as3 array string to movieClip

Question

UPDATED ANSWERED: Found a WORK AROUND. I changed my array to an array of mc names rather than strings so it works now. Nevertheless, curious if this question could be answered.

I have a random array of string names. I sort them out randomly. But I need to add an existing movieclip based the string name.

Here is what I have that doesn't work.

public function addToStage()
{
    Happy = sorted.sort( randomize );
    trace("First is: " +Happy[0]); /// Works! 
    addChild(Happy[0]); // Does not work
}

ERROR I GET TypeError: Error #1034: Type Coercion failed: cannot convert "Apple" to flash.display.DisplayObject. at Main/addToStage()[C:etc..\Main.as:74] at Main/init()[C: etc...\Main.as:64] at Main()[C: etc... \Main.as:25]

Are the strings class names, or instance names?

Marty
– Marty

2014-01-09 08:23:22 +00:00
Commented Jan 9, 2014 at 8:23 — Marty
– Marty, Commented Jan 9, 2014 at 8:23
Yes. It seems to be working if I lose the quotes.

Papa De Beau
– Papa De Beau

2014-01-09 08:29:41 +00:00
Commented Jan 9, 2014 at 8:29 — Papa De Beau
– Papa De Beau, Commented Jan 9, 2014 at 8:29

Glitcher · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-09 10:47:36Z

2

Assuming the strings in the array are names of MovieClip vars then it's as simple as this:

this.addChild(this[Happy[0]])

That effectively looks for a variable with the name equivalent to the string in the array, so this["hello"] will look for this.hello

If the strings aren't names of movieclip vars then you would need to "map" the movieclips to the strings using a dictionary or Object like so:

var dictionary:Dictionary = new Dictionary;
dictionary["hello"] = movieClipVariable;

this.addChild(dictionary["hello"]);

Let me know if this isn't what you meant and I'll have another look

answered Jan 9, 2014 at 10:47

Glitcher

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Creative Magic · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-09 08:45:13Z

0

Arrays are dynamic, types are lost on children of the array, the are stored as Object. to add the to the display list you must cast them to a DisplayObject or class that extends a DisplayObject:

addChild(Happy[0] as DisplayObject); // should work

answered Jan 9, 2014 at 8:45

Creative Magic

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serhat sezer · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-09 10:07:09Z

0

you have to do type cast a from object to displayobject.

private var tempMC:MovieClip;

public function addToStage()
{
    Happy = sorted.sort( randomize );
    trace("First is: " +Happy[0]); /// Works! 
    tempMC = Happy[0] as MovieClip;
    addChild(tempMC); // it should work
}

edited Jan 9, 2014 at 10:07

answered Jan 9, 2014 at 9:06

serhat sezer

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