How to use WordPress 3 - Video Tutorials for Beginners

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The AS3 Event Object

Part 1: Introduction to AS3 event handling
Part 2: How to create an AS3 event listener
Part 3: The AS3 event object
by Alberto Medalla
Lecturer, Ateneo de Manila University

When an ActionScript 3 event occurs, an event object gets created just before the associated event listener function gets triggered. This event object contains information about the event that just occurred, and is immediately passed to the event listener function. Some of the information it contains are:

• the type of event that occurred (ex. click event, key down event, etc…)
• the event source (ex. in a click event, the event source would be the object that was clicked)

Think of this event object as a note that gets passed to the listener function.

The listener function can then open the note to read what's inside it, and learn more about the event that triggered it.

To be able to accept this event object, the event listener function must have a parameter for it.

All the available information contained in the event object can then be accessed within the function using this event parameter.

For example:

my_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, onClick);

function onClick(e:MouseEvent):void
{
     trace(e.type);
}

Here, we have e as the event parameter of the listener function. If we want to display what kind of event triggered this listener function, then we can use the type property of the event object, and trace it. The type property of the event object refers to whatever event caused the listener function to get triggered. Since our parameter name is e, we will be able to access the type property using e.type. In this example, we know that we have an event handler for a click event, so when this event listener function runs (i.e. when the button is clicked), Flash will trace e.type and will display the word click in the output window.

NOTE: The event listener function must always have an event parameter, even if you don't plan on using it. Also, the event listener function can have no other parameter but this one.

Let's take a look at another simple example that illustrates how the event object can be used.

[VIEW THE EXAMPLE]
Click the link to go to the sample page

Here is the code:

circle1_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, onClick1);
circle2_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, onClick2);
circle3_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, onClick3);

function onClick1(e:MouseEvent):void
{
     circle1_btn.scaleX = 2;
     circle1_btn.scaleY = 2;
}

function onClick2(e:MouseEvent):void
{
     circle2_btn.scaleX = 2;
     circle2_btn.scaleY = 2;
}

function onClick3(e:MouseEvent):void
{
     circle3_btn.scaleX = 2;
     circle3_btn.scaleY = 2;
}

One thing you might have noticed is how redundant the code is. Here, you see three different listener functions that basically do the same thing - make the circle bigger. The only difference is that each listener function makes a different circle bigger. But wouldn't it be more efficient if we found a way to write just one event listener function that can figure out which circle was clicked so that it resizes the correct one? Using the event object, we will be able to do that.

We've learned that one of the pieces of information contained in the event object is the event source. In the example above, the event source will be whichever button was clicked. To be able to access this piece of information, we can use the currentTarget property of the event object. So instead of writing down 3 different functions that contain the names of each of the buttons, we can just write one function, and use e.currentTarget instead of the button instance names.

So we would have this code instead:

circle1_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, onClick);
circle2_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, onClick);
circle3_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, onClick);

function onClick(e:MouseEvent):void
{
     e.currentTarget.scaleX = 2;
     e.currentTarget.scaleY = 2;
}

Here, all 3 of the add event listener statements register the same listener function. And in that listener function, the value of e.currentTarget will change depending on which button was clicked. So if it was the circle1_btn button that was clicked, then it's also the circle1_btn button that will get resized, and not any of the other buttons.

See how useful the event object can be? Imagine if we had 50 buttons in this example. With the event object, we have a way to write just one listener function instead of 50, making our code much more lean and efficient.

And that concludes this tutorial series on ActionScript 3.0 event handlers. Hope you found this helpful. Thanks for reading! To support the site, you can send donations in bitcoin through this address:

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PREV: How to Create an AS3 Event Listener

Adobe Photoshop CS5 Tutorials for Beginners

Learn how to use Adobe Photoshop CS5! Tutorials for beginners can be found below. These excellent videos are from the Photoshop CS5 Essential Training Course by lynda.com - one of the best software training sites on the web today. This training course will teach you what you need to know to get started with not just Photoshop CS5, but Adobe Bridge and Camera Raw as well. You'll learn how to produce high-quality images and how to efficiently perform the most common photo-editing tasks. You can start by watching the free videos below. If you want to access the entire course, become a lynda.com member today or sign up for a FREE 10-day trial.

