Int variable not changing - actionscript-3

I'm trying to increment my int variable i when a button is pressed. However, it's not working.
var i:int = 0;
DB_47_ENTER_ROOM105.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, DB_47_ENTER_ROOM105_Action);
function DB_47_ENTER_ROOM105_Action(event:MouseEvent):void {
trace(i);
if (i == 0) {
gotoAndStop(49);
i = 1;
}
if (i == 1) {
gotoAndStop(50);
}
}

Assuming there is no other code elsewhere that manipulates the value of i, then your issue is likely that the frame to which this code belongs, is getting repeated (eg the timeline loops or you go back to this frame. Whenever this frame runs, your i var will get recreated because of:
var i:int = 0; //if i already exists, this will just set it to 0.
What you can do, is not assign the value:
var i:int; //don't assign a value on the var declaration
Since the default value for an int is 0, not further changes should be needed.

Related

How to hitTest same Objects in one Array?

I want to create a stacking Game. Where when you tap the screen for instance a block falls down and a new one appears where the other one originally was. Now when the User taps the screen again the same block falls down and if aligned correctly stacks on top of the first one so one and so one. Keep stacking until you miss.
I thought creating an array and pushing each new object to that array would be able to hitTest between each new one etc and have them stack on each other. I realized I don't quite understand how to go about doing this. New instances are created so I got that down. Here is my code so far:
private function engineLogic(e:Event):void
{
stackingHandler();
}
private function stackingHandler():void
{
for (var i:int = 0; i < aCatArray.length; i++)
{
var currentCat:mcCats = aCatArray[i];
//HIT TEST CATS
}
trace("NUMBER OF CATS: " + aCatArray.length);
}
private function onTap(e:MouseEvent):void
{
//Move Down
TweenLite.to(cats, 1.0, {y:(stage.stageHeight / 2) + 290, onComplete: addCats});
}
private function addCats():void
{
//Create Instance
cats = new mcCats();
//Add Objects
addChild(cats);
//Push to Array
aCatArray.push(cats);
}
I would appreciate any help from you guys. Maybe if you can push me in the right direction. Thank you in advance!
It looks like the cats variable holds the object that is currently falling?
In that case you'd do something like this:
private function stackingHandler():void
{
for (var i:int = 0; i < aCatArray.length; i++)
{
if(cats.hitTestObject(aCatArray[i])) {
// collision detected!
// kill the Tween
// set the y position of the `cats` object
// so it appears on top of the object it collided with (`aCatArray[i]`)
// (it may have moved slightly past the object before doing this check)
}
}
}
So you're looping through the array and hit testing cats against every object in the array one at a time.
It might make more sense to use a basic gravity simulation, or just linearly increasing the y value instead of using a Tween, but you didn't ask about that.
You might also want to set a flag for whether or not an object is currently falling and use that to determine whether or not to run the stackingHandler. Otherwise, you'll just be continually hit testing all the objects when nothing is moving.
This is how I was able to fix it. Creating a double for loop. Checking if they are equal to each other continue and check for hitTest:
private function stackingHandler():void
{
for (var i:int = 0; i < aCatArray.length; i++)
{
var currentCat:mcCats = aCatArray[i];
for (var j:int = 0; j < aCatArray.length; j++)
{
var newCat:mcCats = aCatArray[j];
if (currentCat == newCat) continue;
//Hit Test between Objects
if (newCat.hitTestObject(currentCat.mcHit) && newCat.bFlag == false)
{
//Stop Moving
newCat.stopMoving();
trace("HIT");
if (highScore == 0)
{
addCats();
trace("ADD CATS 1");
}else
{
TweenLite.delayedCall(0.6, addCats);
trace("ADD CATS 2");
}
//Add Points
highScore ++;
trace(highScore + " Score");
//Set Flag boolean
newCat.bFlag = true
}
}
}
}

