How to select multiple objects on MOUSE_OVER during a MOUSE_DOWN - actionscript-3

Question

Lets say I have 30 objects created in for loop, added to a container.
Objects stop on frame 1. I have added event listeners to the objects as you can see below, and when I click any object inside container, it goes to frame 2 and play.
for (var i:int=0; i < 30; i++)
{
var object = new Object1();
object.gotoAndStop(1);
object.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, myFunction);
container.addChild(object);
}
private function myFunction(e:MouseEvent):void
{
e.currentTarget.gotoAndPlay(2);
}
So I have to click each object to send it on frame 2,
I also tried ROLL_OVER, everything is same but CLICK is changed to ROLL_OVER inside for loop.
What I want is to click, and then mouse over object so they go to frame 2 and play.
The problem is that I need to use MOUSE_DOWN event, I have tried to set MOUSE_DOWN instead of CLICK or ROLL_OVER, but it does not work. If I want to send objects to frame 2 (using MOUSE_DOWN), I need to click each of them, there is no difference between MOUSE_DOWN and CLICK in this case.
As someone who does not know much about mouse events, I'm wondering why roll over and click works, but mouse_down does not?

Answer 1

I think I see what you're trying to do... you want to press the mouse to start drawing over a bunch of sprites, each one goes to frame two when you mouse over it, but only if the mouse button is pressed, right?
try something like this
container.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, setMouseDown);
container.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, setMouseUp);
private var mouseIsDown:Boolean = false;
private var currentSprite:Sprite;
for (var i:int=0; i < 30; i++)
{
var object = new Object1();
object.gotoAndStop(1);
object.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OVER, myFunction);
object.mouseChildren = false;
container.addChild(object);
}
private function setMouseDown(e:MouseEvent){
mouseIsDown = true;
setActive(currentSprite);
}
private function setMouseUp(e:MouseEvent){
mouseIsDown = false;
}
private function myFunction(e:MouseEvent){
currentSprite = e.target;
if(mouseIsDown){
setActive(currentSprite);
}
}
private function setActive(target:Sprite){
target.gotoAndPlay(2);
}