AS3 Javascript Call Sequencer + Omniture + Google Analytics
QueueLoader AS3 rev 7 + Garbage Collection + SoundManager

AS3 + Useful Little Things…

Here is a little list of useful tidbits and pieces of information I have discovered or encountered. Some are simple and obvious, and some are just nice to have handy.

If you come across any more, let us all know!

How to determine the number of times a substring shows up in a string. In this example we want to know how many times “http://” exists in a string:

var s:String = “http:// hdfkajsdhfksdh kj akjdhf ksjdh http:// jsdf asdlkfj  http:// http://”;
var pattern:RegExp = /http:\/\/+/g;
var results:Array = s.match(pattern);
trace(results.length); // 4
 

How to address the main swf preloader issue in IE7:

this.addEventListener(“enterFrame”,onEnterFrame);

function onEnterFrame(e:Event) {
    loadbar.width = (this.loaderInfo.bytesLoaded/this.loaderInfo.bytesTotal)*200;
    if (this.loaderInfo.bytesLoaded == this.loaderInfo.bytesTotal) {
        gotoAndPlay(2);
        this.removeEventListener(“enterFrame”, onEnterFrame);
    }
}

External javascript call that doesn’t bother you:

var playerType:String = Capabilities.playerType;
if (playerType == “External” || playerType == “StandAlone”) {
    //
} else {
    navigateToURL(new URLRequest(“javascript:setHeight(200);”), ‘_self’);
}

Phone and Email validation using REGEX:

// REGEX for email validation
function validateEmail(email:String):Boolean {
        var emailExpression:RegExp = /^[a-z][\w.-]+@\w[\w.-]+\.[\w.-]*[a-z][a-z]$/i;
        return ! emailExpression.test(email);
}
// REGEX for phone validation
function validatePhone(phone:String):Boolean {
        var emailExpression:RegExp = /^((\+\d{1,3}(-| )?\(?\d\)?(-| )?\d{1,3})|(\(?\d{2,3}\)?))(-| )?(\d{3,4})(-| )?(\d{4})(( x| ext)\d{1,5}){0,1}$/i;
        return ! emailExpression.test(phone);
}

Calling another function with arguments using Tweener:

Tweener.addTween(
        item, {
                alpha: 0,
                time:.3,
                transition:“easeoutquad”,
                onComplete:anotherFunction, //Completed Event Callback
                onCompleteParams:[arg1, arg2, arg3] //anotherFunction(arg1:String, arg2:String, arg3:String)
        }
);

Simple button interaction:

submitBT.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OVER, submitInteraction);
submitBT.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OUT, submitInteraction);
submitBT.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, submitInteraction);

function submitInteraction(event:MouseEvent):void {
        switch (event.type) {
                case MouseEvent.MOUSE_OVER :
                        Tweener.addTween(event.currentTarget, {alpha: 1, time:.2, transition:“easeoutquad”});
                        return;
                case MouseEvent.MOUSE_OUT :
                        Tweener.addTween(event.currentTarget, {alpha: .7, time:.2, transition:“easeoutquad”});
                        return;
                case MouseEvent.CLICK :
                        submitForm();
                        return;
        }
}

ADDED_TO_STAGE

pv3dContainer.addEventListener(Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE, handleAddedToStage);

function handleAddedToStage(event:Event):void {
        trace(event);
}

I would suggest avoiding this at all costs. use a setTimeout() function if you need a delay otherwise find another way to call the event. My nightmare with this was confirmed during the Papervision 2.0 seminar when we removed it.

Consistency is the key to effective troubleshooting. That being said here are a couple things that throw that off as well as useful tips:

  • Small images will still load across domains. When security should prevent cross domain loading. (I get the feeling the security is dependent on the file size?)
  • Assets will instantiate in some browsers and some won’t in IE7. (Make sure you hit the frame with assets when preloading. Obvious practice, but when you see thing instantiate when you don’t, makes it easy to overlook)
  • Remember that the edit multiple frames button in the timeline is your friend. (It’s next to the right of the new layer button under the keyframe area in the timeline)
  • Actionscript video cue points are not precise. Cuepoints embedded in the FLV are.
  • Check out the gradient transform tool. It’s a hidden gem.
  • Flash has an easier time rendering filters when the values are exponents of 2, so if you can do x/y blur value pairs using 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. you might see a performance increase with multiples of 2 as well.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 1st, 2007 at 2:30 pm and is filed under AS3, Flash, Source Code. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

3 Responses to “AS3 + Useful Little Things…”

  1. Some Cool AS3 Tips… Says:
    May 2nd, 2008 at 8:52 pm

    [...] Hyrdotik has a great post with some very useful AS3 tips: Click here [...]

  2. HaunGo Says:
    June 19th, 2008 at 10:43 am

    Hi, can someone elaborate on this bullet point:

    ” Assets will instantiate in some browsers and some won’t in IE7. (Make sure you hit the frame with assets when preloading. Obvious practice, but when you see thing instantiate when you don’t, makes it easy to overlook) ”

    I think it relates to a problem I’m having. When I refresh the browser (not on the initial load), parts of my swf are missing. It only happens in IE.

    I’ve never seen anything like it.

    -Thanks

  3. djdonovan Says:
    June 19th, 2008 at 11:17 am

    Sorry I should have worded that better. Basically you need to make sure that your preloaders frames are in fact hitting frames that have your library assets placed on them, I was experiencing a strange thing where the loop wasn’t hitting the frames with the assets on them. One would assume this wouldn’t work as the assets aren’t being instantiated. However in Safari, the assets would load fine which can add an extra layer for debugging if you aren’t looking out for it. Hope that helps!

Leave a Reply