Loading images dynamically from library

[willCrain_514]

I am trying to call in images dynamically from my Library in a more efficient manner.

With an bitmap image in the Library set up for actionscript with the class name of 'itemFromLib', i tried:

function placeImage():void {
	var _img:itemFromLib = new itemFromLib();
	var _bitName:Bitmap = new Bitmap(_img);
	addChild(_bitName);
}

This works fine if i want to bring in one image, but i want to have a method that can bring in a number of different images on demand

I've tried something like this:

placeImage("itemFromLib");

function placeImage(className:String):void {

	var _cls:Class = getDefinitionByName(className) as Class;
	var _img:_cls = new _cls();
	var _bitName:Bitmap = new Bitmap(_img);
	addChild(_bitName);
}

AND:

placeImage("itemFromLib");

function placeImage(className:String):void {

	var _cls:Class = getDefinitionByName(className) as Class;
	var _img:Object = new _cls();
	var _bitName:Bitmap = new Bitmap(_img);
	addChild(_bitName);
}

Both with the results of an error that "1067: Implicit coercion of a value of type Class to an unrelated type flash.display:BitmapData."

Any help or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks

[jAQUAN]

an instance of _cls should be of type Class;
var _img:Class = new _cls();

[5TonsOfFlax]

That's not true. _cls is a Class. An instance of that Class will be something else, not a class. Object covers it, but something more specific would be better.

[willCrain_514]

thanks for the reply

I did some more messing around... I tried Object and Class, but still not working all the way but i did get something that didnt throw errors its just not displaying anything.

I have attached the file below (saved to CS4). You can see the three different results/setups that i am having issues with.

But here is the code in the .as :

(there is an bitmap in the library with the class reference of 'ImgFromLibrary')

package  {
	
	import flash.display.MovieClip;
	import flash.display.Bitmap;
	import flash.display.BitmapData;
	import flash.utils.getDefinitionByName;
	import flash.display.Stage;
	
	
	public class DynamicLoader extends MovieClip {

		public var _bitmapImage:ImgFromLibrary; // bitmap item from library for reference
		public var _mcImage:WaterDrop;	// mc item from library for reference

		
		public function DynamicLoader() {
			
			inti();
			
		}
		
		private function inti():void {
			
			// I need to pass the library objects Class name from 
			// several different methods throughout the program at different times
			placeNewElementOnBoard("ImgFromLibrary");
		}
		
		private function placeNewElementOnBoard( className:String ):void {
			trace("ready to place the image : " + className);
			
			
//	----->// ### THIS WORKS, BUT NOT DYNAMIC ###//
			var _img:ImgFromLibrary = new ImgFromLibrary();
			var _bitName:Bitmap = new Bitmap(_img);
				_bitName.width = 40;
				_bitName.height = 70;
				_bitName.x = 0;
				_bitName.y = 0;
			addChild(_bitName);
			
			
//	----->// ### THIS WORKS, KINDA... NO ERRORS... BUT NOTHING SHOWS UP ###//
//			var _img:Class = getDefinitionByName(className) as Class;
//			var _bitName:Bitmap = new Bitmap(_img.bitmapData);
//				_bitName.width = 40;
//				_bitName.height = 70;
//				_bitName.x = 0;
//				_bitName.y = 0;
//			addChild(_bitName);
			

//	----->// ### THIS THROWS AN ERROR in the compiler, ..., Line 58	1067: Implicit coercion of a value of type Class to an unrelated type flash.display:BitmapData. ###//
//			var _cls:Class = getDefinitionByName(className) as Class;
//			var _img:Class = new _cls();
//			var _bitName:Bitmap = new Bitmap(_img); // var _bitName:Bitmap = new Bitmap(_img.bitmapData);   <---  if i add 'bitmapData' i get a different error in the output window
//				_bitName.width = 40;
//				_bitName.height = 70;
//				_bitName.x = 0;
//				_bitName.y = 0;
//			addChild(_bitName);
			
			
		}
		
		//this is something that i was trying to do to streamline the code... not sure where its going yet
		private function getClass( className:String ):Class {
			return getDefinitionByName( className ) as Class;
		}
		
	}
	
}

[jAQUAN]

Probably bitmapData Flax, I embed all my bitmaps in the class itself so I forget how the library works.
If the symbols are being exported as BitmapData, an instance of that type should work.
var mySymbol:BitmapData = new SomeSymbol();
var myBmp:Bitmap = new Bitmap(mySymbol);

... I think.

[5TonsOfFlax]

Yeah a few kinds of resources get special treatment when using the embed directive: BitmapData, Sound, XML. But you can embed a class as a raw bytearray and make it a Class. But that's neither here nor there.
getDefinitionByName returns a Class, such as Sprite. An instance of the class Sprite is a Sprite, not a Class. Well, technically getDefinitionByName returns an Object, but that Object is a Class, for the most part.

See the example included in the livedocs:

package {
    import flash.display.DisplayObject;
    import flash.display.Sprite;
    import flash.utils.getDefinitionByName;

    public class GetDefinitionByNameExample extends Sprite {
        private var bgColor:uint = 0xFFCC00;
        private var size:uint = 80;

        public function GetDefinitionByNameExample() {
            var ClassReference:Class = getDefinitionByName("flash.display.Sprite") as Class;
            var instance:Object = new ClassReference();
            instance.graphics.beginFill(bgColor);
            instance.graphics.drawRect(0, 0, size, size);
            instance.graphics.endFill();
            addChild(DisplayObject(instance));
        }
    }
}

[jAQUAN]

so then he should type his _img as BitmapData no?

[5TonsOfFlax]

Yes. He may also need to cast it.