Flash :: Fast Array Searching

Searching Within An Array
hello all,

quick lil question....

I'm trying to fugure out the best approach to to search within items in an array...

Here some sample code I use for basic (single item) search:

Code:
// Create an array with eight elements.
myArray = ["a", "b", "c"];

// Specify what we want to search for.
searchString = "b";

// Use a for statement to loop through, potentially, all the elements of the array.
for (var i = 0; i < myArray.length; i++) {

// Check whether the current element matches the search value.
if (myArray[i] == searchString) {

// Do something with the matching element, if necessary. In this example, display
// a message in the Output window for testing purposes.
trace("Element with index " + i + " found to match " + searchString);

// Include a break statement to exit the for loop once a match has been found.
break;
}
}
Ok, so what if I wanted to search for a Word among multiple words.
For example, how would I find out if the array finds a match within an array such as:

Code:
myArray = ["Betty Davis", "Team Macromedia", "Houston Soccer Team"];
How would I find all array items that match "Team"?

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
jc_

Searching An Array?
Hey, the following code is from a Kirupa Tutorial, but i was wondering if there was a way of checking once an item is found in the array, where it is located in the array.

ie 20 is coOrdinates [0];

coOrdinates = new Array ();
coOrdinates.push (20, 21, 22);
contains = function (input, coOrdinates) {
for (i=0; i< coOrdinates.length; i++) {
if (coOrdinates[i] == input) {
return 1;
}
}
return -1;
};

if(contains( 20 ,coOrdinates)==1) {
trace("I'm here");

Searching Through An Array
Okay,
I have hit a dead end.... I have a quiz that randomly calls a question and then stores that question in an array called 'used' so that it isnt called again. I am trying to make a loop that searches through the 'used' array and only selects a question that isnt in that array. is there a way that I can select the range of the array, as in used[0-25]? What I have is something like this:

Code:
while( x = used[i]){
i++
}
This doesnt work though because it only searches the current spot on the array.... What is the best way to go about doing this?
Thanks so much in advance.

Searching An Array.
is there a function within the array class that does something like the vector class in java? well the function would work like this.

//pseudo code <>
function search(array , item){
var position = array.search(item);
return position;
}
//example ouput
3;
//meaning the item is in the position 3..
//pseudo code </>

is there any way to do that?

Searching XML Array Dynamically
I want to load an xml put the values on an array its just 2 values per node

then i want to be able to search the array dynamically, meaning to search as you type something like with .onChanged();

can someone tell me in what direction to go
i need to know how to use indexOf(); or another better solution to do this

using Flash cs3

Searching Array Elements
Hi,

I am trying to execute a condition to see if a particular value is an element of an array. say something like

if(a== elementOf(idArray)) {

trace("yes");
}

Is there a way to do the above or the only way is to code it to search through the array. Kindly pour in some ideas...

Thanks,
jay

Searching In Array With Objects
Hello everybody,
Let's say I have some objects:

Code:
var apple = new Object();
apple.taste = "acid";
apple.color = "red";

var berry = new Object();
apple.taste = "acid";
apple.color = "purple";

//more fruits

var myArray = new Array(apple, berry, fruit1, fruit2, ...)
Does anybody have an idea how to search the strings in the array? Let's say the user types "ci" to the search field, searching in "taste" (it would be marked). Now it should return the objects which have the string "ci" in the taste, as:
apple - acid - red
berry - acid - purple
...

I would really appreciate any ideas, advices, tutorials, codes, simply ANYTHING! Thanks a lot!

Poco

Searching An Array For A Character
I made a drag and drop interaction. I have 10 drag movieclips (drag1_mc - drag10_mc) and 10 targets (target1_mc - target10_mc).

I have a score array (score_Array) that keeps track of the placement of the drags on the targets (“C” if correct, “W” if wrong or dropped on an area on the stage other than any of the targets (also a drop with a collision with a drag already on a target) will set a “W” in the array for that drag and the drag will move back to home).

The array works great.

