users mixed in, make the stopTimers call optional):
while (this.numChildren > 0) {
var child = (ITimerUser) this.getChildAt(0);
if (child) {
child.stopTimers();
}
this.removeChildAt(0);
}
this.stopTimers();
this.parent.removeChild(this);
Related
I'm surprised I don't know how to do this, but as it turns out I really don't; simply put, I'm trying to make a side-scrolling shooter game, a basic one and in it, I have 50 stars spawned on-screen through a "for" loop upon the game starting. There is a function which does this and a listener is at the beginning. Problem is, when you lose the game and go back to main menu, 50 more stars would be spawned, which isn't what I want. So, I'm trying to make an "if" statement check at the beginning, so that the game checks whether there is an instance/movie clip of the star object/symbol before determining whether the function that spawns stars should be called out with a listener. So, how do I do this? I looked through some other checks and they didn't help as the codes presented were vastly different there and so I'm just getting errors.
Let me know if a better explanation is needed or if you would like to see some of the code. Note that the game overall already has a lot of code, so just giving all of it would probably not be helpful.
I suggest you rethink your approach. You're focusing on whether stars have been instantiated. That's ok but not the most basic way to think about it.
I would do this instead
private function setup():void{
loadLevel(1);
addListeners();
loadMusic();
// etc...
// call all functions that are needed to just get the app up and running
}
private function loadLevel(lev:int):void{
addStars();
// call all functions that are needed each time a new level is loaded
}
private function restartLevel():void{
// logic for restarting level,
// but this *won't* include adding star
// because they are already added
}
There are other ways to do this but this makes more sense to me than your approach. I always break my game functions into smaller bits of logic so they can be reused more easily. Your main workhorse functions should (IMHO) primarily (if not exclusively) just call other functions. Then those functions do the work. By doing it this way, you can make a function like resetLevel by assembling all the smaller functions that apply, while excluding the part about adding stars.
Here's what I did to solve my problem... Here's what I had before:
function startGame():void
{
starsSpawn();
//other code here
}
This is what I changed it to:
starsSpawn();
function startGame():void
{
//other code here
}
when you said existance, so there is a container, i named this container, (which contain stars , and stars was added to it) as starsRoot, which absolutely is a DisplayObject (right?)
now, to checking whole childrens of a DisplayObject, we have to do this :
for (var i:int=0; i<starsRoot.numChildren; i++) {
var child = starsRoot.getChildAt[i];
}
then, how to check if that child is really star!?
as you said
whether there is an instance/movie clip of the star
so your stars's type is MovieClip, and they don't have any identifier (name), so how to find them and make them clear from other existing movieclips. my suggestion :
define a Linkage name for stars from library, thats a Class name and should be started with a capital letter, for example Stars
now, back to the code, this time we can check if child is an instance of Stars
for (var i:int=0; i<starsRoot.numChildren; i++) {
var child = starsRoot.getChildAt[i];
if (child is Stars) {
// test passed, star exist
break;
}
}
I am not a programmer, so please forgive me if my question is too noobish.
I created a MovieClip in my library called "skill". Then I added three instances of that MovieClip into my stage called "skill_01", "skill_02", and "skill_03" respectively. I selected all three instances and created another MovieClip called "diagram" to nest them inside it. I will later add more skill instances inside this MovieClip called "diagram" but for now, I need the basics to work with three instances.
The main timeline or stage only has 1 frame, and so does the "diagram" MovieClip instance. However, the skill instances all have two frames: in frame 1 I have an PNG image showing them as being locked/offline, and in frame 2 I have another PNG showing them as unlocked/online. I need to be able to toggle them by clicking and right clicking on them, just like in the example below (see link)
I am trying to make it so that when you left click the skill instances they toggle to Online/Unlocked by switching to the PNG image in frame 2, and when you right click them, it goes back to frame 1 (Offline/Locked). I've tried several different lines of code, including the ones recommended by Adobe itself, and others, and I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. It will go to frame 2 and refuse to go back to frame 1 when right clicked.
This is the code I have in the MovieClip:
stop();
skill_01.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, fl_ClickToGoToNextFrame);
function fl_ClickToGoToNextFrame(event:MouseEvent):void
{
gotoAndStop(2);
}
This part of the code doesn't work:
skill_01a.addEventListener(MouseEvent.RIGHT_CLICK, fl_ClickToGoToPreviousFrame);
function fl_ClickToGoToPreviousFrame(event:MouseEvent):void
{
prevFrame();
}
Screenshot 1:
gyazo (dot) com/e622baee46c3fabbd8c9a8d2df8396fe
Screenshot 2:
gyazo (dot) com/1b360716a5d243aa74e2be4127fe9a5b
(Sorry for typing the links like that, it won't let me add more than 1 link because I just signed up to this Forum)
For more context, I am trying to make a Skill Tree, that works similar to this one: http://www.dungeonsanddevelopers.com/#__6_Your
I will appreciate any help figuring this out!
if you have named your movieclip, skill_01, so what is the skill_01a ?
