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I created a Google Code page for the classes and example files I have been using, here: http://code.google.com/p/webdevils/

I just posted a zip containing some Flash example updates for most of the classes.

You can mask the TextArea component if you set the Cache as Bitmap option. Select the TextArea on the stage and find the option labeled as: use runtime bitmap caching, in the Property Inspector.

Selecting this option allows the TextArea to be masked. However it doesn’t seem to allow you to set the alpha. Still looking for an answer to that…

The subject of embedding fonts in the TextArea Component came up yesterday. I didn’t know the answer. But, after some research I found the following works with regular text.

Create a TextArea on the stage. Add some text to the text property in the Component Inspector.

Give the TextArea the Instance name: a_txt.

Create a new Font in the Library, by clicking the little button in the upper right of the library. Choose New Font. Choose the Font and size. Click OK. Find the find in the Library, right click, choose: Linkage. In the Linkage box select Export for ActionScript. Note the Class name. In my example it was Font1.

Add the following on a frame or in class that can access the text Area.

var font:Font = new Font1() as Font;
var tf:TextFormat = new TextFormat();
tf.font = font.fontName;

a_txt.textField.embedFonts = true;
a_txt.setStyle( “textFormat”, tf );

Here’s a few ideas from a thread on Actionscript.org about communicating between two classes:

(root as MyDocClass).my_doc_method();
MyDocClass(root).my_doc_method();

http://www.actionscript.org/forums/showthread.php3?t=152676

Here’s some more info on this subject: http://www.actionscript.org/forums/showthread.php3?t=163265

Ever need to know when the cursor leaves the stage? This comes up every once in a while and is useful to know. First there is Event.MOUSE_LEAVE which is:

Dispatched by the Stage object when the mouse pointer moves out of the Flash Player window area.

According to Flash Help.

stage.addEventListener( Event.MOUSE_LEAVE, mouseLeaveListener );
 function mouseLeaveListener (e:Event):void {
         trace("mouse left the stage");
         stage.addEventListener( Event.MOUSE_MOVE, mouseMoveListener );
 }
 function mouseMoveListener (e:Event):void {
         trace("mouse re-entered the stage");
         // remove the listener until the next time the mouse exits the stage.
         stage.removeEventListener(Event.MOUSE_MOVE, mouseMoveListener);
}

Then there is also Event.ACTIVATE and Event.DEACTIVATE. These events are dispatched when Flash gains and loses focus. In other words when the cursors leaves the area of the movie.

A link to a discussion of the subject on Ationscript.orghere

I noticed that problems can occur when something leaves the stage. At times when a movie clip leaves the stage you will want to clean up or put things in order. I found there are two events that occur when a display object leaves the stage: REMOVED and REMOVED_FROM_STAGE. These have the potential to be very useful.

Here’s a short snippet of code to show how they work. Imagine you have a movie clip named box_mc. The script below adds a the clip to the satge, then assigns a CLICK event listener to it. When the box_mc is clicked it removes itself from the stage. This enabled by adding the REMOVED_FROM_STAGE event listener.

var box_mc:MovieClip = new Box();
addChild( box_mc );
box_mc.addEventListener( MouseEvent.CLICK, click_box );
box_mc.addEventListener( Event.REMOVED_FROM_STAGE, remove_me );

function click_box( event:Event ):void {
	trace( "Click box" );
	removeChild( box_mc );
}

function remove_me( event:Event ):void {
	trace( event.target + " has been removed from the stage" );
}

Here’s another exmaple. Imagine you have a class that is used as he base class for a MovieClip. That is the class is set as the Base Class for a MovieClip Symbol in your library. This class might create objects that live on after it is removed from the stage.

To take care of these object you can give your class a destroy() method and add an event listener for REMOVED_FROM_STAGE. This way the clip takes care of cleaning up after itself.

Here’s an example of a class with a destroy() method set up as described:

package {
	import flash.display.MovieClip;
	import flash.events.*;

	public class OrangeBox extends MovieClip {

		public function OrangeBox() {
			addEventListener( Event.REMOVED_FROM_STAGE, destroy );
		}

		public function destroy( evt:Event ):void {
			trace( "Destroy the Orange box" );
		}
	}
}

I have been trying to get my site back up and running for a few months now. I had been playing with Joomla, but was not getting very far with it. I finally decided to switch to WordPress, which seems to be much easier to work with and modify.