I am having a problem with a string variable to tell me if there are any W’s anywhere in the score array.

The following code works if I place the drags in the correct targets from 1 – 10

1-9 (C,C,C,C,C,C,C,C,C,W) will still show the scoreStatus variable as “Wrong”

checkscore = function(){
for (i=0; i<scoreArray.length; i++) {
if (scoreArray[i] == "W"){
scoreStatus = "Wrong";
}else {
scoreStatus = "Correct";
}; // end of if statement
}; // end of for statement
trace("scoreStatus = " + scoreStatus);
}; // end of function

Once I hit 10 it switches to “Correct”, but if I move a drag to an incorrect place it still shows as “Correct” even though the array now shows a “W” in the elements. The array works good, just the method to determine if any elements in the array is a W is flawed.

If I move correctly place just drag 10 from the beginning (W,W,W,W,W,W,W,W,W,C) it will show “Correct”.

I need a way to search an array’s elements and determine if the string “W” equals any of the arrays elements and if so the variable scoreStatus will be “Wrong”, else “Correct” (all C’s no W’s).

I just could make a lengthy if statement: if((scoreArray[0] = =”C”) && ( scoreArray[1] = = “C”) &&…)) but I would like it to dynamically use the scoreArray’s length as the iteration statement (the assessment might only have 4 drag clips)

So that’s in a nutshell: take an Array called scoreArray with elements (C,C,C,C,C,C,C,W,C,C) and figure out that there is a W in there and make the scoreStatus:String = “Wrong” or scoreStatus:Number = 1, just something that I can check easily whether you either got all the drags right or you got the assessment wrong.

Sorry this is so long…

Searching For Matching Elements In An Array
Code:
myArray = ["a", "b", "c", "d", "a", "b", "c", "d"];
searchString = "b";
for (var i=0; i<myArray.length; i++) {
if (myArray[i] == searchString) {
resultsTextField = " Element '"+i+"' matched '"+searchString+"' ";
trace(" Element '"+i+"' matched '"+searchString+"' ");
}
};
I would like to display the search matches in the "resultsTextField", whether it's 2 matches or 20 matches, in the same way that they appear in the trace() output.

like this:
Element '2' matched 'b'
Element '4' matched 'b'

any ideas greatly appreciated.

N.B. script credits Joey Lott

Arrays: Searching An Array In Flash... Syntax?
Trying to do something like PHP where you can take a value and search an array for that value. How can I do this without a loop?

SWF = Fast, EXE = Fast, HTML = Slow? Whats Going On?
Hello everyone,

Has anyone else ever had the problem where the *.swf will work fine, the published *.exe will work fine, but playing an *.swf file in an HTML file slows it down heaps? I have lots of example files to demonstrate and help explain this one...

Here is an example of one of my old super-super-simple games. I use this one because of its simplicity, there shouldn't be too much to slow it down, right? It is made in flash 6, but of course it plays in the flash 8 web player - which isn't usually a problem.

Here's the link to the executable file: www.dxinteractive.com/walkthestork/walkthestork3.exe

And heres the link to the HTML file:
www.dxinteractive.com/walkthestork

Play both and you'll see the executable runs perfectly, but the HTML runs slower than it should. Not only that, the "slowness" isnt uniform, so raising the frame rate to compensate on the HTML version doesn't work. I thought something must be slowing it down, so I took away the backdrop, then the scoring thing, then deleted all the code. I was eventually left with only one motion tween and it still ran about 60-70% of the speed it should. I tried changing the type of AS, the flash player version, the _quality, everything I could think of and it would not play at normal speed through an HTML.

