syntax question (varibale in a path)

[whispers]

Im having trouble getting a variable to work in PATH.

example:

_root.mainContainer.frameContainer.loadMovie(_root.part);

I want to use a vraible for the "frameContainer" part of the path.

like:

_root.mainContainer."root.varName".loadMovie(_root.part);

what am I over looking?..

[psb]

what u r missing is the name of the movie u want to load as u specified the target but not the name of the movie.

loadMovie("name.swf", _root.mymc) // load movie needs 2 arguments

but u provide only 1 argument

[psb]

and also u can't use a string between the path


_root.mainContainer."root.varName".loadMovie(_root .part); // wrong syntax

_root.mainContainer.root.varName.loadMovie(_root.p art);

[theTick]

not sure what exactly you are trying to do, but here's another suggestion: just assuming that you have several frame containers called frameCont1, frameCont2, frameCont3 ...

var i = 2; // i holds the number of the container you want to target
_root.mainContainer["frameCont"+i].loadMovie();

[whispers]

and also u can't use a string between the path


_root.mainContainer."root.varName".loadMovie(_root .part); // wrong syntax

_root.mainContainer.root.varName.loadMovie(_root.p art);

loadMovie does NOT need to arguments.. it just fine using _root.part for the .swf variable I need to load. loadMovieNum may need two arguments.

I was using the line of code as an example of what I want to do..I know a string will not work.

but this doesnt work either:

_root.mainContainer.root.varName.loadMovie(_root.part);

anyways..

its the PATHING part I am having trouble with.

inside of "mainContainer"...I have several other uniqly named MC's inside of it (all empty container clips)..

but that part I need to specifically assign by variable determined on _root

theTick-

unfortunately..they ARE NOT named sequentially like that.

so I need a way to pass the variable into the path, and I cant seem to get it to work.

_root.mainContainer.variableVALUE.loadMoive(_root. part); // get value from _root.

if I hard code it:
_root.mainContainer.frameContainer.loadMovie(_root .part);

it works fine..howver I want to be able to re-use my preloader/transition code... so being able to replace the containerClip INSIDE of mainContainer is a must.

[theTick]

ok, why not use eval() ?
eval("_root.mainContainer."+variableName).loadMovi e();
that should do it...

[whispers]

theTick-

because I have never used eval before..or know what it does to use it properly.


to update, I have tried several things...and got "this" to work:

_root.mainContainer[_root.indiPartContainer].loadMovie(_root.part);

this is actually loading the movie..like it supposed to.. after trying several variations like:

 _root["mainContainer"+"."+_root.indiPartContainer].loadMovie(_root.part);

&

 _root["mainContainer."+_root.indiPartContainer].loadMovie(_root.part);

but the fisrt ended up working.. however...taking that same syntax..and applying it to where it need to be..is NOT working..

as in THIS snippet of code (preloader)

onClipEvent (enterFrame) { 
       tb = math.round(_root.mainContainer[_root.indiPartContainer].getBytesTotal()/1024); 
       lb = math.round(_root.mainContainer[_root.indiPartContainer].getBytesLoaded()/1024); 
       if (tb>0 && lb>0) { 
            this.gearsClip_mc.percent_txt.text = math.round((lb/tb)*100); 
            //top(); 
            if (lb>=tb) { 
                 this.gotoAndPlay("fadeOut"); 
            } 
             
       } 
  }

it doesnt seem to be working correctly...cause although the external.swf loads..the "preloader' code never displays any % nor does it push the "transition animation" head to the "fadeOut" label...

I should be checking the SAME containerClip (empty clip) for bytesLoaded as the location where I loadMoive(_root.part); too.

some reason its NOT checking or returning anything..

[theTick]

hi whispers,
if supplied with a string, eval() turns the string to a reference to that object. e.g.:

var cont = "frameContainer";
eval("_root.mainContainer."+cont).loadMovie();

here the expression in the brackets results in the string "_root.mainContainer.frameContainer" and eval() turns that string into the actual reference.
if i understand you right, this is what you are looking for...

[whispers]

ok...is there a reason why the way Im posing above wouldnt work though?

(thanks for the tip by the way...I'll be sure to make use of it)...

and why the loadMovie(); will work..but NOT the getBtyes/loadedBytes part?

thanks.. I'll try to convert all to use the eval() function

[DallasNYC]

Make sure to use a capital 'M' for Math.round();
Also if testing local, everything gets loaded in one big chunk, so bytes total and loaded are always going to be the same.