AS3-Having a mouse click affect object in an array's timeline

I'm going crazy with this. I have a few bears on the stage and have listed them in an array. I want them to change their animation frame when clicked as long as they are not on the "down" animation frame to begin with. Below is the code. The problem occurs below the //check if they get hit line.
//put the bears in an array
var bearsArray: Array = new Array();
for (var i=0; i<numChildren;i++) {
if (getChildAt (i) is bear_mc) {
bearsArray.push(getChildAt(i));
}
}
//move them up and down
addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME,upAndDown);
function upAndDown(event:Event){
if (Math.random() < 0.02){
var randomBear = Math.floor(Math.random() * 9);
bearsArray[randomBear].gotoAndPlay("popup");
}
}
//check if they get hit
for (var j:int = 0; j < bearsArray.length; j++){
bearsArray[j].addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, hitBears);
}
function hitBears(e:MouseEvent){
for (var k: int=0; k<numChildren; k++){
if (bearsArray[k].currentFrame != "down"){
trace("clicked");
bearsArray[k].gotoAndPlay("surprised");
}
}
}
currentFrame returns an integer, not string. If you want to use string, you have to use currentFrameLabel or currentLabel.
EDIT: http://help.adobe.com/en_US/FlashPlatform/reference/actionscript/3/flash/display/MovieClip.html#currentLabel
If you want to control only one bear, remember that you don't need to cycle through them (actually that would serve no purpose as you would be checking every one of them). The better (and correct) approach would be this:
function hitBears(e:MouseEvent){
var bear:MovieClip = e.currentTarget as MovieClip;
if(bear.currentLabel != "down") { //or currentFrameLabel, depends how your mc is set up
trace("clicked");
bear.gotoAndPlay("surprised");
}
}
I got it working by checking a hittest with the mouse instead of just checking the click. That works for some reason.

Object removed from screen before the relevant command is called (Error #1009)