I then deleted everything and drew some animated scribbles, and it still ran at about 3/4 speed. Play these two (flash 8 files) side by side and note the difference in speed:

Heres the slow HTML:
www.dxinteractive.com/testing/bigtest.html

And heres the regular-speed EXE:
www.dxinteractive.com/testing/big%20test.exe

Has anyone ever had this problem? Is it just my computer? How can it be fixed? The frame rate in reaction games is everything, and I would like them to run the speed they were intended to. Any help is greatly appreciated. In fact, this is such a big problem to me affecting sooo many games that if anyone solves this, they get their name in the credits on my webpage if they want

I Tried Searching For It...
But I couldn't find help on it. I have my website name, and then on a second layer, I have the word enter, to enter my site. I tested it out, playing the video and all, but it says my website name...fades out and the whole time, you can see the word enter. How do I get it so the website title sits there, fades out then pops up the word enter? So I can then click on it and enter my site. Thank you a lot for your help.

Searching
I found that using JTOOLS from *********** u can open PDF/DOC/etc... files but this APPZ use a batch file.

Someone Know other methode to open this kind of files from Flash?

Tnx

Searching...
I decided to post this in the newbie section, because I have a feeling this might be a stupid question.

Are you able to add search functionality to a flash movie? I'm creating a website with quite a bit of content in it. The client wants the user to have the option of searching for keywords in the text. Can this be done, and if so, can anybody point me in the right direction?

By the way, I'm using Flash MX.

Searching XML
I have so far created this Action script.

It searches through 5 levels of XML, comparing the user input 'strhas' with 'passedNode.childNodes[i,j,k,l].attributes.has'

Im not sure if this is exactly how you do it, but i cant see why im getting no results.

Does this all look ok?
Or should i call a function rather than displaying the result in the text box on each function...

code:
_global.xmlLoaded = false;
creatureXML = new XML();
creatureXML.load("creatures.xml");
creatureXML.ignoreWhite = true;
creatureXML.onLoad = xmlReady;
//only allow button to work when xml is loaded
function xmlReady() {
_global.xmlLoaded = true;
trace("XML loaded");
}
//relate button script
_root.relateButton.onRelease = function() {
if (_global.xmlLoaded) {
_root.findFirstLevel(txthas.text);
}
};
//findFirstLevel function
/* this function doesn't allow adding to the comparison arrays,
therefore it is assumed that if there's no match, both entries
must be "creature" */
function findFirstLevel(strhas) {
for (i=0; i<creatureXML.childNodes.length; i++) {
if (creatureXML.childNodes[i].nodeName.toLowerCase() == "creature") {
passOn = creatureXML.childNodes[i];
}
}
findSecondLevel(passOn, strhas);
}
//
//findSecondLevel function
/* All functions from here are pretty much repetition */
function findSecondLevel(passedNode, strhas) {
trace ("Has 2:"+strhas);
for (i=0; i<passedNode.childNodes.length; i++) {
if (passedNode.childNodes[i].nodeName.toLowerCase() == "category") {
if (passedNode.childNodes[i].attributes.has == strhas) {
trace (passedNode.childNodes[i].attributes.has);
_root.txtresult.text(passedNode.childNodes[i].attributes.id);

} else if (passedNode.childNodes[i].hasChildNodes()) {
findThirdLevel(passedNode.childNodes[i], strhas);
}
}
}
}
//
//findThirdLevel function
function findThirdLevel(passedNode, strhas) {
trace ("Has 3:"+strhas);
for (j=0; j<passedNode.childNodes.length; j++) {
if (passedNode.childNodes[j].nodeName.toLowerCase() == "species") {
if (passedNode.childNodes[j].attributes.has == strhas) {
_root.txtresult.text(passedNode.childNodes[j].attributes.id);
} else if (passedNode.childNodes[i].hasChildNodes()) {
findFourthLevel(passedNode.childNodes[j], strhas);
}
}
}
}
//findFourthLevel function
function findFourthLevel(passedNode, strhas) {
trace ("Has 4:"+strhas);
for (k=0; k<passedNode.childNodes.length; k++) {
if (passedNode.childNodes[k].nodeName.toLowerCase() == "breed") {
if (passedNode.childNodes[k].attributes.has == strhas) {
trace (passedNode.childNodes[k].attributes.has);
_root.txtresult.text(passedNode.childNodes[k].attributes.id);
} else if (passedNode.childNodes[k].hasChildNodes()) {
findFifthLevel(passedNode.childNodes[k], strhas);
}
}
}
}
//
//findFifthLevel function
function findFifthLevel(passedNode, strhas) {
trace ("Has 5:"+strhas);
for (l=0; l<passedNode.childNodes.length; l++) {
if (passedNode.childNodes[l].nodeName.toLowerCase() == "subbreed") {
if (passedNode.childNodes[l].attributes.has == strhas) {
trace (passedNode.childNodes[i].attributes.has);
_root.txtresult.text(passedNode.childNodes[i].attributes.id);
}
}
}
}

