Creating a vector array of movie clips AS3 - actionscript-3

I have several movie clips on the stage of my main .fla named btn1-btn7 which will act as buttons. I have a class file named Functions.as where an event listener is created when a button is clicked. onButtonClicked is just going to a frame on the timeline.
obj.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, onButtonClicked);
I would like the ability to set the buttonMode, visibility, etc. of all of the buttons simultaneously. I have been looking into this for a few hours and am not able to find any solutions. I am now looking into adding them to a vector (which is a new concept for me), but I am not sure how to go about executing this properly. This is what I have so far.
public var buttons:Vector.<MovieClip > = new Vector.<MovieClip > ();
function addButtons()
{
buttons.push(btn1,btn2,btn3,btn4,btn5,btn6,btn7);
for (var i:int; i<buttons.length; i++)
{
trace(buttons[i].name);
}
}
How would I go about, for example, adding the event listener to all of the objects? I will also be setting the buttonMode to true, and making them all invisible simultaneously. I don't even know if it's possible to accomplish this. Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

I'm going to asume that you use timeline code, and have instances of the buttons already placed on the stage. So, first, create the vector:
var _btns:Vector.<MovieClip> = new Vector.<MovieClip>;
_btns.push(btn1,btn2,btn43....) //add all the buttons
Than, you can init the properties of all the buttons:
var _mc:MovieClip;//helper var
for(var i:int=0,i<_btns.length;i++)
{
_mc = _btns[i];
_mc.visible = false;
_mc.buttonMode = true;
_mc.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, onClick);
}
Then, the event handler:
function onClick(e:MouseEvent):void
{
for(var i:int=0,i<_btns.length;i++)//reset all the buttons
{
_btns[i].visible = false;
}
_mc = MovieClip(e.eventTarget);
_mc.visible = true; //make visible the clicked one
}

You just need to do what you are doing with the .name property in your example code. You need to loop thru every single button in your array (or vector, if you prefer). Here is an example how to set the property of buttonMode:
function setButtonMode(b:Boolean):void {
for(var i:int=0; i<buttons.length; i++) {
var btn:MovieClip = buttons[i]; //store the current reference in a var for faster access
btn.buttonMode = b;
btn.mouseChildren = !b;
}
}