[NTD]

Hi,

Like mentioned above, make sure your testing in an online environment. The code format looks correct. Make sure the clip holding the code sample doesn't have another enterframe event applied with AS somewhere. Maybe create a preload function with setInterval instead to keep objects open for enterframe events.........

code:

---

function myPreloader(targetClip) {

	createEmptyMovieClip("holder", 9999);

	centerX = Stage.width/2;

	centerY = Stage.height/2;

	holder.createTextField("display", 100, centerX, centerY, 40, 20);

	holder.display.border = true;

	holder.display.background = true;

	function checkLoad() {

		total = int(_root.targetClip.getBytesTotal());

		download = int(_root.targetClip.getBytesLoaded());

		percent = int(download/total*100)+"%";

		_root.holder.display.text = percent;

		if (total == download) {

			_root.holder.unloadMovie();

			clearInterval(myLoadCheck);

		}

	}

	myLoadCheck = setInterval(checkLoad, 10);

}

//Usage..... function name(mcInstanceName);

myPreloader(_root.imageHolder);

---

[random25]

think i know what you mean whispers, and i had a similar problem
this is a peice of what i ended up with:

if(_root.loading.text !=""){
totalBytes =  _root[_root.loading.text].getBytesTotal()
loadedBytes = _root[_root.loading.text].getBytesLoaded()
}else{
totalBytes =  _root.getBytesTotal()
loadedBytes = _root.getBytesLoaded()
	}

this works correctly for me.

I also made an empty dynamic text field at the root of the movie with the variable loading to hold the value as text

This way the variable is "" by default when the site first loads, so the preloaded will work for the main .swf as well as for external files.

You also need to add script to your buttons to set this variable to the path of the movie clip the external file is being loaded into.

[whispers]

hhmm

ok..

I tried to use this:

onClipEvent (enterFrame) {
	tb = Math.round(_root.mainContainer[_root.indiPartContainer].getBytesTotal()/1024);
	lb = Math.round(_root.mainContainer[_root.indiPartContainer].getBytesLoaded()/1024);
	if (tb>0 && lb>0) {
		this.gearsClip_mc.percent_txt.text = math.round((lb/tb)*100);
		this.stop();
		if (lb>=tb) {
			this.gotoAndPlay("fadeOut");
		}
		
	}
}

changed the math to Math.. still no go.. not sure what I see different in random25's code than in mine?/ anyone?


Im going to try and convert to eval(); now..

if all else fails...I'll try to convert the whole thing to a function as NTD suggests..

[whispers]

ok..it HAS to be somethign in the preloader part..

if I use the eval or the original way..the .swf LOADS fine..its the "prelaoder" check that moves the transition clip forward...or the perctanges showing that is NOT working...

onClipEvent (enterFrame) {
	tb = Math.round(eval("_root.mainContainer."+_root.indiPartContainer).getBytesTotal()/1024);
	lb = Math.round(eval("_root.mainContainer."+_root.indiPartContainer).getBytesLoaded()/1024);
	if (tb>0 && lb>0) {
		this.gearsClip_mc.percent_txt.text = Math.round((lb/tb)*100);
		this.stop();
		if (lb>=tb) {
			this.gotoAndPlay("fadeOut");
		}
	}
}

[whispers]

just to update: (and Im not really sure WHY its working.)

I did this..and it works fine.. I did NOT change any syntax...just changed some frame code to be object code...and took my original object code and put it inside the movieClip on frame 1.

so the original frame code is now:

onClipEvent (load) {
	_root.mainContainer[_root.indiPartContainer].loadMovie(_root.part);
	trace(_root.indiPartContainer);
	trace(_root.part);
}

and my original object code switched to be frame code INSIDE the clip:

this.onEnterFrame = function() {
	tb = Math.round(eval("_root.mainContainer."+_root.indiPartContainer).getBytesTotal()/1024);
	lb = Math.round(eval("_root.mainContainer."+_root.indiPartContainer).getBytesLoaded()/1024);
	if (tb>0 && lb>0) {
		this.percent_txt.text = Math.round((lb/tb)*100);
		this.stop();
		if (lb>=tb) {
			_parent.gotoAndPlay("fadeOut");
		}
	}
}

I NOW see everything...the percentage%...the transition...and it comeplets when fully loaded. (wierd)

[random25]

Yes, weird indeed.
Glad you got it working though

[whispers]

now I just gotta make it "look" good...(instead of jst functional) LOL