Thanks

Searching
how can i create a search feature in my flash movies?

I have got a movie where each frame is a different page of text and the user navigates through the application. I want to be able to include a search option which the user will type in a request and then flash will either tell them that this information can be found on this page or just take them directly to the appropriate frame!

is this possible?

John

After A Day Of Searching, Maybe You Can Help...
Okay. I have searched literally EVERYWHERE I could find, including this site and nothing has helped very much.

I'm a VERY VERY basic user of flash, and i have NO idea how to do this:

I want to put a form into a flash file and in html it looks like this:
PHP Code:

PHP Code:

<form method="get" class="search" action="<?php
         $savedBlog = $Blog;
         $savedblog = $blog;
         unset($Blog);
         $blog = 1;
         bloginfo('blogurl');
         $Blog = $savedBlog;
         $blog = $savedblog ?>">
    <input type="text" name="s" size="18" value="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($s) ?>" />
      <select name="sentence">
         <option value="AND" selected="selected">All Words</option>
         <option value="OR">Some Word</option>
         <option value="SENTENCE">Exact Phrase</option>
      </select>
    <input type="submit" name="submit" value="<?php echo T_('Search') ?>" />
    </form>

Can anyone tell me, in pretty basic steps, how I could acheive this. In fact, it doesn't need the "and" "or" "scentence" options, just merely a simple box to type into then a button to click to search... Any ideas...

Help I'm Searching For Something...
Hello, i need your help
i'm from romania and i am participating at a contest which involves using the computer. i this contest there was a boy who used a source from this site(i know becouse i saw the *.fla file on the site!)and said that it is his original creation.i do not agrea with people who are steeling other work!!1 so if you can help me to find the original link to the original *.fla it would be greate! the original *.fla was something like this: up-a picture with 3 persons, in the midle a blue bar, and donw a few button which were revolving around their own axes! i hope i hade gaved you enought clues. so if u can help me .... pls!!!
Anabela

Searching PDF
I'm working on a CD-ROM in Flash 8 which is basically a menu that will open a bunch of PDFs.

Is there a way to search the PDFs from within Flash movie?

Is There A Name For What I'm Searching For?
Basically what I'm trying to make happen is there is an object that will become progressively accessorized...

so there's a bunch of buttons and each causes the accessory for that button to "land" on the object, causing it to shake.

that part's not a problem- but I need to keep the accessories on the object while the new ones enter and make the object shake. so the previously placed accessories will need to shake with the object.

I'm guessing the best way to do this would be to create separate movie clips (or even separate external swfs?) and parent them to the main object so that they will move with it. I've never parented to objects in Flash before, but I'd assume that it was possible because I can do it in After Effects and they are relatively similar, and I think I remember hearing something about it before.

If anyone has a good approach or knows what I should search for in tutorial searches to find some help with this that would be so great.

Thanks

Searching XML
I have this XML:

Quote:

<LineList>
<Line code="1" name="line 1">
<LineStopList>
<LineStop stopCode="1" stopOrd="1"/>
<LineStop stopCode="2" stopOrd="2"/>
<LineStop stopCode="3" stopOrd="3"/>
</LineStopList>
</Line>
<Line code="2" name="line 2">
<LineStopList>
<LineStop stopCode="1" stopOrd="1"/>
<LineStop stopCode="4" stopOrd="2"/>
<LineStop stopCode="5" stopOrd="3"/>
</LineStopList>
</Line>
<Line code="3" name="line 3">
<LineStopList>
<LineStop stopCode="6" stopOrd="1"/>
<LineStop stopCode="7" stopOrd="2"/>
<LineStop stopCode="8" stopOrd="3"/>
</LineStopList>
</Line>
<Line code="4" name="line 4">
<LineStopList>
<LineStop stopCode="7" stopOrd="1"/>
<LineStop stopCode="9" stopOrd="2"/>
<LineStop stopCode="10" stopOrd="3"/>
</LineStopList>
</Line>
</LineList>

