Dynamic Variable Reference To Movie Clips, Counting Instances?

[smcneilly]

Hello,

I'm adding movie clips (squares) using addChild. I'm also adding sub-clips (circles) to the main square clip.

Then, to reference those movie clips, I'm using a "dynamic variable" method, for easier coding (i.e., holderObject["as1"], holderObject["as2"], etc.).

The problem is that I'm trying to read the number of objects in holderObject. When I use holderObject.numChildren, it returns 0.

Is there an easy way to get the number of objects in holderObject, similar to an array (holderObject.length)? Thank you.

// MC1 is a square-shaped object; MC2 is a circle-shaped object
var holderObject:MovieClip = new MovieClip();

// Add first main object
var tempObject1:MC1 = new MC1();
addChild(tempObject1);
holderObject["as1"] = tempObject1;
// Add child object to first main object
var tempCircle1:MC2 = new MC2();
holderObject["as1"].addChild(tempCircle1);
holderObject["as1"].circle = tempCircle1;
// Position objects
holderObject["as1"].x = 50;
holderObject["as1"].circle.x = -10;

// Add second main object
var tempObject2:MC1 = new MC1();
addChild(tempObject2);
holderObject["as2"] = tempObject2;
// Add child object to second main object
var tempCircle2:MC2 = new MC2();
holderObject["as2"].addChild(tempCircle2);
holderObject["as2"].circle = tempCircle2;
// Position objects
holderObject["as2"].x = 250;
holderObject["as2"].circle.x = 50;

trace (holderObject.numChildren);

[fruitbeard]

Hi,

You are not adding any children to holderObject by all accounts;

trace(holderObject.numChildren);
trace(holderObject["as1"].numChildren);
trace(holderObject["as2"].numChildren); 

// MC1 is a square-shaped object; MC2 is a circle-shaped object
var holderObject:MovieClip = new MovieClip();

// Add first main object
var tempObject1:MC1 = new MC1();
addChild(tempObject1);
holderObject["as1"] = tempObject1;
// Add child object to first main object
var tempCircle1:MC2 = new MC2();
holderObject["as1"].addChild(tempCircle1);
holderObject["as1"].circle = tempCircle1;
// Position objects
holderObject["as1"].x = 50;
holderObject["as1"].circle.x = -10;

// Add second main object
var tempObject2:MC1 = new MC1();
addChild(tempObject2);
holderObject["as2"] = tempObject2;
// Add child object to second main object
var tempCircle2:MC2 = new MC2();
holderObject["as2"].addChild(tempCircle2);
holderObject["as2"].circle = tempCircle2;
// Position objects
holderObject["as2"].x = 250;
holderObject["as2"].circle.x = 50;

holderObject.addChild(tempObject1);
holderObject.addChild(tempObject2);

trace(holderObject.numChildren);
trace(holderObject["as1"].numChildren);
trace(holderObject["as2"].numChildren); 

[smcneilly]

Thanks, Fruitbeard.

Overall, I've never understood the "array-like" notation of holderObject["xxx"] to make variable variables. It's not addressed in any of my Flash books, and I've never found a decent explanation on the web.

All I'm trying to do is generate objects dynamically and have a way to track them, delete them, add them, etc. I'll use the method you show, with holderObject.addChild(tempObject1).

If you know of a better way to generate objects dynamically and track them, I'd appreciate your thoughts. Much appreciated -- thank you again.