Related

AS3 shuffling movieclips

I've added the basic targets and applying drag and drop for my puzzle pieces, now Im having trouble making the shuffling aspect. As in, after the player completes or opens up the fla, each time will start the puzzle pieces in random places of the stage. I understand using arrays for shuffling somehow but Im not sure exactly how to achieve this. I've stored the instance of my 19 puzzle pieces inside the array but now I have no idea what to do with this array. Other tutorials were abit out of my league and leaves my head scratching.
Just started doing coding for flash professional so yeah, any help with the shuffling movie clips ie the puzzles pieces would be greatly appreciated.
Heres's my code, Im not posting the whole thing since from P1 to P19 is basically copy pasting:
import flash.events.Event;
stage.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, EntFrame)
function EntFrame(e: Event) : void
{
P1.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, fl_ClickToDrag);
function fl_ClickToDrag(event:MouseEvent):void
{
P1.startDrag();
}
stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, fl_ReleaseToDrop);
function fl_ReleaseToDrop(event:MouseEvent):void
{
P1.stopDrag();
}
if (T1.hitTestObject(P1.Tar1))
{
P1.x = 313.15;
P1.y = 242.75;
}
P19.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, fl_ClickToDrag_19);
function fl_ClickToDrag_19(event:MouseEvent):void
{
P19.startDrag();
}
stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, fl_ReleaseToDrop_19);
function fl_ReleaseToDrop_19(event:MouseEvent):void
{
P19.stopDrag();
}
if (T19.hitTestObject(P19.Tar19))
{
P19.x = 624.35;
P19.y = 455.60;
}
}
Here is what I hope is more holistic answer.
First, ditch those inline functions. Right now you make an ENTER_FRAME listener and inside that function you have inline function defined. This means every frame tick (which is tied to your frame rate, not the main timeline), those functions are going to get created again, and since you are adding them as handlers for listeners, they will stay in memory forever.
Here is a way you code this, showing ways to reduce redundancy and get rid of those memory leaks. This assumes the following:
You have 19 objects on the stage called T1 - T19, that represent the possible locations the pieces can go.
You have 19 pieces on the stage called P1 - P19, that, and the numbers correlate to the T locations as per the correct location of the piece.
//let's create a function to randomize the piece location
function seedPieces() {
//create an array consisting of the integers 1 - 19
var unusedSpaces:Vector.<int> = new Vector.<int>;
var i:int;
for (i = 1; i <= 19; i++) {
//populate that array
unusedSpaces.push(i);
}
var curLocation:DisplayObject; //helper var for the loop below
var curPiece:Sprite; //helper var for the loop below
//loop 19 times (from 1 - 19) - one iteration for each piece
for (i = 1; i <= 19; i++) {
curPiece = this["P" + i] as Sprite; //you can get the piece this way, or use an array if you've made one, like `pieces[i];`
trace(curPiece.name);
//splice removes and returns the item at the specified index (in this case a random number between 0 and arrays length less 1) - the second parameter is amount of items to remove (just 1 for this case)
curLocation = this["T" + unusedSpaces.splice(int(Math.random() * unusedSpaces.length), 1)] as DisplayObject;
trace(" ",curLocation.name);
//move the piece to the random location:
curPiece.x = curLocation.x;
curPiece.y = curLocation.y;
}
}
//NOW, as an aside, you should use a loop to add all your listeners for the sake of sanity - if you have them in an array, loop through that, or use the sloppy way like this:
for (var i:int = 1; i <= 19; i++) {
Sprite(this["P" + i]).addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, fl_ClickToDrag);
}
//create a var to hold any piece that is currently being dragged, so you know which piece to stop drag on later
var currentDraggingItem:Sprite;
seedPieces();
function fl_ClickToDrag(event:MouseEvent):void
{
//assign this clicked item to the currentDraggingItem var
currentDraggingItem = event.currentTarget as Sprite;
//bring this one to the front
currentDraggingItem.parent.addChild(currentDraggingItem);
//you can use this one click handler for all pieces