I want to get a XMLList with all the lines that includes a "LineStop" with stopCode="1":

Quote:

<Line code="1" name="line 1">
<LineStopList>
<LineStop stopCode="1" stopOrd="1"/>
<LineStop stopCode="2" stopOrd="2"/>
<LineStop stopCode="3" stopOrd="3"/>
</LineStopList>
</Line>
<Line code="2" name="line 2">
<LineStopList>
<LineStop stopCode="1" stopOrd="1"/>
<LineStop stopCode="4" stopOrd="2"/>
<LineStop stopCode="5" stopOrd="3"/>
</LineStopList>
</Line>

How Can I do? I try:
To save this XML I have a XML var called "selectedLineList" if I write this command:

Quote:

trace(selectedLineList.Line)

it shows me:

Quote:

<Line code="1" name="line 1">
<LineStopList>
<LineStop stopCode="1" stopOrd="1"/>
<LineStop stopCode="2" stopOrd="2"/>
<LineStop stopCode="3" stopOrd="3"/>
</LineStopList>
</Line>
<Line code="2" name="line 2">
<LineStopList>
<LineStop stopCode="1" stopOrd="1"/>
<LineStop stopCode="4" stopOrd="2"/>
<LineStop stopCode="5" stopOrd="3"/>
</LineStopList>
</Line>
<Line code="3" name="line 3">
<LineStopList>
<LineStop stopCode="6" stopOrd="1"/>
<LineStop stopCode="7" stopOrd="2"/>
<LineStop stopCode="8" stopOrd="3"/>
</LineStopList>
</Line>
<Line code="4" name="line 4">
<LineStopList>
<LineStop stopCode="7" stopOrd="1"/>
<LineStop stopCode="9" stopOrd="2"/>
<LineStop stopCode="10" stopOrd="3"/>
</LineStopList>
</Line>

But I if make:

Quote:

var lineListWithStopCode1:XMLList = selectedLineList.Line.(LineStopList.LineStop.@stop Code == "1")

And if I make this code:

Quote:

trace("lineListWithStopCode1.length(): "+ lineListWithStopCode1)

.... it gives me "0" because this XMLList returns "null"

Help me please!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks.

Searching XML?
I have a very simplified version of some XML I need to search and return the SKU value.

HTML Code:
<productsSet>
<productLink>
<sku>BTCD.BTBB/BTBB</sku>
<gender>BOY</gender>
<skin>LIGHT</skin>
<hair>BLOND</hair>
</productLink>
<productLink>
<sku>BTCD.BTBG/BTBG</sku>
<gender>GIRL</gender>
<skin>LIGHT</skin>
<hair>BLOND</hair>
</productLink>
</productsSet>
What I need to search by is three variables. Gender, Skin, and Hair. What I then need returned is the SKU that matches the three variables.

So for the example above. I want to find the SKU where the Gender = GIRL, Skin = Light, and Hair = Blond. What is the best way to do this?

Searching A For ?
I wanted to search a string for "?" but seem to be failing is there a way to achieve my goal ?

here is what I have

ActionScript Code:
var xmlFile:String ="http://mydomainname.com/xml/home.xml?"

if (xmlFile.search("?") != -1) {
trace("busted");
}

Searching Csv
Hi Gurus,

I have a huge csv file. I want the users to input certain word in the input text field and return a certain row of the csv in the dynamic text field. How should i write up the script.

Many thanks in advance!