InDesign CS5 Video Training for Beginners

If you're looking for an excellent InDesign CS5 video training course for beginners, then check out the free video tutorials below. These are from the InDesign CS5 Essential Training Course by lynda.com - one of the best training sites on the web today. View the free videos below to start learning. You'll learn what InDesign CS5 is all about, how to manage documents and workspaces, setting text frame columns and insets, adding live captions, and making interactive documents, to name a few. If you want to access the entire course, become a lynda.com member today or sign up for a FREE 7-day trial.

How to: Create an Account on Facebook - Instructions, Guides, Tips, and Training Video Tutorials

If you want to learn how to create an account on Facebook and you're looking for resources about Facebook - instructions, guides, tips, and training - check out these free Facebook video tutorials below. These are from the Facebook Essential Training Course by lynda.com. It will teach you the basics of creating an account on Facebook and managing it. It has topics on: finding and adding friends, liking pages, reading the News Feed, writing on a friend’s wall, updating your status, posting videos and links, creating a page for a business, protecting privacy and staying secure, deactivating an account, and more. Check out the free videos below to see start learning. To view the entire course, become a lynda.com member or sign up for a FREE 7-day trial.

Flash CS5 Video Tutorials for Beginners Training Course

Here are some Flash CS5 video tutorials for beginners from Flash Professional CS5 Essential Training from lynda.com. This comprehensive beginners training course covers the things you need to know in order to start making your own interactive Flash projects. Topics include drawing in Flash CS5, working with text, creating animation, working with audio & video, adding basic interactivity using ActionScript, integrating Flash with other Adobe applicatons, creating slideshows, and more! There's even a chapter on using Flash to create iPhone applications. Below, you'll find 20+ free video tutorial samples from the course. You can become a lynda.com member or sign-up for a FREE 7-day trial to lynda.com so you can access all the videos and courses on their website.

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How to Change the Size of a Movie Clip Using ActionScript 3 - Assigning AS3 instance names and modifying some AS3 movie clip properties

by Alberto Medalla
Lecturer, Ateneo de Manila University

In this lesson, I'm going to discuss the concept of instance names and how they are needed in ActionScript in order to control display objects (objects that can be seen on the stage). Let's say that you've got a display object on the stage (such as an instance of a movie clip symbol that you created), how can you use ActionScript 3 in order to make that object change in size? By the end of this lesson, that is something that you should already be able to do.

Let's begin.

I've mentioned that we can control display objects using ActionScript. Think of ActionScript as the language that we use so that we can "communicate" with these objects and tell them what to do (e.g. change color, change size, change location, become clickable, etc...). We refer to each individual display object on the stage as an instance - it can be a button, a movie clip or a text field. In order to be able to "communicate" with these instances, we must give them names.

When we communicate with real people, we address them by name - "Hey, John. Can you send me that document from our previous meeting?" In ActionScript, to communicate with these instances on the stage, we must address them by their names as well. These names are referred to as instance names.

NOTE: Instances of graphic symbols and static text fields cannot be used with ActionScript, because they cannot be given instance names. But instances of movie clips and buttons, as well as text fields that are of the dynamic, input and all TLF types can be given instance names.

In the following exercise, you will learn how to assign instance names to display objects.

HOW TO GIVE OBJECTS INSTANCE NAMES
1. Create a new Flash ActionScript 3 document.

2. Draw a circle on the stage.

3. Convert this circle into a movie clip symbol. You must convert the shape into a movie clip or button symbol in order to be able to give it an instance name.

NOTE: The symbol name (the one you type in the Convert to Symbol dialog box) is NOT the same as the instance name.

4. Make sure that the circle is selected, then go to the Properties Inspector.

NOTE: When selecting instances of symbols on the stage, do NOT double-click them. Double-clicking will open up symbol-editing mode. To select an instance, just click on it once using the selection tool (the black arrow).

5. Then in the properties inspector, you will see an input field for the instance name. Type circle1_mc inside the input field.

