Command Line Parameters

by Jaspal Sohal   | filed under Flash and ActionScript

Using the Command Line feature, you can execute your Applications from the command line and pass any arguments to the projector using custom defined parameters. The application can then be programmed to run any number of tasks based upon the passed arguments. Command Line Parameters can be used to initiate triggers within your Application, or set options for the end user. They provide a very powerful method of communication from the Command Line for advanced applications.

Note

This tutorial requires Zinc V2.5.

Step 1

Create a new file in Macromedia Flash (or your preferred SWF Authoring tool) and add a button with the following code:

on (release) {
  cmdParam1 = mdm.Application.cmdParams(1)
  mdm.Dialogs.prompt(cmdParam1)
}

This code has two parts: The first command retrieves the first command line parameter (which is always assigned the id "1") and returns it to the variable cmdParam1. The second part of the code executes a prompt to display the value of cmdParam1.
 

Step 2

To execute a projector with command line parameters, you must launch the projector from the command line. Click on the Windows Start button and then select Run. Enter "cmd" (as shown below) in the Run dialog box:

Press OK to launch the Command Line Window.

Step 3

In the Command Line Window, you can now execute your projector with up to 5 additional parameters of your choice. These values can be anything from a single word to a string of numbers. Separate each parameter with a single space:

In the example above, we have the application name followed by 3 additional parameters with the values: cmdvalue1, cmdvalue2 and cmdvalue3

Once the Projector is launched and we press the button created in Step 1, the first {mdm}Script Command will retrieve the value of the first parameter (in this case, "cmdvalue1") and assign it to the variable cmdParam1.

The prompt command will then prompt the value of cmdParam1, which will be "cmdvalue1"

Export your SWF and then compile a Projector using Zinc™ v2.5. That's all there is to it.

If you have any questions, please post them on the MDM support forums.

Jaspal Sohal www.multidmedia.com

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