Searching For A Better Sol
Hi people,
I'm blinking my character at certain condition and as I investigated, the best solution around is using setInterval and clearInterval but as far as I read, most if not all's solution for clearInterval's ID number was to make it public in the form.

That solution is working but I was after a better one (since global variables is obsolete and will/would cause problem when your program is increasing in size AND ) so I made this topic to ask about other's opinions about a better solution for dealing with the scope of number needed in clearInterval.

Another reason is that I'm having my enemies killed by a fading animation which I
use and I need to keep track of setInterval ID's properly for them too.

Thanks.

EDIT
the problem is that I want to blink my character for 3 seconds and I dont know where to call clearInterval for it.

Besides, I have to know when exactly that 3 seconds finishes since I have to make him out of invincibility too.

Searching For Over An Hour?
I've been searching for over an hour now on how to upload my flash intro to my site. All I can find is information about people who didn't publish it or put the .fla on their site. Well, call me dumb, but they didn't go any further into detail and I'M REALLY NEW! I can't even find this info in the tutorial's section. I bought flash 5 last week. I got a demo here at flashkit, spent a week personalizing it and changing some things.

Should I be doing a search for "SCRIPTING" instead of "UPLOADING FLASH"? Where can I just find a walkthrough.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer, and for maybe even NOT laughing at my situation!!!

Searching Keywords? Help
Hi,
I'm trying to create a basic search engine in flash.
I'll have a load of numbered variables (i.e. text1, text2 etc) with different keywords in them.
Then, if a user types in a word into a input text box and clicks on a button I want flash to search through the variables and return the ones with matching keywords (i.e. it will return text1 and text4).
I'm not too sure where to go with this. I've hardly any experience with array's.
I've got a file set up which depends on the variables to create duplicate movie clips with the variables on them (if that makes sense).
If anybody could talk me through it, or I can send the .fla that I'll be working from and it might become clearer.
Thanks for any help.

Searching Data
Ok, here is what I want to do. I have an excel file that I want to be able to search and retrieve information. the file is 4 columns, 278 lines. I would like to search the first column and if there is a match return the information from the 4 columns of that line. My design so far has an input box for the search term, a textbox will be created for the results. My problem is I don't know how to connect to the information.

Thanks,

Harry

Searching String
Hi guys I wonder if anyone can help me doing this:
I need a movie flash with a search function, like the one posted by Kumar K (search for Search/Find a String), the only difference is that I need that the text to be searched need to be loaded externally.
Anyone knows where I can find a such tutorial or help me to modify Kumar's movie to meet my needs

It's pretty urgent
Thanx in advance

Searching For Answers
Here's what I've been trying to create: Flash detector with that will load a flash movie in a new pop-up window, height 800px by width 600px, no borders, scrollbars, just the movie itself. After the flash starts loading, the detector window closes itself.

The first html, for the detector, the html/js looks like this: www.penque.com/test7/moockfpi.txt

The second is the flash movie:
www.penque.com/test7/index1.txt

I've set the moockfpi's var useRedirect to true, but it's still playing in the loading the movie in the same window, not a new pop-up. I suspect there's something missing from index1

Here's the result I'm getting so far:
www.penque.com

What do I need to change? Any solution would be greatly appreciated.

Flash Searching
Does anyone have a good way to search within a flash movie. I have tried using arrays but it will only return the first finding, not all occurrences.

In this I have 3 arrays(muni,state,locate) alreadyThe information in each corresponds to the other per position. ie(muni[1]and state[1]and locate[1])
*****************CODE***************************** *********
on (release) {
i = 0;
while (name.toUpperCase() != muni[i] && i != muni.length) {
if (name == muni[i]) {
}
i++;
}
_root.createTextField("file_loc", 100, 330, 130, 350, 300);
file_loc.multiline = true;
file_loc.wordWrap = true;
file_loc.border = false;
myformat = new TextFormat();
myformat.color = 0x010283;
myformat.bullet = false;
myformat.size = 18;
if (muni[i] == null) {
file_loc.text = "The file *"+name+"* appears to not be located on the premises. Please check your spelling to try again. Thank You.";
} else {
file_loc.text = "You have searched for "+muni[i]+", "+state[i]+". It is a "+locate[i]+".";
}
file_loc.setTextFormat(myformat);
}

*****************CODE***************************** ******

I have thought about using external files or placing information on pages within the movie also. I am stuck.