also add your event listener and its callback function in to the movieclip's parent and inside the callback function, for accessing the event owner, use
// stop(); not necessary to call stop if you have only 1 frame
with (this.diagram) {
skill_01.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, fl_ClickToGoToNextFrame);
skill_02.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, fl_ClickToGoToNextFrame);
skill_03.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, fl_ClickToGoToNextFrame);
skill_04.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, fl_ClickToGoToNextFrame);
skill_01.gotoAndStop(1);
skill_02.gotoAndStop(1);
skill_03.gotoAndStop(1);
skill_04.gotoAndStop(1);
}
function fl_ClickToGoToNextFrame(event:MouseEvent):void
{
if (MovieClip(event.target.parent).currentFrame == 1)
MovieClip(event.target.parent).gotoAndStop(2);
else
MovieClip(event.target.parent).gotoAndStop(1);
}
Edit: when an event is dispatched from clicked movieclip, only the last movieclip inside hierarchy tree will be passed as event.target in your exaple, that can be skill_01 (if currentframe is 1) or skill_1a (if currentframe is 2) athwart the question body, you have not only a png image inside skill's frame 1 and 2, they are movieclip's and will be returned as event.target. but if you only put your bitmaps (locked.png & unlocked.png) instead of skill_01 and skill_01a, the previous code works fine. bitmaps does not capture event so its parent is who accepted click event and its all a little confusing, i'm not good at explain
if its hard to comprehend
we shall use some thing like it, easier but larger code
with (this.diagram) {
skill_01.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, fl_ClickToGoToNextFrame_s1);
skill_02.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, fl_ClickToGoToNextFrame_s2);
skill_03.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, fl_ClickToGoToNextFrame_s3);
skill_04.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, fl_ClickToGoToNextFrame_s4);
skill_01.gotoAndStop(1);
skill_02.gotoAndStop(1);
skill_03.gotoAndStop(1);
skill_04.gotoAndStop(1);
}
function fl_ClickToGoToNextFrame_s1(event:MouseEvent):void {
toggle_buttons(skill_01);
}
function fl_ClickToGoToNextFrame_s2(event:MouseEvent):void {
toggle_buttons(skill_02);
}
function fl_ClickToGoToNextFrame_s3(event:MouseEvent):void {
toggle_buttons(skill_03);
}
function fl_ClickToGoToNextFrame_s4(event:MouseEvent):void {
toggle_buttons(skill_04);
}
function toggle_buttons(button:MovieClip):void
{
if (button.currentFrame == 1)
button.gotoAndStop(2);
else
button.gotoAndStop(1);
}
http://i.snag.gy/eu7iz.jpg
So im doing this generator/designer on flash. It has different features on it so the keyframes clashes with other features considering a lot of the action scripts deal with nextframes and gotos. Its getting confusing once i add little features.
Like right now i wanna add next buttons for the design part. I can do it easily with a blank stage, i can easily click next and back, but when applied to my project, its getting a little dizzying.
This is the script for the first frame:
stop();
small.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK,play1);
function play1(event:MouseEvent):void{
gotoAndStop("3");
}
medium.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK,play2);
function play2(event:MouseEvent):void{
gotoAndStop("6");
}
large.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK,play3);
function play3(event:MouseEvent):void{
gotoAndStop("8");
}
item_mc.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, dragTheObject);
item_mc.addEventListener (MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, itemRelease);
item_mc1.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, dragTheObject);
item_mc1.addEventListener (MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, itemRelease);
item_mc2.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, dragTheObject);
item_mc2.addEventListener (MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, itemRelease);
function dragTheObject(event:MouseEvent):void {
var item:MovieClip=MovieClip(event.target);
item.startDrag();
var topPos:uint=this.numChildren-1;
this.setChildIndex(item, topPos);
}
function itemRelease(event:MouseEvent):void {
var thisItem:MovieClip=MovieClip(event.target);
thisItem.stopDrag();
};
This is the fla file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/77euop1luqjreos/FINAL.fla
MovieClips have their own timeline.You may want to modularize your program into Movieclip components and export for Actionscript manipulation that you can instantiate at run time as necessary. Now that is one way to do it to avoid code spread across one single timeline.But If you still want to stick to your way (use of single timeline), You still could achieve your next/previous implementation without affecting frame logic at any rate.A simple way to do this goes like this:
Encapsulate all logic into functions and put these functions solely on frame 1 and nothing else.
This keeps logic clean and separate from the components.Also, the logic layer in principal should not have nothing else.Why on Frame 1?. Well, we want to expose and keep in memory first the logic, so that whatever component related code that follows on the subsequent frames should be aware of the previous logic and hence throw no run time errors when interacting frame 1 logic.
Spread your components and related code across the subsequent frames respectively.
Put only component related code on a frame that has the component in question. registering event listeners could have targets as their dependency. define event listeners and put them on frame 1 as part of the logic and simply put code for registering listeners on the component frames as per demand.
