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Designing Tutorials

DownloadFlash Action Scripting Tutorials

Workshop Objectives

By the end of the workshop, you should be able to:

  • Add scripts to frames, buttons, and movie clips
  • Use variables to control aspects of a movie
  • Use variables to control “dynamic text”

Using Scripts in an Object-Oriented Environment like Flash

  • Where do you put the scripts? Flash is object-oriented; scripts can be attached to almost any object:
    • Frames, movie clips, buttons, lots more
  • Scripts are activated when an “event” occurs
    • A frame is played
    • A button is pressed
    • A movie clip is loaded

Using Buttons

  • Understanding the syntax of “Event Handlers”
    on (release) {
    gotoAndPlay(1);
    }
  • In English…
    On the event of “release of the mouse button”, do whatever is between the {}, in this case, go to frame 1 and begin playing.
  • Other button events
    press, release, releaseOutside, rollOver, rollOut, dragOver, dragOut, keyPress "<Space>"

Some Good Rules and Hints

  • Use the code hints
  • Take note of script colorization
  • Use the “Check Syntax” and “Auto format” buttons frequently at the start
  • Rules for typing action commands
    First word is lowercase, remaining words begin with uppercase
    Examples: gotoAndPlay, gotoAndStop, stopAllSounds
    Advice: Use this convention when naming your own variables and functions
  • Type both {} at each new handler or condition
  • Right click on an action to get to the reference section

Variables

  • Types of variables
    • Numeric
      • Integers and floating point numbers
    • Strings
      • A sequence of characters
  • Local and Global Variables
    • Global variables are accessible throughout the Flash movie
    • Local variables are stored in objects and only accessible by that object
    • You can have two local variables with the same name if they are in separate objects
    • You can only have one global variable with the same name.

Parts of a Script

on (press) {
var x = 7;
var y = ‘SatNav’;
for (i=0; i<10; i++) {
trace(i);
if (x+3 == 10) {
trace(y);
}
}
}

Syntax: Comparisons & Operators

= Used to assign
== Used to compare
!= Means “not equal”

on (release) {
a = 7;
trace(a == 8); False
trace(a == 7); True
trace(a != 7); True
}

Less Than or Greater Than

on (release) {
a = 7;
trace(a < 8); False
trace(a > 6); False
trace(a < 1); False
}

Operators

Two equivalent ways to increase a variable by a certain amount.

on (release) {
a = 7;
a = a + 4;
trace(a); 11
a += 5;
trace(a); 16
trace(++a); 17
}

Increments a variable by 1. Other ways:
a = a + 1;
a += 1;

Syntax: Conditions

The if Statement

if (a == 7) {
gotoAndPlay(2);
}

Other Instructions: gotoAndPlay(1); gotoAndPlay("abc"); nextFrame(); prevFrame(); nextScene(); prevScene(); gotoAndStop("Scene Name", "");

The if and else Statements

on (release) {
a = 7;
if (a == 7) {
trace(“Yes, it’s 7”);
} else {
trace(“No, not 7”);
}
}

Loading Variables

From External File

var nameVars = new LoadVars();
nameVars.onLoad = function(ok) {
if (ok) {
text_first = nameVars.firstname;
text_last = nameVars.lastname;
}
};
nameVars.load("textfile.txt");

Note: ‘text_first’, ‘text_last’ are dynamic text fields in Flash.

Create “textfile.txt” file with this text
firstname=Subramanyam&lastname=Inkollu&r=50&g=200&b=50

Setting the RGB Colors

To MovieClip Instance

  1. Create a movie clip with the instance name of “myShirt”
  2. Write the below script in frame.

myColor = new Color(_root.myShirt);
myColor.setRGB(0x003399);

If you are using Button

on (release) {
myColor.setRGB(0x003399);
}

Loading RGB Values as Variables

myColor = new Color(_root.myShirt);
myDesign = new Color(_root.myDesign);
var nameVars = new LoadVars();
nameVars.onLoad = function(ok) {
if (ok) {
myColor.setRGB(nameVars.selectedColor);
myDesign.setRGB(nameVars.designColor);
}
};
nameVars.load("textfile.txt");

Note: ‘myShirt’, ‘myDesign’ are instances of movie clips

Create “textfile.txt” file with this text
selectedColor=0x66CCFF&designColor=0xFF9900

References

Download