//the piece that was actually clicked, is referenced by event.currentTarget
currentDraggingItem.startDrag();
//add the mouse up listener now that the mouse is currently DOWN
stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, fl_ReleaseToDrop);
//listen every frame while dragging
stage.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, EntFrame);
}
function fl_ReleaseToDrop(event:MouseEvent):void
{
//if currentDraggingItem has a value, stop drag it
if (currentDraggingItem) {
currentDraggingItem.stopDrag();
//send to the back
currentDraggingItem.parent.addChildAt(currentDraggingItem,0);
}
//remove the mouse up and enter frame listener now that the mouse is UP
stage.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, fl_ReleaseToDrop);
stage.removeEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, EntFrame);
if(checkComplete()){
//game over, do something
}
}
function EntFrame(e: Event) : void
{
//this will snap the peice to the correct spot when the mouse is touching the correct spot
if(currentDraggingItem){
if (this[currentDraggingItem.name.replace("P","T")].hitTestPoint(mouseX,mouseY))
{
currentDraggingItem.x = this[currentDraggingItem.name.replace("P","T")].x;
currentDraggingItem.y = this[currentDraggingItem.name.replace("P","T")].y;
}
}
}
function checkComplete():Boolean {
//use a loop to go through all your pieces and check if they are in the right spot. Again, you could have them in an array, or do it the lazy way
for (var i:int = 1; i <= 19; i++) {
if (!this["T"+i].hitTestObject(this["P"+i]))
{
return false;
}
}
return true;
}
Well, in general you can shuffle with the following code:
var shuffledVector:Vector.<someClass> = new Vector.<someClass>;
while (originalVector.length > 0) {
shuffledVector.push(originalVector.splice(Math.random() * originalVector.length, 1)[0]);
}
Longer, explained version:
var shuffledVector:Vector.<someClass> = new Vector.<someClass>; //We will store our shuffled vector in here
var randomIndex:int; //Random index from the originalVector
var resultVector:Vector.<someClass>; //result from the originalVector.splice(...) function
var randomElement:someClass; //Random element from the originalVector
while (originalVector.length > 0) { //We will reduce the size of the originalVector until the originalVector is empty.
randomIndex = Math.random() * originalVector.length; //Calculate a random index within the range of the originalVector from 0 to originalVector.lenght-1 (note that the range decreases by one on every loop)
randomVector = originalVector.splice(randomIndex, 1); //Use splice to remove one element at the randomly choosen index, we will receive a vector with the removed element...
randomElement = randomVector[0]; //...so we need to access the element
shuffledVector.push(randomElement); //Add the randomly choosen element to our shuffled vector
}
I've written the code for a vector as i suggest to use a vector instead of an array, but the principle behind it is the same for an array.
In your case the originalVector is a vector filled with your P1-P19 Movieclips and someClass would be MovieClip. The originalVector is empty at the end and could be replaced with the shuffled one and of course it would make a lot more sense if you put the code in a seperate function like this:
function Shuffle(originalVector:Vector.<someClass>) : void {
var shuffledVector:Vector.<someClass> = new Vector.<someClass>;
while (originalVector.length > 0) {
shuffledVector.push(originalVector.splice(Math.random() * originalVector.length, 1)[0]);
}
originalVector = shuffledVector;
}
Offtopic, but important for further coding: Someone else already mentioned, that it is not good to add EventListeners on every frame, because it is absolutely unnecessary. You only need to add the Listeners once. Your code is very repetitive, you should use a function which accepts a MovieClip, x and y then call that function 19 times.
e.g.:
function setUpMovieClip(MC:MovieClip, x:int, y:int) : {
MC.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, clickToDrag);
//more code...
}
within the clickToDrag function you can access the MovieClip which was clicked via the event.target property:
function clickToDrag(e:MouseEvent) : {
e.target.startDrag();
//more code...
}
I hope you get the idea.

