How to reference many objects at once in Actionscript? - actionscript-3

Question

So, the question is as follows:
I have a set of objects and I want a function to use all those elements of a set in a function. What can I do?
For example:
I have many instances of the same MovieClip. I want the function NextFrame() to be executed only for the MovieClips whose name matches the keyCode of a key I've just pressed.
How can I reference all these symbols at once in an "if" statement?

Answer 1

You'll need to use a loop.
Assuming your clips are just placed on the timeline there are few ways you could do this.
Walk the display list and search for all clips that meet your criteria.
This way can be expensive if you have tons of clips on the stage.
var i:int=this.numChildren;
while(i--){
if(this.getChildAt(i).name == nameCriteria){
//do something here, it matches
}
}
Keep your movie clips of that class in an array, and loop through that array:
var myArray:Array = [mc1,mc2,mc3,mc4];//whatever your movie clips instance names are...
for each(var clip:MovieClip in myArray){
if(clip.name == nameCriteria){
//do something
}
}
Create a custom class that automatically adds any instance of this Movie Clip to an array you loop through.
Save the following code in a file called MyKeycodeClip.as (or whatever you'd like to call it) next to your .fla file.
package {
import flash.display.MovieClip;
import flash.events.Event;
public class MyKeycodeClip extends MovieClip {
public static var allClips:Array = new Array();
public function MyKeycodeClip(){
this.addEventListener(Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE, addedToStage, false,0,true);
this.addEventListener(Event.REMOVED_FROM_STAGE, removedFromStage,false,0,true);
}
private function addedToStage(e:Event):void {
allClips.push(this);
}
private function removedFromStage(e:Event):void {
for(var i:int=0; i < allClips.length;i++){
if(allClips[i] == this){
allClips.splice(i,1);
return;
}
}
}
}
}
Then you can attach that class to your library object. Go to your library objects properties, and choose "Export For Actionscript", in the class input box, put: MyKeycodeClip.
Now whenever you drop that library object on the stage, the code from that file will be attached to it (which automatically adds/removes it from an array). You could loop through each item like so:
for each(var clip:MovieClip in MyKeycodeClip.allClips){
if(clip.name == nameCriteria){
//do something
}
}