AS3: pass Keyboard control to child movieclip and back to main timeline - actionscript-3

Question

EDIT: I don't know if this is the norm, but I preferred to leave the original question in and add updates. Please, feel free to let me know if I should eliminate the original code snippets and somesuch.
I am trying to create a slideshow-like presentation in flash CS6, using a main timeline with one symbol in each frame and the different animations (some quite complex) in those symbols. Since I'm going to use a presenter remote, I've captured the keystrokes and coded pg_up and pg_down to go to the next and previous frame respectively:
stage.addEventListener(KeyboardEvent.KEY_DOWN, pagerFunction);
var symb:movieClip;
function pagerFunction(e:KeyboardEvent):void
{
var myKey = e.keyCode;
if (myKey == Keyboard.PAGE_DOWN){
if (symb != null){
//some code that allows to control the symbols timeline forward
} else {
nextFrame();
}
}
if (myKey == Keyboard.PAGE_UP){
if (symb != null){
//some code that allows to control the symbols timeline backward
} else {
prevFrame();
}
}
The problem I'm having is the following. I've added framelabels and stop(); code inside the symbol animations where I needed to control the step from one animation to the next one. However, after having tried numerous solutions on the web, I haven't been able to succeed having the symbols react to pg_up and pg_down as if they were part of the main timeline.
To sum up, what I need to solve is this:
Enter Main timeline Frame
Identify symbol instance (labeled as _mc)
Inside symbol timeline, play from first frame (labeled '0') until next labeled frame ('1' and so on)
stop and wait for next pg_down to start playing from next labeled frame to the following (i.e. '1'-'2'), or pg_up to start playing from the previous labeled frame (i.e. '0' to '1') (for this, I would use a variable to keep track.
on last frame (labeled 'final') exit symbol focus and return keyboard control to main timeline to allow pg_down and pg_up to move to the next / previous frame. on pg_up on symbol.currentFrame == 0, do same.
BTW, if there's a better way to achieve this, I'm open (and quite desperate) for better suggestions / solutions.
Thank you so much to anyone who can help!
Edit: Ok, I guess I wasn't too clear on the issue, so I'll try to add a bit to this:
addEventListener(KeyboardEvent.KEY_DOWN, mc_pagerFunction);
var lbl:String;
var counter:Number = 0;
function mc_pagerFunction(e:KeyboardEvent):void {
var myKey = e.keyCode;
if (myKey == Keyboard.PAGE_DOWN){
lbl = this.currentFrameLabel;
if (this.currentFrameLabel == 'final'){
stop();
stage.focus = this.parent; //which would be the main timeline
} else if (Number(lbl) == counter){
this.gotoAndStop(lbl);
counter++;
} else {
this.gotoAndPlay(lbl);
}
}
if (myKey == Keyboard.PAGE_UP){
lbl = this.currentFrameLabel;
if (this.currentFrameLabel == '0'){
stop();
stage.focus = this.parent; //which would be the main timeline
} else if (Number(lbl) == counter){
this.gotoAndStop(lbl);
counter--;
} else {
this.gotoAndPlay(lbl);
}
}
}
Now, this bit is the behaviour I'd like to see inside the symbol when the main timeline goes into the next frame, thus being able to use the main timeline as sort of slideholder and the real thing happening inside the symbol.
Btw, I'd like to try and keep all code within the main action layer, not in the symbols. I tried that, shifting focus to the symbol and it didn't work either, and having code all over the place grates against my nerves ;).
I hope this throws some light on what I'm stuck at.
Again, any help is appreciated. Thanks all in advance
UPDATE:
Please someone help me out here!
This is what I'm trying. Logically, it makes all the sense in the world, except that it doesn't work.
var symb:MovieClip;
symb = MovieClip(root); //assign symbol I want to be controlled by pg_up/pg_down
symb.focusRect = false;
stage.focus = symb; //focus on current symbol
symb.addEventListener(KeyboardEvent.KEY_DOWN, mc_pager); //add keyboard event listener
function mc_pager(e:KeyboardEvent):void{
var myKey = e.keyCode;
if (myKey == Keyboard.PAGE_DOWN){
do{
symb.play(); // it plays, then checks if the lbl is null or final, then quits
} while (symb.currentFrameLabel == null && symb.currentFrameLabel != 'final');
symb.stop();
symb.removeEventListener(KeyboardEvent.KEY_DOWN, mc_pager);
stage.focus=MovieClip(root); //return focus to main timeline (in the next keyframes, the focus is on the nested _mc
}
if (myKey == Keyboard.PAGE_UP){
do{
symb.prevFrame();
} while (symb.currentFrameLabel == null && symb.currentFrameLabel != '0');
symb.stop();
symb.removeEventListener(KeyboardEvent.KEY_DOWN, mc_pager);
stage.focus=MovieClip(root);
}
}
Where am I being to moronic to get it right? Please, guys, you're the experts, I need your advice here. Thanks!
UPDATE:
Doing a trace on symb, it seems like as soon as it enters the function, it forgets the initial assignment (symb = MovieClip(root)) and shows null. Why?

Answer 1

In this sample, I created a basic proof of concept where I have a circle MC with an instance name of "c" on the main timeline. Within this mc, I created with 2 keyframes inside with stop actions on both. I colored the circle a different color on frame 2 and labeled it as "two".
In the Main timeline I have the following code:
import flash.events.KeyboardEvent;
stage.addEventListener(KeyboardEvent.KEY_DOWN,keyEvt);
function keyEvt(e:KeyboardEvent):void{
if(e.keyCode == Keyboard.PAGE_DOWN){
trace("down");
c.gotoAndPlay("two");
}
}
This should help form a foundation for your code as long as you stick with targeting the symbol through direct reference and ensure your keyboard event is attached to the stage.
Also, always stick with getting a basic working version down first. I.E. Check to see if your keyboard listeners are working for your target object and then build additional functionality off of that.