How to select multiple objects on MOUSE_OVER during a MOUSE_DOWN

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?
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);
}

Actionscript 3 drag and drop on multiple specific targes and change alpa for the dropped objects as well as stack targets

I have been trying to achieve three things in the project without success. I am new at this and have relied on tutorials to get this far. Here we go!!
a. I want to be able to drop label_3 and label_4 on either or targetlabel_3 and targetlabel_4 but not effect the other labels and targets.
b. I want to be able to drop label_2 on top of label_1 once it has been dropped. I am finding that when label_1 has been dropped, it hides the targetlabel_2 and label_2 can't find it's target.
c. I want to change the Alpa of each of labels _1, _2, _3, _4 and _5 to zero when they are dropped on their targets and change the Apha for labels _11, _21, _31, _41 and _51 to 100. (I have changed the Apha to 25 on these for the sake of making it easier for someone to see what I am trying to do).
I have been mucking around for days on this and have hit a brick wall.
Can anyone help please?
import flash.display.DisplayObject;
import flash.geom.Rectangle;
/* Drag and Drop
Makes the specified symbol instance moveable with drag and drop.
*/
var startX:Number;
var startY:Number;
var counter = 0;
var attempts = 0;
var rect:Rectangle;
rect=new Rectangle(100,100,700,500);
correct_txt.text=counter;
attempts_txt.text=attempts;
label_1.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN,Drag);
label_1.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP,Drop);
label_2.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN,Drag);
label_2.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP,Drop);
label_3.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN,Drag);
label_3.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP,Drop);
label_4.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN,Drag);
label_4.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP,Drop);
label_5.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN,Drag);
label_5.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP,Drop);
label_1.buttonMode = true;
label_2.buttonMode = true;
label_3.buttonMode = true;
label_4.buttonMode = true;
label_5.buttonMode = true;
function Drag(event:MouseEvent):void
{
event.target.startDrag(true,rect);
feedback_txt.text="";
event.target.parent.addChild(event.target);
startX=event.target.x;
startY=event.target.y;
}
function Drop(event:MouseEvent):void
{
event.target.stopDrag();
var myTargetName:String="target" + event.target.name;
var myTarget:DisplayObject=getChildByName(myTargetName);
if (event.target.dropTarget!=null&&event.target.dropTarget.parent==myTarget){
feedback_txt.text="Well done! You have selcted the correct label and placed it in the recommended position on the package.";
feedback_txt.textColor = 0xCC0000
event.target.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP,Drop);
event.target.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN,Drag);
event.target.buttonMode = false;
event.target.x=myTarget.x;
event.target.y=myTarget.y;
counter++;
correct_txt.text=counter;
correct_txt.textColor = 0x0000ff
attempts++;
attempts_txt.text=attempts;
attempts_txt.textColor = 0x0000ff
}else{
feedback_txt.text="Your attempt is not quite correct. You have either selected the incorrect label or placed it in the wrong position. Please try again.";
event.target.x = startX;
event.target.y = startY;
attempts++;
attempts_txt.text = attempts;
}
if (counter==5){
feedback_txt.text="Well done! You have correctly placed all 5 labels";
percentage_txt.text ="Based on your attempts, you have scored "+Math.round ((counter/attempts) *100)+" %";
percentage_txt.textColor = 0x0000ff
}
}
The easiest way to detect when a label is on another label is by using hittest in an enter frame event listener.
stage.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, hit_test);
function hit_test(e:Event):void{
if (label_1.hitTestObject(targetLabel_1)) {
trace("Label_1 is hitting targetlabel_1");
label_hit();
}
if (label_2.hitTestObject(targetLabel_2)) {
trace("Label_2 is hitting targetlabel_2");
label_hit();
}
}
When the hittest is activated, the trace text is shown and the function is called. To change the alphas of the labels, use the function being called by the hittest. For example:
function label_hit()
{
label_1.alpha = 0;
label_2.alpha = 0;
label_3.alpha = 0;
}
If you are trying to have conditions to when things can be dragged, seen, or hit tested, that function is also where you can take care of them. For example, If you don't want a label to be visible until the hittest, you have the alpha set to 0 until the function sets it to 100. If you don't want a label to be drageable until then, you create the listener inside the function instead of earlier.
function label_hit()
{
label_1.alpha = 100;
label_1.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN,Drag);
label_1.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP,Drop);
}
If you want hittests to occur only after other hittests have already occured, place them in conditions and have the conditions met in the functions.
stage.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, hit_test);
function hit_test(e:Event):void{
if (label_1.hitTestObject(targetLabel_1)) {
trace("Label_1 is hitting targetlabel_1");
label_hit();
}
if(condition)
{
if (label_2.hitTestObject(targetLabel_2)) {
trace("Label_2 is hitting targetlabel_2");
label_hit();
}
}
function label_hit()
{
var condition = true;
}

use 1 object multiple times in as3?