Example:
//On Frame 1
function onAMouseClick(event:Event):void
{
//implement logic
}
function onBMouseClick(event:Event):void
{
//implement logic
}
//Implemented function for next/back buttons
//Also on Frame 1
function navigate(event:Event):void
{
var frame:int;
switch(event.target.name)
{
case "nextBtn":
frame=currenFrame<numFrames?+1:numFrames;
gotoAndStop(frame);
break;
case "backBtn":
frame=currenFrame>2?-1:currentFrame;
gotoAndStop(frame);
break;
}
}
//On Frame 2 for A component
A.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, onAMouseClick)
//On Frame 3 for B component
B.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, onAMouseClick)
Put Next/Back button components on a single layer spreading from frame 2 all the way to the end of the last frame where you want the buttons to be visible. Then implement related code having its visibility spanning across between frame 2 and the last frame as the following shows:
//navigate handler is declared and implemented on **frame 1**
nextBtn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.Click, navigate)
nextBtn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.Click, navigate)
Well, that is your way of doing things (Single timeline scripting). Not bad for simple timeline scripting.You may try the other way also of instantiating Movieclips (exported for action scripiting)
at run time and the add these to the display list as per demand as on clicks next/back buttons.In doing so you will not only have one single point of logic but will have MC code encapsulated in each individual component.
Hope the foregoing helps. Thanks.
Do not be scared to change code! Let alone afraid to run into errors! That's way forward you want to learn to fix things that's a beauty of it!
.....cheers!.
this is actually a noobish question, but is there a possible way to save a certain state of a movieclip?, example i dynamically added a movieclip called big_mc, then inside big_mc contains three(3) smaller movie called child_mc1 and child_mc2 and a close_big to remove big_mc from the stage, when i click either of child_mc1 and child_mc2, the child_mc will disappear prior to which child_mc i clicked.
so the scenario is when I click child_mc1 which remove itself from the scene, then next I'll click the close_big movieclip to remove big_mc from the stage and will save it's own state, so then the next time i run the SWF file and dynamically add big_mc to stage, child_mc1 would be still missing and child_mc2 would still be displayed (EVEN IF I CLOSE THE SWF FILE, the state should be saved). please help..much is appreciated.
code in main time line:
var big_mc:mother_mc = new mother_mc;
add_big_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, call_big);
function call_big(e:MouseEvent):void
{
addChild(big_mc);
}
the code inside big_mc:
child_mc1.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, remove_child1);
child_mc2.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, remove_child2);
close_big.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, bye);
function remove_child1(e:MouseEvent):void
{
removeChild(child_mc1);
}
function remove_child2(e:MouseEvent):void
{
removeChild(child_mc2);
}
function bye(e:MouseEvent):void
{
this.parent.removeChild(this);
}
You want to start with SharedObject, which as Adobe puts it, "is used to read and store limited amounts of data on a user's computer or on a server". To save the "state" of the MovieClip is more complicated.
What about it do you want to save? The x property? Perhaps the alpha? EVERYTHING? Each object is stored in a default state in your swf. Library items in the Flash IDE are technically miniature classes, as evidenced by the way we instantiate them. Assuming you create something called customButton, you could spawn thousands of them onscreen (or one) like this:
var foo:customButton = new customButton();
Like a hand-written class, a copy of the customButton is created with all the properties you defined on it before you compiled it. If you want to change those properties, you have to address each and every one you want different.
Looking at this broadly, let's assuming you want to save the position of your button every time you load the swf. Load with getLocal(), and save with flush().
var settings:Object = SharedObject.getLocal("foo");
function updateState(e:Event):void {
myButton.x = settings.x;
myButton.y = settings.y;
}
function saveState():void {
settings.x = myButton.x;
settings.y = myButton.y;
settings.flush();
}
It's not impossible; there's simply no push-button solution for it. If you wanted, you could write a function which iterates over all DisplayObjects, and loads/saves each relavent property from/into your SharedObject. Might be overkill, though.
I have a movieclip with several layers and frames. Some of those contain buttons. When I click button 1 I want it to go to the next frame. When I click button 2 I want it to go to frame 23. This is the code I'm using for button 1:
this.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, convnext);
function convnext(evt:MouseEvent):void
{
MovieClip(parent).gesprekkencivcen.nextFrame();
}
and this is the code for button 2:
this.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, convend1);
function convend1(evt:MouseEvent):void
{
MovieClip(parent).gesprekkencivcen.gotoAndStop(23);
}
What happens now is that when I click either of the buttons, or in fact anywhere inside the movieclip (even layers I haven't applied actions to) it executes both functions at the same time so I end up going to frame 24. Can somebody provide an answer to this problem?
Obviously this in both cases refers to the same object, and not to the buttons in particular. Record the names of those buttons as you've named their instances on the timeline, say button1 and button2 and write the code employing those names.
button1.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, convnext);
function convnext(evt:MouseEvent):void
{
parent.parent.gesprekkencivcen.nextFrame();
}
button2.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, convend1);
function convend1(evt:MouseEvent):void
{
parent.parent.gesprekkencivcen.gotoAndStop(23);
}
With this, however, you will need to update the link to gesprekkencivcen in both listeners, as those buttons will have this as parent, and their target apparently is not a child of this. I have tried to plainly set a call to parent.parent.gesprekkencivcen, which might not work.