Actionscript 3.0 Image Array - actionscript-3

I'm creating a game and I want an array to store the images that I want displayed. I'm a bit confused regarding the images in the array, I don't know if I'm meant to put the instance name or else the image name in the array. I'm confused about how do I store the answers also. I would need the array to link up with the answers.
This is my original array
var characterArray:Array = new Array();
characterArray[0] = ["boy__pirate.png", "girl__pirate.png" , "pig__.png"];
characterArray[1] = ["girl__pirate.png", "girl__pirate.png" ,"boy__pirate.png"];
characterArray[2] = ["girl__pirate.png", "girl__pirate.png", "boy__pirate.png"];
To get the answers linked up with the array would I need to do something like that?
var questionone:Array = new Array();
["boy__pirate.png","boy__pirate.png,"girl__pirate.png"]
var answerone: [choice1]
Any help would be appreciated!

Related

Flash AS3 How to display a random item from an xml list then remove that item from the list so it will not be reused

I'm using Flash AS3 trying to display random questions from an xml list on stage. When the user clicks an option it should move on to another question but the one they got should be removed from the list so it will not come back.
I have the randomize part okay but can't figure out how to remove the question from the list.
Here is the section I have.
function randomizeQuestion():void {
var numOfQuestions:Number = xmlData.item.length();
var shuffledNumbers:Array = new Array(randomAns.length);
var randomPos:Number = 0;
//Randomizes selected question
currentQuestion = int(Math.random() * numOfQuestions);
//Randomizes answer numbers
for (var i:int = 0; i < shuffledNumbers.length; i++)
{
randomPos = int(Math.random() * randomAns.length);
shuffledNumbers[i] = randomAns.splice(randomPos, 1)[0];
}
randomAns = shuffledNumbers;
correctAns = xmlData.item[currentQuestion].children().(hasOwnProperty("#correct"));
}
Try to get index:
correctAnsIndex = xmlData.item[currentQuestion].children().(hasOwnProperty("#correct")).childIndex();
or if more elements, to get first one:
correctAnsIndex = xmlData.item[currentQuestion].children().(hasOwnProperty("#correct"))[0].childIndex();
then use delete where appropriate, like here:
delete xmlData.item[correctAnsIndex];
I would add another array to your code in which you can store all the questions that are eligible. As a question gets asked, remove it from that array. So you'll have one array of allQuestions and another array of eligibleQuestions. allQuestions can just be a comprehensive list. Then, push all the questions you want to go through into the eligibleQuestions array. As the questions get answered, splice them from the array.
It would be good to also share an example of your XML file that you're loading, but let's use the example below.
<data>
<item>
<question></question>
<option1></option1>
<option2></option2>
</item>
<item>
<question></question>
<option1></option1>
<option2></option2>
</item>
</data>
Based on the code you have, I assume your function is being called each time you want to randomize a question.
Now what you'd want to do is create an array that holds the number of <item> tags you have outside of this function so that you can remove values from it whenever you want.
You can create this var numOfQuestions:Array = new Array(); as a global variable and then initialize it using a loop before you enter the randomizeQuestions() function.
for(var i = 0; i < xmlData['item'].length(); i++)
{
numOfQuestions.push(i);
}
Basically this array will serve as a method of calling a specific item and removing it from the program without altering the actual XML file in any way.
Then whenever you wish to remove an element you use
numOfQuestions.splice(numOfQuestions.indexOf(valueToBeRemoved), 1);
This will search the array for the element you wish to remove and then remove it from the array.
Lastly the randomizeQuestion function has to be modified.
currentQuestion = int(Math.random() * numOfQuestions.length); //since numOfQuestions is now an array instead of a Number

trying to get properties of objects inside object properties

Sometimes JavaScript is playing with me (although the deal was that I would be playing with it...) This test code below keeps resisting so I'm looking for a little help from more clever people around here.
Answering to a recent question I tried to create a readable list of all the color IDs useable in Google Advanced Calendar API.
The request is very simple : Calendar.Colors.get()
The response is an object with a couple of properties, each one being other objects with other properties.
I can go down to the second level but the last -and most useful in this case - level returns a disturbing "undefined" (see partial log below)
And that's my question...
code with comments :
function getColorList(){
var colors = Calendar.Colors.get();
//Logger.log(JSON.stringify(colors));
for(var cat in colors){
Logger.log("category "+cat+" = "+JSON.stringify(colors[cat])+'\n\n')
}
// from there I try the "event" category
var events = colors["event"];
Logger.log('object colors["event"] = '+ JSON.stringify(events))
// then I try to get every properties in this object
for(var val in events){
Logger.log("key "+val+" = "+JSON.stringify(events[val]))
}
}
Full log is viewable here (externalized to keep this reasonably short)
Looks like (key) may be indicating a read-only definition as Sandy was eluding to.
Just make your own object from colors to loop through after converting it to string:
var json = JSON.stringify(colors["event"]);
var myObj = JSON.parse(json);
for(var val in myObj){
Logger.log("key "+ val +" = "+JSON.stringify(myObj[val]))
}

How to push instantiated MC into Array dynamically?