I'm trying to make something like bookmarks, I have 1 note on the stage and when the user clicks it, it starts to drag and the users drops it where they want. the problem is I want these notes to be dragged multiple times.. here is my code:
import flash.events.MouseEvent;
//notess is the instance name of the movie clip on the stage
notess.inputText.visible = false;
//delet is a delete button inside the movie clip,
notess.delet.visible = false;
//the class of the object i want to drag
var note:notes = new notes ;
notess.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK , newNote);
function newNote(e:MouseEvent):void
{
for (var i:Number = 1; i<10; i++)
{
addChild(note);
//inpuText is a text field in notess movie clip
note.inputText.visible = false;
note.x = mouseX;
note.y = mouseY;
note.addEventListener( MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN , drag);
note.addEventListener( MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP , drop);
note.delet.addEventListener( MouseEvent.CLICK , delet);
}
}
function drag(e:MouseEvent):void
{
note.startDrag();
}
function drop(e:MouseEvent):void
{
e.currentTarget.stopDrag();
note.inputText.visible = true;
note.delet.visible = true;
}
function delet(e:MouseEvent):void
{
removeChild(note);
}
any help will be appreciated.
You need to create a new instance of your note class when you drop, copy the location and other variables from the note you were dragging, add your new note to the stage, and return the dragging note to its original position.
Something like:
function drop($e:MouseEvent):void
{
$e.currentTarget.stopDrag();
dropNote($e.currentTarget as Note);
}
var newNote:Note;
function dropNote($note:Note):void
{
newNote = new Note();
// Copy vars:
newNote.x = $note.x;
newNote.y = $note.y;
// etc.
// restore original note.
// You will need to store its original position before you begin dragging:
$note.x = $note.originalX;
$note.y = $note.orgiinalY;
// etc.
// Finally, add your new note to the stage:
addChild(newNote);
}
... this is pseudo-code really, since I don't know if you need to add the new note to a list, or link it to its original note. If you Google ActionScript Drag Drop Duplicate, you will find quite a few more examples.
I think you are not target the drag object in drag function and problem in object instantiation
for (var i:Number = 1; i<numberOfNodes; i++) {
note = new note();
addChild(note);
...
....
}
function drag(e:MouseEvent):void{
(e.target).startDrag();
}
If you are dragging around multiple types of objects (eg. Notes and Images), you could do something like this, rather than hard coding the type of object to be instantiated.
function drop(e:MouseEvent):void{
// Get a reference to the class of the dragged object
var className:String = flash.utils.getQualifiedClassName(e.currentTarget);
var TheClass:Class = flash.utils.getDefinitionByName(className) as Class;
var scope:DisplayObjectContainer = this; // The Drop Target
// Convert the position of the dragged clip to local coordinates
var position:Point = scope.globalToLocal( DisplayObject(e.currentTarget).localToGlobal() );
// Create a new instance of the dragged object
var instance:DisplayObject = new TheClass();
instance.x = position.x;
instance.y = position.y;
scope.addChild(instance);
}