You've now given the currently selected instance the name circle1_mc. The same step is followed if you wish to give buttons or text fields instance names as well.

6. Add another instance of the circle symbol by dragging it from the library down to the stage.

7. Make sure that this second instance is selected, then go to the Properties Inspector and give it the name circle2_mc.

You now have 2 movie clip instances on the stage, each one with a unique instance name.

And this concludes the first exercise of this lesson.

++++++

Instance names are author defined, meaning you decide what names to give them. But there are still some rules that you need to follow. Let's take a look at those rules.

RULES TO FOLLOW WHEN GIVING INSTANCE NAMES

1. Instance names must be unique. No instances within the same scope should have the same name.
2. The characters in an instance name can only be made up of: letters, numerical characters, underscores (_), and dollar signs ($). No other characters can be used.
3. The first character in an instance name can only be: a letter, an underscore (_), or a dollar sign ($). You CANNOT start an instance name with a numerical character.
4. Instance names are case-sensitive. John is different from john.

Make sure you follow these rules to help avoid some errors.

++++++

MODIFYING PROPERTIES OF AN INSTANCE
Now that the instances have names, you will be able to target them using ActionScript. In this exercise, you will add some ActionScript code that will modify some of the properties of the instances on the stage. You will modify the size using the scaleX and scaleY ActionScript 3 properties. You'll also modify the opacity using the alpha property.

1. Create a new layer for the ActionScript code. You can name this one Actions, but it's not required.

2. Make sure that frame 1 of the Actions layer is selected, then launch the Actions Panel by choosing Window > Actions from the main menu.

3. In the Script Pane of the Actions Panel, type in the following lines of code:

circle1_mc.scaleX = 2;
circle1_mc.scaleY = 2;

These lines of code will scale up the circle1_mc instance to 2 times its original size (or 200%). The scaleX property controls the horizontal scaling, while the scaleY property controls the vertical scaling.

4. Then add one more line below the first 2 lines of code:

circle2_mc.alpha = .5;

This reduces the alpha property value of circle2_mc to .5. The alpha property controls the opacity. A value of .5 brings the opacity down to 50%. You can assign a value from 0 to 1 for the alpha property. The object becomes less visible as the value approaches 0.

5. Test the movie by pressing ctrl + enter (pc) or cmd + return (mac) on your keyboard. You should see that the circle1_mc instance is now larger, and the circle2_mc instance is lighter.

What are properties?
In the exercise above, you modified some properties of movie clip instances. Think of properties as characteristics that describe instances (e.g. size, color, rotation).

Some properties of MovieClip instances are:

• scaleX - scales the instance horizontally by a specified number
• scaleY - scales the instance vertically by a specified number
• x - controls the x coordinate of the instance
• y - controls the y coordinate of the instance
• rotation - rotates the instance to the angle specified
• width - adjusts the width of the instance
• height - adjusts the height of the instance
• alpha - adjusts the opacity level of the instance

To access a property, add a dot to the end of the instance name followed by the property name. Then use the equals sign to assign a property value.

Syntax:
instanceName.property = value;

*This is referred to as dot syntax, because it uses dots.

Examples:
circle1_mc.x = 50;
circle1_mc.rotation = 45;
circle2_mc.scaleY = .5;

*Each statement is ended with a semi-colon.

In summation, instance names allow us to target the instances on our stage so that we can control them using ActionScript 3. Each instance name must be unique in order to differentiate the instances from each other, therefore allowing us to target each instance individually. Once an instance has a name, it's properties can be accessed using dot syntax, and can be modified by assigning new values to these properties.

And that concludes this basic tutorial on how to assign instance names in order to control instances using ActionScript 3. I hope you learned something useful. To support this site and expand your knowledge further, sign-up for 10 days of free unlimited access to Lynda.com. This gives you full access to thousands of training videos in the Lynda.com library.

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Using Adobe Bridge CS5 and Customizing the Photoshop CS5 Workspace | Video Tutorials

Here are some video tutorials on using Adobe Bridge CS5 to organize images and how to customize the Photoshop CS5 workspace. These Photoshop CS5 video tutorials are from the Adobe Photoshop CS5 Pro User Skill Sets Training Course by the VTC Online University. Click on the movie links below to watch the videos.

