setProperty problems

[brandonk]

The script is not realizing the value of "menuh"&(counter) (ex: menuh1 = 14). Any idea why?

This is loaded first:

// Set up variable to keep track of which menu is being clicked.
menu_num = "0";
menuh1 = "14";
menuh2 = "195";
menuh3 = "245";
stop();

This brings the category UP:

counter = menu_num;
while (Number(counter)<3) {
counter = Number(counter)+1;
setProperty("/menu"&(counter), _y, getProperty ( "/menu"&(counter), _y )-"menuh"&(counter));
}

This brings the category DOWN:

counter = menu_num;
while (Number(counter)<3) {
counter = Number(counter)+1;
setProperty("/menu"&(counter), _y, getProperty ( "/menu"&(counter), _y )+"menuh"&(counter));
}

[pellepiano]

Seems to be a mixture of Flash 4 and Flash 5 code.

In Flash 5 and higher you dont use the & character to combine variables but the + character.

setProperty("/menu"+counter)

The slash syntax is not recommended anymore and may not be present in future players.

[brandonk]

figures...I guess thats what happens when you use an old tutorial.

It still isn't working though:

setProperty("menu"+(counter), _y, getProperty ( "menu"+(counter), _y )+"menuh"+(counter));

Does it know that when I say "menuh"+(counter) I want it to determine which menuh variable it is...say menuh1 and use was it is defined as (in this case 14)... so it would be 14 in place of "menuh"+(counter)

[pellepiano]

If you want the value of menuh1 variable you have to use eval()

+eval("menuh"+counter)

[brandonk]

I don't think I can use eval because I am in MX...

I attached my fla, maybe you can take a look?

[mngn9drb]

eval() is depreciated in MX and was replaced by the array element syntax, thus:

_root["menu"+counter]._y

Will work for you (although eval() should still work)

[pellepiano]

In MX there is no indication of deprecation of eval().

The array object does not evaluate.

For instance, you may have a variable called whatever2.

Then you can have
a=eval("whatever"+i);

to get a to display the value of whatever1.

The array object can not do that to my knowledge.

[mngn9drb]

For arguments sake, I take back the depreciation comment, maybe I was a bit hasty! But, the array object can indeed be used to evaluate:

this.createEmptyMovieClip("holder", 0);
this.holder.lineStyle(1);
this.holder.moveTo(-25, -25);
this.holder.beginFill(0x000000);
this.holder.lineTo(25, -25);
this.holder.lineTo(25, 25);
this.holder.lineTo(-25, 25);
this.holder.lineTo(-25, -25);
this.holder.endFill();
for (i=1; i<=5; i++) {
    holder.duplicateMovieClip("holder"+i, i);
    _root["holder"+i]._y = i*55;
    _root["holder"+i]._alpha = i*20;
}

Try it out and observe the last 2 lines in the for loop affecting the alpha properties and the vertical position of the duped MCs. See?

Cheers

[pellepiano]

But is that an evaluation. Isnt it just putting a string and a variable together to form the name of a movieclip.

I mean.. If you have a variable var1=10;

How would you combine "var"+1 to get the value, if not using eval()

[mngn9drb]

On some further reading it becomes apparant that in Flash 4 and 5, this is legal:

var count = 20;
eval("identifier" + count) = "Dave";
// sets identifier20 to "Dave"
trace(identifier20);

But due to the increase in keeping with ECMA-262 specificaction you can't use eval() on the left side of an operator, so in MX, you have to use

var count = 20;
this["identifier" + count] = "Dave";
trace(identifier20);

If you try out the first code in MX you'll see that it fails.

[pellepiano]

Yes I know about leftside assignment and those things. Im curious if you could use my example with the array object.

If I have...

identifier1="dave";

Can you then make "identifier"+count result in "dave" like

// A will here get tha value DAVE
a=eval("identifier"+count);

How would you do it with the array thing?

[brandonk]

I have one more question for you experts.

Using the code below, how can I get the links in a target frame (html code)?

I swear this is in another language....

traguardo = new Array(n.length);
traguardof = new Array(fields.length);
inizio = new Array(n.length);
function traguardi() {
cont = 0;
for (i=0; i<n.length; i++) {
nome = "oggetto"+i;
if (i>tasto) {
traguardo[i] = (i+n[tasto])*16+1;
for (a=cont; a<cont+n[i]; a++) {
traguardof[a] = traguardo[i];
}
cont = a;
} else if (i<tasto) {
traguardo[i] = inizio[i];
for (a=cont; a<cont+n[i]; a++) {
traguardof[a] = traguardo[i];
}
cont = a;
} else if (i == tasto) {
traguardo[i] = inizio[i];
for (a=cont; a<cont+n[i]; a++) {
if (a == cont) {
prima = a-1;
}
traguardof[a] = 16*(a-prima)+traguardo[i];
}
cont = a;
}
}
}
clip._visible = 0;
clip1._visible = 0;
cont = 0;
for (i=0; i<n.length; i++) {
nome = "oggetto"+i;
duplicateMovieClip(_root.clip, nome, i+100);
traguardo[i] = i*16+1;
inizio[i] = i*16+1;
_root[nome].tasto = i;
_root[nome]._y = i*16+1;
_root[nome].title = titoli[i];
for (a=cont; a<cont+n[i]; a++) {
nome1 = "oggettonuovo"+a;
duplicateMovieClip(_root.clip1, nome1, a);
traguardof[a] = i*16+1;
_root[nome1].field = a;
_root[nome1].link = links[a];
_root[nome1]._y = traguardo[i];
_root[nome1].title = fields[a];
}
cont = a;
}
function spegni() {
cont = 0;
for (i=0; i<n.length; i++) {
nome = "oggetto"+i;
_root[nome].gotoAndStop(1);
}
spegni1();
}
function spegni1() {
for (i=0; i<fields.length; i++) {
nome = "oggettonuovo"+i;
_root[nome].gotoAndStop(1);
}
}
function chiudi() {
cont = 0;
for (i=0; i<n.length; i++) {
nome = "oggetto"+i;
_root[nome].gotoAndStop(1);
traguardo[i] = inizio[i];
for (a=cont; a<cont+n[i]; a++) {
traguardof[a] = traguardo[i];
nome1 = "oggettonuovo"+a;
_root[nome1].gotoAndStop(1);
}
cont = a;
}
}

[mngn9drb]

Originally posted by pellepiano
How would you do it with the array thing?

Yeah, I've just tried and it seems I can't without using our old friend eval() I was positively certain it could be done though, so I'm sorry for any confusion. I guess it's a lesson learned!

Cheers

(sorry for the thread hijack )

[brandonk]

My idea was that you would add _root[nome1].targer = "mainFrame" here:

duplicateMovieClip(_root.clip1, nome1, a);
traguardof[a] = i*16+1;
_root[nome1].field = a;
_root[nome1].link = links[a];
_root[nome1]._y = traguardo[i];
_root[nome1].title = fields[a];

[brandonk]

nevermind...I got it