Add multiple movieclips, not replacing the old ones

So, in short, my problem is this. I am using a variable which is a movieclip loaded from an external swf. I want to "spawn" multiple instances of the movieclip that all react to the same code, so for example if I say var1.x = 100, they all are at 100x. But my problem is when I run addChild(var1) multiple times(I'm not actually typing in addChild(var1) over and over, I just have it set to add them at random times), the new child just replaces the old one, instead of making multiple movieclips. Should I do something like
var var1:MovieClip
var var2:MovieClip = new var1 ?(which doesnt work for me btw, gives me errors)
Oh, heres the code, and also, I am pretty new to as3 fyi, still don't even know how arrays work, which was my second guess to the problem.
var zombieExt:MovieClip;
var ldr2:Loader = new Loader();
ldr2.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, swfLoaded2);
ldr2.load(new URLRequest("ZombieSource.swf"));
function swfLoaded2(event:Event):void
{
zombieExt = MovieClip(ldr2.contentLoaderInfo.content);
ldr2.contentLoaderInfo.removeEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, swfLoaded2);
//zombieExt.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, moveZombie)
zombieExt.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME,rotate2);
function rotate2 (event:Event)
{
var the2X:int = playerExt.x - zombieExt.x;
var the2Y:int = (playerExt.y - zombieExt.y) * 1;
var angle = Math.atan(the2Y/the2X)/(Math.PI/180);
if (the2X<0) {
angle += 180;
}
if (the2X>=0 && the2Y<0) {
angle += 360;
}
//angletext.text = angle;
zombieExt.rotation = (angle*1) + 90;
}
playerExt.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME,spawn1);
function spawn1 (event:Event)
{
if(playerExt.y < 417)
{
var someNum:Number = Math.round(Math.random()*20);
if(someNum == 20)
{
addChild(zombieExt)
zombieExt.x = Math.round(Math.random()*100)
zombieExt.y = Math.round(Math.random()*100)
}
}
}
}
addChild() does not create new instances. It is used to add an already created instance to the display list. If you call addChild() multiple times on the same instance then you are just readding itself.
Also each instance is unique, you can not globally change the x position of an instance by changing another one of them. What you would do is as Henry suggests and add each new instance of a MovieClip into an array, then whenever you change something you can loop through the array and apply the changes to each instance.
You can not go var2:MovieClip = new var1 either since var1 is an instance and not a class.
Here's a different method of receiving loaded MovieClips, which i use when i need many copies of the item.
in the swf you are loading, give the target movieclip a linkage name in the library, for this example i will use "foo"
private var loadedSwfClass:Class
private var newZombie:MovieClip;
private var zombieArray:Array = new Array();
function swfLoaded2(event:Event):void
{
loadedSwfClass = event.target.applicationDomain.getDefinition("foo");
for(var n:int = 0; n<100; n++){
newZombie = new loadedSwfClass()
zombieArray.push(newZombie);
addChild(newZombie);
}
}
as per this tutorial
http://darylteo.com/blog/2007/11/16/abstracting-assets-from-actionscript-in-as30-asset-libraries/
although the comments say that
var dClip:MovieClip = this;
var new_mc = new dClip.constructor();
this.addChild(new_mc);
will also work.
It sounds like you might be accessing the same instance some how in your code. It would be helpful to see your code to figure this one out.
If I wanted to load in one swf files and add a MovieClip multiple times I would place it in the library of that SWF file. And then instantiate it and store it into an object pool or a hash or some list.
// after the library were finished loading
var list:Array = [];
for(var i:int=0; i<10; i++) {
var myCreation:MySpecialThing = new MySpecialThing();
addChild(myCreation);
list.push(myCreation);
}
where my library would contain a linkage to the class MySpecialThing.
Calling addChild(var1) multiple times on the same parent doesn't have any effect (unless you have added another child to the same parent in between, in which case it will change the child index and bring var1 to the top). If you call it on different parents, it will just change the parent of var1, doesn't duplicate. Call addChild(new MovieClassName()) at random times instead to add new copies of it. Use an array as suggested here to access them later.
Wow, thanks there henry, just using an array did exactly what I needed, and made things alot simpler.
when you load in using a loader you only get 1 instance, however you can do some funky reflection to determine what class type the given loader.content is, and then instantiate them using that. For Example:
var loader:Loader = new Loader();
loader.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, loader_completeHandler);
loader.load(new URLRequest("ZombieSource.swf"));
var classType:Class;
function loader_completeHandler(evt:Event):void
{
var loadInfo:LoaderInfo = (evt.target as LoaderInfo);
var loadedInstance:DisplayObject = loadInfo.content;
// getQualifiedClassName() is a top-level function, like trace()
var nameStr:String = getQualifiedClassName(loadedInstance);
if( loadInfo.applicationDomain.hasDefinition(nameStr) )
{
classType = loadInfo.applicationDomain.getDefinition(nameStr) as Class;
init();
}
else
{
//could not extract the class
}
}
function init():void
{
// to make a new instance of the ZombieMovie object, you create it
// directly from the classType variable
var i:int = 0;
while(i < 10)
{
var newZombie:DisplayObject = new classType();
// your code here
newZombie.x = stage.stageWidth * Math.random();
newZombie.x = stage.stageHeight * Math.random();
i++;
}
}
Any problems let me know, hope this helps.