Pass Instance Name into function

[Focusfilm.at]

Hi Everyone, sorry for posting so many beginners questions in the last few days...,

Whats wrong with this code?

function fadeOUT(e:String):void

{

  this.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, fadeOUT);

  this.alpha -= 0.1;

  if (this.alpha <= 0)

  {

       this.removeEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, fadeOUT);

       trace("fire")

  }

}

fadeOUT("McInstanceName");

If the code is like this i get an "

TypeError: Error #1010: A term is undefined and has no properties.

  at Test87_fla::MainTimeline/fadeOUT()"

Here is the Part i don't understand: The code does not produce Errors if i do one of the following:

• Change this.alpha -= 0.1; to this.alpha -= 1;
• Comment out this.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, fadeOUT);

Is there maybe another way to pass a movieClip into a function?

I would appreciate any help, thanks

[Colin Holgate · Accepted solution]

You're calling fadeOut(needs a string) back to itself as fadeOut(needs an Event). Make it be two functions, say one is startFadeOut(e:String) that would apply the listener, and then fadeOut(e:Event) that does the enterframe alpha change.

[Focusfilm.at]

Thanks Colin! I LOVE this Community!

[Focusfilm.at]

Follow up question:

my code now produces the same error.

If i do not pass a String into fadeOUT(), how can i specify, which Movie Clip Instance i want the alpha change applied to?

I fear, i am too stupid for AS3...

function StartFadeOUT(e:String):void

{

  this.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, fadeOUT);

}

function fadeOUT(e:Event):void

{

  this.alpha -= 0.1;

  if (this.alpha <= 0)

  {

  this.removeEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, StartFadeOUT);

  }

}

StartFadeOUT("McInstanceName");

[Colin Holgate]

I feel sure there may be a better way to organize the code. But for now, try:

function fadeOUT(e:Event):void

{

  this.target.alpha -= 0.1;

[Colin Holgate]

That should have been:

function fadeOUT(e:Event):void

{

  e.target.alpha -= 0.1;

[Focusfilm.at]

Thanks Colin,

if i just change this.alpha -= 0.1; to e.target.alpha -= 0.1; i get the same error,

if i comment out the if statement, alpha goes instantly to 0, without fading or me ever seeing the specified MC...

[Focusfilm.at]

Colin Holgate​

Scratch the last comment,

the following code seems to work:

function fadeOUT(e:Event):void

{

  e.target.alpha -= 0.01;

  if (e.target.alpha <= 0)

  {

  e.target..removeEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, fadeOUT);

  trace("fire")

  }

}

notice, i changed 0.1 to 0.01? Any idea, why it would fade out much more quickly now?

Thanks again

[ClayUUID]

Sigh. Seriously, you're Doing It Wrong. Ditch the event listener entirely and use the Tween class instead. It's one line of code. ONE.

I realize you're emotionally invested in making your original approach work, but there's no room for sentiment in coding.

[Focusfilm.at]

ClayUUID​

OK, i had a look at the documentation of the tween class. If you tell me which ONE line of code that would be, i'll use it. Say i have 3 MovieClips MC1, MC2 and MC3, and i want to fade in MC3 and fade the currently visible one out, no matter which MC is currently visible. What would that one line of code look like? Say, i want to add MC4,5,6,7, and 8 afterwards. If you cannot/ do not want to provide that ONE line of code, then i'll use the approach i worked out with the help of Colin Holgate​. You may be right that there is no room for sentiment in coding, but as a novice i learned very much about AS3 and coding in general by my own approach.

I'll even unmark Collins answer as correct and yours as correct if you provide that ONE line of code (provided it does work for me).

Thanks and kind regards

[ClayUUID]

If all you want to do is fade something out, why aren't you just using the Tween class? It would be so much simpler.

[Focusfilm.at]

Hi, Clay, thanks for your reply,

if you would explain to me, what a "Tween Class" is and how i would use it, i would very much appreciate it. I just started using Animate a week ago...

[ClayUUID]

Tween - Adobe ActionScript® 3 (AS3 Flash) API Reference

import fl.transitions.Tween;

import fl.transitions.easing.None;

new Tween(McInstanceName, "alpha", None.easeNone, 1, 0, 10);

[Focusfilm.at]

ClayUUID​ Thanks i'll have a look at that.

In the End i want to have a method that Fades Every MC in an array out, while fading only the specified MC in...