Cool Tools and Tricks in Flash

// for referring to a variable nested inside a movie clip:

_root.parent.child.variable = "value"; // string example

// for getting the position of a movie clip element on the screen:

getProperty ( target, _x           ); // The X position (in  pixels) of the target clip. 
getProperty ( target, _y           ); // The Y position (in  pixels) of the target clip. 
getProperty ( target, _width       ); // The width      (in  pixels) of the target clip. 
getProperty ( target, _height      ); // The height     (in  pixels) of the target clip. 
getProperty ( target, _rotation    ); // The rotation   (in degrees) of the target clip. 
getProperty ( target, _target      ); // The full path (from _root) to the target clip. 
getProperty ( target, _name        ); // The instance name of the target clip. 
getProperty ( target, _xscale      ); // target clip X scale / original clip X scale x 100 (in %). 
getProperty ( target, _yscale      ); // target clip Y scale / original clip Y scale x 100 (in %). 
getProperty ( target, _alpha       ); // The alpha fade level (in percent) of the target clip. 
getProperty ( target, _visible     ); // The visibility of the target clip (Boolean). 
getProperty ( target, _droptarget  ); // The instance name of the clip upon which a draggable clip is dropped. 
getProperty ( target, _currentframe); // The frame at which the playhead currently rests in the target clip. 
getProperty ( target, _totalframes ); // The total number of frames in the target clip. 
getProperty ( target, _framesloaded); // The number of frames currently loaded in the target clip. 

// Infix notation of same (I prefer this notation.)
target._x           ; // The X position (in  pixels) of the target clip. 
target._y           ; // Etc. as above.
target._width       ;
target._height      ; 
target._rotation    ;
target._target      ; 
target._name        ;
target._xscale      ;
target._yscale      ; 
target._alpha       ;
target._visible     ;
target._droptarget  ;
target._currentframe;
target._totalframes ; 
target._framesloaded;

// for setting the position of a movie clip element on the screen:
// target may have quotes on occassion, value does not.
setProperty( target, _x           , value); // The X position (in  pixels) of the target clip. 
setProperty( target, _y           , value); // Etc. as above. 
setProperty( target, _width       , value); 
setProperty( target, _height      , value); 
setProperty( target, _rotation    , value);
setProperty( target, _target      , value);
setProperty( target, _name        , value); 
setProperty( target, _xscale      , value); 
setProperty( target, _yscale      , value);
setProperty( target, _alpha       , value); 
setProperty( target, _visible     , value);
setProperty( target, _droptarget  , value);
setProperty( target, _currentframe, value); 
setProperty( target, _totalframes , value);
setProperty( target, _framesloaded, value);

// Infix notation of same (I prefer this notation.)
// target may have quotes on occassion, value does not.
target._x            = value; // The X position (in  pixels) of the target clip. 
target._y            = value; // Etc. as above.
target._width        = value;
target._height       = value; 
target._rotation     = value;
target._target       = value; 
target._name         = value;
target._xscale       = value;
target._yscale       = value; 
target._alpha        = value;
target._visible      = value;
target._droptarget   = value;
target._currentframe = value;
target._totalframes  = value; 
target._framesloaded = value;

// clip example
on (release)
{
        setProperty ("_level0.myCuteClip", _x, value); // value could be from a textField var.
}

// clip example (I prefer)
on (release)
{
        _level0.myCuteClip._x, xpos);
}

// A neat trick for opening up a URL is here:
// http://www.actionscript.org/tutorials/beginner/PopUp_window_within_flash/index.shtm
// Could be useful!

// Building your own drop down menus:
// http://www.actionscript.org/tutorials/beginner/Drop_down_menu/index.shtml

// Objects like buttons can be grouped using the group operator CTRL-G

// A button for bookmarking a specific site:
on (release)
{
        getURL("javascript:window.external.AddFavorite('http://www.wdv.com','WDV Web Site');");
}

// Clips can be dragged and dropped on other clips, which is a fantastic tool
// See http://www.actionscript.org/tutorials/beginner/drag-n-drop/index.shtml

// You can use Flash to run executables on your machine using the FSCommand.
// This could be the basis for configuring a multi-screen environment from
// a single control console.
// See: http://www.actionscript.org/tutorials/beginner/Launch_Applications_using_Flash/index.shtml

// Typewriter effect (Newspaper, or the Matrix kind of feel)
// See: http://www.actionscript.org/tutorials/beginner/DOS_Cursor_Text_Effect/index.shtml

// Super Neat Include
// You can use #include "foo.as" to include a file that is shared among many applications.
// I can use it to factor out the user changeable parts of the timer.
// The .as suffix is optional.
// No semicolon:
#include "timerUserConfig.as"

// Actions
// Configure the player from an ActionScript
//
fscommand ("fullscreen", "true");
fscommand ("allowscale", "true");
fscommand ("showmenu", "true");
fscommand ("trapallkeys", "true");
fscommand ("exec");
fscommand ("quit");
//

// Remember that trace is always available and extremely useful for debugging.
trace("my value: " + myValue); 


// with statement
// the with statement addresses an object,
// the object is subject to the statements within the curly brackets ({})
// after the with object is identified.
// Multiple statements can accompany the with action
on (release)
{
	with (_root.show)
	{
		_rotation=56;
		_alpha=76;
	}
}

// if you want the buttons or user interaction targets to move
// consider this interesting example.
// It opens up the possibility of the enigmatic porthole
// or round combination interface.
// See: http://www.actionscript.org/tutorials/beginner/Navigation_Circle/index.shtml


// Stopped at Tutorial 21 of 50