Im really stuck. I have 5 MC´s that are being spliced from one array at a certain time. In that same function I want to push another movieclips into another array. The two arrays holds mc's that represent right or wrong answers. So when one question is being given a correct answer that questions visualisation alters.
This function holds a incrementing variable as I do want the mc's to be pushed by the user and one at the time. The thing is I cant seem to refer them properly.
I´ve tried
pQuestSum = this[pQuest + pQuestNumber];
and
pQuestSum = this[pQuest] + pQuestNumber;
and pretty much everything I´ve imagined would work...but the problem is I havent tried
the right thing.
when I trace pQuestSum (which would be the reference) I get an error saying thats its not a number.
this is one of 5 mc's named from 1-5:
var passedquest1:PassedQuest = new PassedQuest();
this is the vars that i try to to build a reference of
var pQuest = "passedquest";
var pQuestNumber = 1;
var pQuestSum;
var questCorrArray:Array = [];
if(event.target.hitTestObject(questArray[ix])){
removeChild(questArray[ix]);
questArray.splice(ix,1);
pQuestNumber ++;
pQuestSum = this[pQuest] + pQuestNumber;
trace("pQuestSum"); // NaN
questCorrArray.push(pQuestSum);
//trace(questArray.length);
pointsIncreased = false;
questPoints = 0;
}
How do I refer an existing movieclip when the reference consists of both a string and a number? Hope I made myself somewhat clear:)
If you had an instance of an object on your timeline called "passedquest1" (as an example), then you could access it this way:
var myObj = this["passedquest" + 1];
Or,
var pQuest = "passedquest";
var pQuestNumber = 1;
var myObj = this[pQuest+ pQuestNumber.toString()];
When you do this: pQuestSum = this[pQuest] + pQuestNumber;, you are trying add the number to an object (this[pQuest]), unless you have number/int var called "passedquest", this will result in NaN.

AS3: Getting values of objects by referencing their name

I'm reading XML and attaching values to objects in two seperate movieclips. Like this
Map01:
Marker01.name = hello there
Marker01.short = hel
Marker01.value = 12
Map02:
Marker02.name = hello there
Marker02.short = hel
Marker02.value = 99
Now I'm clicking on Marker01 in Map01 and get its name and value. I want to compare its value to that of Marker01 in Map02, using the name, or better yet .short because the names are long and use special characters/spaces. How do I do this? I've pretty much tried everything that seemed logical!
EDIT: sample code for clarification
var marker01:mc_marker = new mc_marker();
marker01.name="hello there";
marker01.short="abc";
marker01.val="99";
marker01.x=10;
marker01.y=10;
this.mc_map01.addChild(marker01);
var marker02:mc_marker = new mc_marker();
marker02.name="hello there";
marker02.short="abc";
marker02.val="20";
marker02.x=10;
marker02.y=10;
this.mc_map02.addChild(marker02);
marker01.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, showMarkerInfo);
marker02.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, showMarkerInfo);
function showMarkerInfo(event:MouseEvent):void {
txt_ms.text=event.target.short;
txt_mv.text=event.target.val;
if (event.target.short==mc_map02.marker02.short){
txt_mvi.text="here should be the marker02 value";
}
}
You have a typo there. Map02 use Marker1 things.
If its a typo in Stackoverflow,
this.getChildByName( "Marker01" ) will return you the movieclip, buy its name. take care though, as "name" is what it searches for. You used "hello there" when you should put Marker01 as the name. I would suggest you put a property called "data" and put the xml info in it so it doesn't conflict.
In the end you have:
if( this.getChildByName( "Marker01" ).data.value == this.getChildByName( "Marker02" ).data.value ).
I assume this is because you generate Marker0X at runtime and you can't declare some variables and use them directly.
Browny points if you make "data" a instance of a custom class where you can compare two "data". If you need more help, add a comment ^_^

AS3 How to make a kind of array that index things based on a object? but not being strict like dictionary

How to make a kind of array that index things based on a object? but not being strict like dictionary.
What I mean:
var a:Object = {a:3};
var b:Object = {a:3};
var dict:Dictionary = new Dictionary();
dict[a] = 'value for a';
// now I want to get the value for the last assignment
var value = dict[b];
// value doesn't exits :s
How to make something like that. TO not be to heavy as a lot of data will be flowing there.
I have an idea to use the toString() method but I would have to make custom classes.. I would like something fast..
Why not make a special class that encapsulates an array, put methods in there to add and remove elements from the array, and then you could make a special method (maybe getValueByObject(), whatever makes sense). Then you could do:
var mySpecialArrayClass:MySpecialArrayClass = MySpecialArrayClass();
var a:Object = {a:3};
var b:Object = {a:3};
mySpecialArrayClass.addElement(a,'value for a');
var value = mySpecialArrayClass.getValueByObject(a);
I could probably cook up a simple example of such a class if you don't follow.
Update:
Would something like this help?
http://snipplr.com/view/6494/action-script-to-string-serialization-and-deserialization/
Update:
Could you use the === functionality? if you say
if ( object === object )
it compares the underlying memory address to see if two objects are the same reference...