I'm sorry if it's asking for too much, but I'm too confused by now. I'm making this really simple shooter game for my nephew in AS3. It all seems to be working just fine, except for one really annoying error that keeps popping up every second or third time the game is launched.
IT is Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference. The problem is always with parent.removeChild(this) command in the relevant class (EnemyClass, BulletClass or MissileClass). This happens in two cases: either when checkFinishConditions method in Main is called and the EnemyClass instance needs to be deleted. So if I get the #1009 error does this mean the instance has already been deleted? The second situation is when inst.hitTestObject(enemyInstance) is checked in Main class. Does this mean the EnemyClass instance has already been deleted somehow? I'm totally lost here to be honest.
private function checkCollision():void
{
//loop through missiles
for (var i:int = 0; i < aMissileArray.length; i++) {
//get the current missile
var currentMissile:missileClass = aMissileArray[i];
//loop through enemies
for (var j:int = 0; j < aEnemyArray.length; j++) {
var thisEnemy:EnemyClass = aEnemyArray[j];
if (currentMissile.hitTestObject(thisEnemy)) {
var thisExplode:ExplosionClass = new ExplosionClass(thisEnemy.x,thisEnemy.y);
addChild(thisExplode);
currentMissile.destroyThis();
aMissileArray.splice(i,1);
thisEnemy.deleteEnemy();
aEnemyArray.splice(j, 1);
aDamageArray.splice(j, 1);
scoreValueText += 1;
j--;
i--;
}
//break;
}
}
//loop through bullets
for (var l:int = 0; l < aBulletArray.length; l++) {
//get the current missile
var currentBullet:BulletClass = aBulletArray[l];
//loop through enemies
for (var k:int = 0; k < aEnemyArray.length; k++) {
var currentEnemy:EnemyClass = aEnemyArray[k];
if (currentBullet.hitTestObject(currentEnemy)) {
currentBullet.destroyThis();
aBulletArray.splice(l, 1);
aDamageArray[k] -= 1;
l--;
if (aDamageArray[k] < 1) {
//create an explosion
var thisBulletExplode:ExplosionClass = new ExplosionClass(currentEnemy.x,currentEnemy.y);
addChild(thisBulletExplode);
currentEnemy.deleteEnemy();
aEnemyArray.splice(k, 1);
aDamageArray.splice(k, 1);
scoreValueText += 1;
k--;
}
break;
}
}
}
}
There is alot of code to look over, but one potential issue I see is here :
for each(var currentDieEnemy:EnemyClass in aEnemyArray) {
aEnemyArray.splice(0, 1);
currentDieEnemy.deleteEnemy();
}
The potential issue is that you are 'assuming' that the order of this loop is sequential based on the actual index order of the Array. You might want to stick a trace in there to verify that is actually what is happening, because I believe it's possible that they can be out of order.
See this question for details -- For-Each Loop AS3: Is the direction guaranteed?
So imagine the scenario where the 3rd item in the array is first and you splice the item at the 0 index. Now, you have an item in the array that is removed from the display list, but not from the array. So what happens when you get to that item ? Pretty much what you are describing will happen since the parent property is null, since you already removed it from the display list.
The way to fix that is to do something like this :
while (aEnemyArray.length > 0)
{
var currentDieEnemy:EnemyClass = aEnemyArray[0];
currentDieEnemy.deleteEnemy();
aEnemyArray.splice(0,1);
}
I found another issue in this block of code :
for (var j:int = 0; j < aEnemyArray.length; j++) {
var thisEnemy:EnemyClass = aEnemyArray[j];
if (currentMissile.hitTestObject(thisEnemy)) {
var thisExplode:ExplosionClass = new ExplosionClass(thisEnemy.x,thisEnemy.y);
addChild(thisExplode);
currentMissile.destroyThis();
aMissileArray.splice(i,1);
thisEnemy.deleteEnemy();
aEnemyArray.splice(j, 1); // now array composition is different.
aDamageArray.splice(j, 1);
scoreValueText += 1;
}
}
When you loop through an Array and splice an item at the loop index, you have to realize what happens to the composition of the array. Here's an example
Suppose enemy3 needs to be spliced because of a collision. Given your code, this is what happens :
Before (j == 2)
(0) enemy1
(1) enemy2
(2) enemy3
(3) enemy4
(4) enemy5
AFTER
(0) enemy1
(1) enemy2
(2) enemy4
(3) enemy5
So when the loop continues, j will now increment and equal 3.
The result is that enemy4 doesn't get evaluated as the composition of the array collapses to fill the hole created by the splice and you didn't adjust your loop index variable.
So, what you can do in that situation is simply decrement the loop index variable at the end of the block like so :
aEnemyArray.splice(j, 1); // now array composition is different.
aDamageArray.splice(j, 1);
scoreValueText += 1;
j--; // decrement loop index variable.
So while this is one solution, the main point to take away here is the change in the composition of your Array after a splice.
Yep, you are splicing your objects from arrays in a weird way. First, you are traversing the array forwards and splicing in the loop. This can lead to issues of several bullets not trigger collisions when they should, or say not move. See, if you are running your loop for bullets at index i, once you call bullets.splice(i,1); the bullet that was to be iterated next becomes at position i, then you increment i and that bullet remains unprocessed.
Next, you have nested loops, and in the inner loop you are removing an object from OUTER loop. This means once you did a removal of the outer loop's object, your inner loop is now invalidated, you have to preemptively terminate inner loop.
//loop through bullets
for (var l:int = aBulletArray.length-1; l>=0; l--) {
// first, traverse both arrays backwards
//get the current missile
var currentBullet:BulletClass = aBulletArray[l];
//loop through enemies
for (var k:int = aEnemyArray.length-1; k>=0; k--) {
var currentEnemy:EnemyClass = aEnemyArray[k];
if (currentBullet.hitTestObject(currentEnemy)) {
currentBullet.destroyThis();
aBulletArray.splice(l, 1);
aDamageArray[k] -= 1;
if (aDamageArray[k] < 1) {
//create an explosion
var thisExplode:ExplosionClass = new ExplosionClass(currentEnemy.x,currentEnemy.y);
addChild(thisExplode);
currentEnemy.deleteEnemy();
aEnemyArray.splice(k, 1);
aDamageArray.splice(k, 1);
scoreValueText += 1;
}
// and since we don't have "currentBullet" anymore, do this
break;
}
}
}
Fix all the other iterations through your arrays where you do splicing, like I did in this part of code, and you should avoid 1009 errors in these loops.
Also, you should not post your entire project code, but instead post only relevant parts, say an entire function that's reported as throwing an error, and explain which line is producing the error - it's written as number in the error's stack trace.