The rest of the training course focuses on more advanced Photoshop CS5 tutorials on topics such as using Photoshop CS5 for print and web layouts, painting techniques, the pen tool, and creating special effects. You can access the rest of the training course by signing up for a VTC Online University membership.

About the Course

Course: Adobe Photoshop CS5 Pro User Skill Sets
Author: Geoff Blake
Release Date: 2011-02-03
Duration: 8 hrs

Course Description

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About the VTC Online University

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Course Topics

Overview

Organizing Images with Adobe Bridge
A Look at Mini Bridge
Touring the Mini Bridge Interface
Previewing in Mini Bridge
Mini Bridge View Options
Navigating with Mini Bridge
Touring the Adobe Bridge Interface
Previewing Images
Image Metadata
Keywords & Keyword Searches
Filtering Your Images
Creating Folders & Moving Images
Collections & Smart Collections

Customizing Photoshop
Review: Workspaces
Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts
Customizing Photoshop Menus

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Using Photoshop for Print Layout
Getting Ready for Layout
Setting Photoshops Unit of Measurement
Creating & Managing Guides
Using the Grid & Snapping
Creating the Disc Template
A Trick for Setting Up Guides
Finishing the Template
Inserting Design Elements
Photoshop Typography Options
Typography & Layer Styles
Applying a Saved Style
Illustrator Smart Objects pt. 1
Illustrator Smart Objects pt. 2
Finishing Up the Layout


Using Photoshop for Web Layout
Setting Up a Web Layout File
Inserting the Design Elements
Building a Web Menu
Finishing Off the Layout

Photoshop Painting Techniques
Setting Up Layers for Painting
Using Photoshops Brush Tool
Paint Brush Tool Techniques
Painting with Multiple Colors
Sampling with the Eyedropper Tool
Mixing Colors in the Color Panel
Saving Color Swatches
Mixing with Photoshops Color Picker
Saving & Loading Swatches pt. 1
Saving & Loading Swatches pt. 2
Introducing Gradients
Using the Gradient Editor
Applying a Gradient to the Artwork
Using the Eraser Tool
Creating Custom Brushes


Photoshop Pen Tool Mastery
Understanding Paths & the Pen Tool
Creating Straight Path Segments
Creating Curved Path Segments pt. 1
Creating Curved Path Segments pt. 2
Creating Combination Paths pt. 1
Creating Combination Paths pt. 2
Continuing Paths & Adding Anchors
Manipulating Paths & Anchor Points
Using Paths To Create Selection pt. 1
Using Paths To Create Selection pt. 2
Clipping Paths for InDesign pt. 1
Clipping Paths for InDesign pt. 2


Creating Special Effects
Invert Posterize & Threshold
Creating Black & White Images pt. 1
Creating Black & White Images pt. 2
Creating Black & White Images pt. 3
Creating Duotone Effects pt. 1
Creating Duotone Effects pt. 2
Creating Glow Effects pt. 1
Creating Glow Effects pt. 2
Creating Glow Effects pt. 3
Creating Glow Effects pt. 4
Creating Chiseled Ice pt. 1
Creating Chiseled Ice pt. 2
Creating Chiseled Ice pt. 3
Creating Chiseled Ice pt. 4


Using Photoshop for Print Design
Photoshop Print Workflow pt. 1
Photoshop Print Workflow pt. 2
Photoshop Print Workflow pt.3
Layer Comps with InDesign pt. 1
Layer Comps with InDesign pt. 2


Using Photoshop for Web Design
Understanding Web File Formats
Using the Save For Web & Devices Dialog
Setting JPEG Optimization
Setting GIF Optimization
Setting PNG Optimization
Smart Objects with Dreamweaver pt. 1
Smart Objects with Dreamweaver pt. 2
Creating Web 2.0 Style Buttons pt. 1
Creating Web 2.0 Style Buttons pt. 2
Using Photoshop & Flash Together

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