director scripting


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Communication 111A | Communication and Computers

Fall 2002 | University of California, San Diego

Instructor: Brian Goldfarb

Scripting in Director

Note: scripts are not case sensative (exept anmes of cast members and other text which is in quotes.)

Events: Like in life, something that happens. some are user initiated, some are diretor initiated (or internal). Examples are:

MouseDown
MouseUp
on mouseUpOutside
on rightMouseDown
on rightMouseUp
on mouseLeave
on mouseEnter
on mouseWithin
on keyDown
on keyUp
EnterFrame
Exitframe
PrepareFrame
PrepareMovie
StartMovie
on stopMovie
BeginSprite
on endSprite
on activateWindow
on moveWindow
close window
open window
on deactivateWindow
on zoomWindow
on resizeWindow
on idle
on stepFrame
on streamStatus
on timeOut
on hyperlinkClicked
on cuePassed

Note: some events you wouldn't normally notice (when director loads cast members, when director prepares a frame).

Handlers are the basic unit of all scripts. They begin with "on: and end with "end". There may be several handleers in a single script or behavior, but no two should be triggered by the same event.

Reading dot syntax: always read groups of text seperated by decimals backward from right to left (except for what is in parenthisis--these are read after what is just to the left of them). When reading substitute "of" for each dot.

Variables, Properities and Globals

Variables (local variables): can be created simply by setting them equal to a numeric or text value. but the=y will last only the life of the handle.

Properities: exist in memory until they are reset or removed. Some properties are preset (director created), others you can declare. to do this you begin a script with (above all the handlers):
Property [somepropertyname], [anotherpropertyname], [etc]
Globals (global variables): Like properties, exist for the life of the movie or until they are reset or removed. the diference is that global variables are accessable to any script, not just the one in which they are originally declared. To initiate a global, simply begin a script with (above all the handlers):
Global [someGlobalName], [anotherGlobalName], [etc]

More on Properties: Aside from being variables properties are characteristics of objects in director: sprites, frames, castmembers andmovies all have properties that can be set. Examples:

a sprite's member, location, color, bckgroundcolor, foregroundcolor, rotation, height width, scale, blend (or transparency), ink, etc
a castmember: text (in a text or field castmember),fileName, number, media type, palette,
frames: frameLabel, frameTransition, framePalette, label(), frameScript, labelList, frameSound1,frameTempo, etc

Testing (properties/conditions) and setting properties

True/False or 1/O
If/Then/else Starements (and Case statements)

Loops:

Repeat with and Repeat with... down
Repeat while

Message Hierarchy: the order in which diector looks for scripts to execute whenever an event happens.

Sprie
Castmember
Frame
Movie

Commenting in scripts: lines of text which begins with "--" will be ignored by director so they can be used for comments or non-executing text.

Lists and other more advanced scripting

Some guidelines:

1. Use single frame loops when possible rather than linear animations (you can nest linear animations as film loops)

2. Given the choice place scripts in sprites rather than in cast members

3. Give names to your scripts and cast members that make sense to you.

4. when declaring variable, it is good practice to come up with a system of naming that makes sense to you. for example, Itend to give property variables names that start with "p" and globals names that start with "g"