how to access movieclips from external classes

[nico]

Hello, just want to ask on how to access movieclip instance name from external classes (not using the document class).

I access my movieclips using ADDED_TO_STAGE event, but i want to access it directly, i tried stage.getChildByName("instancename").alpha = 0; but still its not working, what's the ideal way of accessing movieclips instances from external classes?

[Felixz]

not stage but root

[saxx]

var refname:class = new class();
addChild(refname)
refname.x = 200
refname.y = 200


instead of ADDED_TO_STAGE just go stage.addChild

You shouldn't have any problems just remember that its a child of the stage from then on

class is your class you've provided from linkage in the library .x and .y are just an example of how to use it like your regularly would

[Felixz]

He meant Inside Looking Out: he listens to Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE to have stage and root properties accessible.
root.getChildByName("instancename").alpha = 0;

[saxx]

ah, my mistake sorry about that

[nico]

root.getChildByName throws me an error:( I tried to place root.getChildByName("instacnename").alpha=0 into my constructor but it throws me an error:(

[dail]

try
MovieClip(root).getChildByName("blah").alpha = 0

[nico]

still its giving me errors:(

[dail]

have you imported the MovieClip package?

[Felixz]

The problem is that you can't use parent in constructor
use Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE

[helios02]

Couldn't you make a static var in your document class and then reference from whatever external class? So in your doucument class do

public static var instance:DocClass

in its constructor do

instance = this;

Then in whatever external class do

DocClass.instance.getChildByName("instance name")

[senocular]

Your error message and your class code would help

[nico]

i already used added to stage event, for me it feels very limited, because for example youll be doing a function that will make a certain button dissapear at a click of a button, if that method is called into added to stage event, it will automatically fires. what i really want is to call a mc in the stage without using added to stage event (MovieClip(parent).instancename). is there any other way to access a mc on the stage withouth using added to stage event?

[dail]

Have a read of this article

http://developer.yahoo.com/flash/articles/display-list.html

And yeah, I'm with Senocular, its hard to give you advice without seeing how you have structured everything.

[mieff]

try creating a global variable in your external class and dump the instance name of your mc into the variable.

External Class:

external class ExternalClass
{
public static var externalVarName;
}

In your movie:

import ExternalClass;

ExternalClass.externalVarName = yourInstanceName;


Something like this. Then you can access and change the attributes of the mc from anywhere you desire.

[nico]

its just simple. when i use the document class it works

DOCUMENT CLASS:

package
{
import flash.display.MovieClip;

public class Sample extends MovieClip
{
public function Sample():void
{
box.x = 500;
}
}
}

when i use the Event ADDED_TO_STAGE it works by instantiating my class on the main timeline and adding it into the display list:

package
{
import flash.display.MovieClip;
import flash.events.Event;

public class Sample extends MovieClip
{
public function Sample():void
{
addEventListener(Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE, added);
}

public function added(e:Event):void
{
MovieClip(parent).box.x = 500;
}
}
}

code on my timeline:

var mySample:Sample = new Sample();
addChild(mySample);

the problem here is if i created a method, it fires instantly because of added to stage event.

Its really frustrating heheh, i only want to access my movieclips in the stage just like im using the document class.

[mieff]

i could be wrong here but it seems like your problem stems from using the ADDED_TO_STAGE event listener.

[Felixz]

package {
import flash.display.MovieClip;
public class Sample extends MovieClip {
public function Sample():void {
}
public function moveBOX(value:Number):void {
root.box.x += value;
}
}
}
var mySample:Sample = new Sample();
addChild(mySample);
mySample.moveBOX(500);Is that what You mean?

The code which you have in constructor would fire instantly in AS2 anyways

[mieff]

i don't know if this is what you're looking for but check out this little example of what i was talking about and maybe it will spark a solution for what you're looking for.

47390

47391

[lolomedia]

that makes sense. how about if i want to linkage the movie clip from the library of course and choose export for actionscript so i will have a class just for this movie clip? how do i go by doing that?

[craig.clayton]

at the top of the class

import mcMovieClip;

Then create a variable

private var myMovie:mcMovieClip;

private function addMyMovie():void {
myMovie = mcMovieClip;
addChild(myMovie);
}

put addMyMovie(); inside the constructor or init function if you have one



that makes sense. how about if i want to linkage the movie clip from the library of course and choose export for actionscript so i will have a class just for this movie clip? how do i go by doing that?