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USING FLASH CS4 PROFESSIONAL
Symbols, instances, and library assets
See also
“
Edit symbols
” on page 150
Controlling instances with behaviors
In FLA files where the ActionScript Publish setting is set to ActionScript 2.0, you can use behaviors to control movie
clip and graphic instances in a document without writing ActionScript. Behaviors are prewritten ActionScript scripts
that let you add ActionScript coding to your document without having to create the ActionScript code yourself.
Behaviors are not available for ActionScript 3.0.
You can use behaviors with an instance to arrange it in the stacking order on a frame, as well as to load or unload, play,
stop, duplicate, or drag a movie clip, or to link to a URL.
In addition, you can use behaviors to load an external graphic or an animated mask into a movie clip.
Flash includes the behaviors in the following table.
Behavior
Purpose
Select or input
Load Graphic
Loads an external JPEG file into a movie clip or
screen.
Path and filename of JPEG file.
Instance name of movie clip or screen receiving
the graphic.
Load External Movieclip
Loads an external SWF file into a target movie
clip or screen.
URL of external SWF file.
Instance name of movie clip or screen receiving
the SWF file.
Duplicate Movieclip
Duplicates a movie clip or screen.
Instance name of movie clip to duplicate.
X-offset and Y-offset of pixels from original to
copy.
Goto And Play at frame or label
Plays a movie clip from a particular frame.
Instance name of target clip to play.
Frame number or label to play.
Goto And Stop at frame or label
Stops a movie clip, optionally moving the
playhead to a particular frame.
Instance name of target clip to stop.
Frame number or label to stop.
Bring To Front
Brings target movie clip or screen to the top of
the stacking order.
Instance name of movie clip or screen.
Bring Forward
Brings target movie clip or screen one position
higher in the stacking order.
Instance name of movie clip or screen.
Send To Back
Sends the target movie clip to the bottom of the
stacking order.
Instance name of movie clip or screen.
Send Backward
Sends the target movie clip or screen one
position lower in the stacking order.
Instance name of movie clip or screen.
Start Dragging Movieclip
Starts dragging a movie clip.
Instance name of movie clip or screen.
Stop Dragging Movieclip
Stops the current drag.
Unload Movieclip
Removes a movie clip that was loaded by means
of loadMovie() from Flash Player.
Instance name of movie clip.
Updated 5 March 2009