AS3: Stalling a for loop at each pass

So I've worked out a great way to create a pixelized wipe effect, with movie clips of pixels nested in rows. I've created a loop that goes through each row, and then another loop inside that loop for the pixels in each row. I then use a random number between 1-0 for for the delay before it alpha-ups the pixel. I used Greensock for the tween and it works great.
One problem, I can't stall the for loop for the rows, and every row comes up at once. Still, the pixels are staggered, and this is a nice effect, but I want it to move from left to right. So my code looks like this: (BTW, yes, AS3 does have setTimeout and it works fine)
function stripeWipeUp(stripe:MovieClip):void {
var total = stripe.numChildren;
for (var i:int = 0; i<total; i++) { // the rows
trace(i);
setTimeout(function() {
trace("setTimeout: "+i);
var row:MovieClip = stripe.getChildAt(i) as MovieClip;
var pixTotal = row.numChildren;
for (var j:int = 0; j<pixTotal; j++) { the pixels
var pix:MovieClip = row.getChildAt(j) as MovieClip;
var num = Math.floor(Math.random()*100)/100; // the delay
pixUp(pix, num); // my greensock function
}
}, 500);
}
}
What happens, with the setTimeout in there, is that the "i" for loop hits every row (there are 27) before one setTimeout gets finished. So, it doesn't work as it should - the next loop should not execute until the setTimeout is finished. Any idea how to accomplish this so each row gets stalled by about 500 ms? Thanks.
Your problem is with this.
trace("setTimeout: "+i);
"i" is not what you think it is.
The scope of "i" is in stripeWipeUp not the anonymous function.
With that being said "i" is always the value of the last itteration of the loop that was run across all of your anonymous functions.
So as you can see when the anon functions trigger "i" will most-likely be equal to "total".
This is why we avoid using anonymous functions as scope is very hard determine.
Create an array and store a custom class in it for each "pixel" that will control what you want to do.
In this class use a Timer Object not setTimeOut. setTimeOut is a garbage function left over from AS2.
drop the setTimeout and just add a delay multiplied with i
var num = ( i * 500 ) + Math.floor(Math.random()*100)/100; // the delay
I would encapsulate i and j, a Timer, and an event handler for the Timer, into a class. In the event handler I would:
Do your effect for the pixel corresponding to j and i
Update j (and i)
If there are more pixels, schedule the next event
I was able to get it to work by taking the inner part out and making it a separate function. I would prefer a much cleaner solution like Creynders', but for some reason that didn't work. Here is the code:
// the row of pixels
function row(stripe:MovieClip, i:int, up:Boolean, del:Number):void {
setTimeout(function() {
var row:MovieClip = stripe.getChildAt(i) as MovieClip;
var pixTotal = row.numChildren;
for (var j:int = 0; j<pixTotal; j++) {
var pix:MovieClip = row.getChildAt(j) as MovieClip;
var num = Math.floor(Math.random()*100)/100;
(up) ? pixUp(pix, num) : pixDown(pix, num);
}
}, del);
}
// the rows in the "stripe"
function stripeWipe(stripe:MovieClip, up:Boolean):void {
var total = stripe.numChildren;
var del:Number = 0;
for (var i:int = 0; i<total; i++) {
row(stripe, i, up, del);
del = del+100;
}
}

Stop and start a for loop in AS3?

I'm pulling an xml and using a for loop to create a thumb list. This list is going to be quite long but I only 25 thumbs to be loaded at a time, so that the next 25 is only loaded when a user hits a button. I know how to set up a for loop in a function, but I can't quite figure out how to break up a loop where it would stop and start. I was thinking I would call the function each time a button is pressed and the loop would pick up where it left off with the next 25.
I thought maybe I could substite other variables into the for(); but everything I've tried breaks it. I tried pulling the var i:int = 0; out of the for so the function could set the i, but I guess I'm not clear on exactly how the for loop works.
What I'm doing:
function loadarticleHeadlines():void
{
for (var i:int = 0; i < egarticleXml.articlelist.articleitem.length(); i++)
{
vsThumb = new articleBox();
vsThumb.alpha = 0;
vsThumbLoader = new Loader();
vsThumbLoader.load(new URLRequest(egarticleXml.articlelist.articleitem[i].articlethumbnail));
articleListContainter.addChild(vsThumb);
vsThumb.articleImage.addChild(vsThumbLoader);
vsThumb.articleTitle.text = egarticleXml.articlelist.articleitem[i].articletitle;
titleAutosize(vsThumb.articleTitle);
vsThumb.x = next_x;
next_x += 260;
articlevsThumb[i] = vsThumb;
//vsThumbLoader.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, showBox);
vsThumb.clickBtn.buttonMode = true;
}
}
Try this out.
var xml:Array = [];
for(var i:int=0;i<100;i++)
{
xml.push(i);
//array from 0-99
}
var xmlPosition:int = 0;
grabXML(xmlPosition);
//25
grabXML(xmlPosition);
//50
grabXML(xmlPosition);
//75
grabXML(xmlPosition);
//100
function grabXML(position:int):void
{
for(position;position<xml.length;position++)
{
trace(xml[position]);
//yields 0-24, 25-49, 50-74, and 75-99
if(position === xmlPosition + 25)
{
break;
}
}
xmlPosition += 25;
}
I'm breaking as soon as the parameter is 25 more than its original value (xmlPosition). Calling the function additional times will yield nothing, as xmlPosition is greater than xml's length property.