Need help with buttons

Si · May 5, 2003 10:50

I've got two buttons that rotate a movie clip clockwise and anti-clockwise. At the moment, they only rotate a step at a time while the mouse button is held down but I want them to continuously rotate while the mouse button is held down.

I'm using Flash MX and the current code is as follows:

Code:

on(press) {
 // rotate the protractor anti-clockwise.
 protractor._rotation += -1;
}

(obviously, the value is '1' for clockwise)

Can anyone help with this? It's quite urgent to get this done so the timer's ticking...

Cheers very much!

**freddydoesphp** · May 5, 2003 11:52

Yeah you will need to use an enterframe handler. Are you using Flash MX?

**freddydoesphp** · May 5, 2003 11:55

Here is the MX code

Code:

buttonInstance.onPress = function() {
  this.onEnterFrame = rotClockwise;
}
buttonInstance.onPress = function() {
  this.onEnterFrame = null;
}
function rotClockwise() {
  protactor._rotation += 1;
}

Then just repeat for the counterclockwise one. Where buttonInstance is the intsance name assigned to the button.

**aaron.martone** · May 5, 2003 12:21

freddy, will your code work?

Just wondering but shouldn't you define functions before you place code that could use it?

ie, if buttonInstance was pressed, it would reference to call a function that has not yet been defined (rotClockwise)

Code:

function rotClockwise() {
protactor._rotation += 1;
}
buttonInstance.onPress = function() {
this.onEnterFrame = rotClockwise;
}
buttonInstance.onPress = function() {
this.onEnterFrame = null;
}

Si · May 5, 2003 12:32

Cheers for the help guys... I've got it all working now using a different method.

Code:

on(press) {
_root.protractor.onEnterFrame = function(){
_root.protractor._rotation -= 1;
}
}
on(release){
delete _root.protractor.onEnterFrame;
}

**freddydoesphp** · May 5, 2003 12:43

Cool

Aaron,

Did you happen to test this before asking that question? If you had, you would have seen that it does in fact work, the function is declared as the soon as the frame loads.

The only mistake I had was the onRelease was an onPress and needed changning, other than that it worked fine with the function below the event handlers.

**aaron.martone** · May 5, 2003 13:33

lol

Yes I did. You had more errors than that. Your function call of this.onEnterFrame = rotClockwise; does not work unless you call it rotClockwise();

**freddydoesphp** · May 5, 2003 14:07

lol

Yes I did. You had more errors than that. Your function call of this.onEnterFrame = rotClockwise; does not work unless you call it rotClockwise();

I can tell you tested it then

, because you should not have the () after the function name when assigning an event handler.

In fact if you add the () like you have shown the function will only run once, it will not run at the frame rate. So yes the onRelease was the only oversight. I am curious as to how you came up with that the () should be there if you really tested it.

**aaron.martone** · May 5, 2003 15:46

Without that () the script was not run at all.

With the () the script was run During the press event handler once which is what I would expect since said function was now uncallable since the Release function changed to button's functionality to nothing (null)

**freddydoesphp** · May 5, 2003 15:54

Without that () the script was not run at all.

I disagree.

With the () the script was run During the press event handler once which is what I would expect since said function was now uncallable since the Release function changed to button's functionality to nothing (null)

Actually what they want to happen is for the clip to continue rotating until the button is released. So running it once is fine but not they want.

Maybe you are not understanding what is meant by dynamic assignment of event handlers. When the onPress handler is called the clip's onEnterFrame event is assigned to function rotClockwise, so as long as the button is held down, the function runs as many times per second as the movie's frame rate. Once they release the button the onEnterFrame event is removed from the clip, and once they press it again the same thing happens again.

HEre see what I mean.
http://www.irq11.com/~louie/especially4aaron.html

http://www.irq11.com/~louie/especially4aaron.fla

**aaron.martone** · May 5, 2003 15:54

Code:

buttonInstance.onPress = function() {
  this.onEnterFrame = rotClockwise();
  // the above line will not work if () is removed
}
buttonInstance.onRelease = function() {
  this.onEnterFrame = null;
}
function rotClockwise() {
  protactor._rotation += 1;
}

If you remove the () on line 2, the script DOES NOT WORK. I don't know why you're giving me such an attitude on this. I placed the code in Flash MX, TESTED IT, and if you leave () off, the pressing of button named buttonInstance does NOT rotate the MC named protactor. If it is added, then clicking the button DOES rotate the MC.

**aaron.martone** · May 5, 2003 15:58

LOL. I didn't say that it was being called multiple times. I only stated "Your function call of this.onEnterFrame = rotClockwise; does not work unless you call it rotClockwise(); "

That statement is true. I know that with my above code, the addition of () only makes it perform once, that wasn't my point; my point alone is that with said code, the function won't even call if rotClockwise is used without the parentheses.

**freddydoesphp** · May 5, 2003 16:04

Why am I giving you attitude? Well let me ask you this, did you download the fla I linked in my last post? Did you open it in MX? Did you run the movie? Did it work? I would be very much interested to know the answers, because I am staring at the swf right now with no () and it works fine.

**freddydoesphp** · May 5, 2003 16:05

You on a MAC or PC?

**aaron.martone** · May 5, 2003 16:17

PC.

I found the problem. If you make the Button, a BUTTON (like I have), then the code used works in the manner I specified, and to a T.

If you make the Button a MOVIECLIP object, then it works in the manner you specified.

**freddydoesphp** · May 5, 2003 16:23

I got it to work with being a button as well. Not sure why there is an inconsistency between what I am seeing and what you are seeing.

http://www.irq11.com/~louie/especially4aaron2.html
http://www.irq11.com/~louie/especially4aaron2.fla

**aaron.martone** · May 5, 2003 16:29

I'm not much on caring that it works in both methods. I'm well aware that flash mx has about 20 different ways to do one thing. My goal was to find the key factor why your script and my script acted in different behaviors (even after being tested)

I only assumed they were buttons because the initial post said they used buttons. And strictly saying, we both know that MovieClips are not Buttons. This is just miscommunication; though I still didn't care for the attitude.

The net is such a vast medium of information, that miscommunication is sure to happen sooner or later; how it is dealt with will prove the end result to be either negative or positive.

Si · May 5, 2003 16:33

Hey guys...

I just want to say thanks for the all help in this. You've obviosuly gone to a lot of trouble trying to find the best solution and the perfect bit of code.

I've resolved the said problem now anyway... good discussion though. Make's you realise how picky Flash (MX or otherwise) can actually be. I've noticed that too during the development of my Flash application.

**freddydoesphp** · May 5, 2003 16:33

Sorry that you feel that way. There is still an issue, as you say with a button it works your way. Well I am here to tell you that with a button it works the same. I have provided you with both a version using a movieclip as psuedo button and one with an actual button. Both of them work with the initial code I provided.

I am sorry you don't like my attitude, but thats me, and you'll have to learn to accept it or just ignore me. Whichever you prefer.

**aaron.martone** · May 5, 2003 16:50

I'll have to learn to accept it? Sorry to disappoint, but I don't have to do anything I don't want to. Keep your attitude freddy, you'll make tons of friends with it.

**aaron.martone** · May 5, 2003 18:07

Only a lesson when you learn from it.

**aaron.martone** · May 5, 2003 20:51

lol. You're on the ignore list Flintstone, I have no idea what you're babbling on about now. lol.

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