Thanks for any ideas

Searching A .txt File
I think i know how to import a .txt file but is there a way to seach the file after it is imported like: if char 5 == "a" (do this...) I did it a long time ago in C+ but never in flash 5

Searching From Database In Mx
i want to develop an application using flashmx which would let users to search and display the result and at the same time i want to call and html file inside and flashmx application .. is it posiable !!!

thanx
dx

Searching For Variables
I got an fla file off of a site with flash buttons. The way you use it, there's a vars.txt file with it. Inside the vars.txt file, there are two options, "Caption" and "URL"

I'm trying to find the place within the fla file where I can change the name of the file it looks for, from vars.txt to something else like button1.txt

I liiked in the Action window and the only code in there is for the change that happens in the button, I can't find where it does the loadvariable vars.txt

Is there another place I should be looking besides the Action window (I looked at the actions on all the layers, nothing else there.)

When I view the fla file in notepad I can see this:
/loadVariables ("vars.txt", _parent.mc)

But I can't find that anywhere in the fla file from Flash MX

I'm Searching A Little Freeware ...
Is any of you have this little freeware COLORPAD

because the link to download it is broken

Searching With Flash MX?
Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone knew if there was any way to have a search facility within a flash mx website? i run a site which advertises local gigs and i want people to be able to "Search By Venue", "Search By Band" or "Search By Location" and i have no idea how to do it!

Can someone please help with this?

Thanks

Murph.
www.guerilla-records.com

Searching Arrays
hello, i need to search a very large array and then return the index position in which the item was found.

is there a method i can use to do this?
something like: myArray.getPos(searchItem)

... or do i need to manually code a search loop? It seems like writing a binary search would be reinventing the wheel.

advice anyone?

thanks

Iam Searching For Navigation Like This..I Saw It Before ....
I saw before a navigation in flashkit that looks like the image attached, but I tried to search for it with no result please if anyone know its name or location that will be a great favour as Iam starting a new flash movie that need that example

Please Help
Thanks

Searching Through XML....bit Stuck
Hello, I have a problem that has to be solved this week.
I have 1 input box.
A user will enter a feature into this box e.g "hair, fur, scales, teeth"

I then have this XML to search through.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<creature>
<category id="mammal" has="hairy_skin,mouth,warm_blood">
<species id="cat" has="fur,tail,whiskers">
<breed id="tiger" has="stripey_fur"/>
<breed id="lion" has="brown_fur,mane"/>
<breed id="panther" has="black_fur"/>
</species>
<species id="dog" has="hair,tail,wet_nose">
<breed id="labrador" has="soft_hair"/>
</species>
<species id="pig" has="snout,trotters"/>
<species id="cow" has="nose,hooves"/>
</category>
<category id="reptile" has="scaly_skin,mouth,cold_blood">
<species id="lizard" has="tail,legs">
<breed id="iguana" has=""/>
</species>
<species id="snake" has="tail,no_legs,forked_tongue">
<breed id="cobra" has="hooded_head">
<subbreed id="greatcobra" has="big_hood"/>
</breed>
</species>
</category>
<category id="bird" has="feathers,beak,wings,warm_blood" />
<category id="fish" has="scales,mouth,cold_blood">
<species id="mullet" has="thick_lips"/>
<species id="pike" has="sharp_teeth"/>
</category>
</creature>

If for example a user enters "Scales"
the results need to display "fish has scales"

So i need to search through the XML for all the 'has' fields.

Does anyone have any ideas as to how i can do this?
many thanks

Searching - If Something Is 'like' Somthing.
With SQL you can do something like:

WHERE name LIKE 'name'.
WHERE name = '%name%'

In my flash movie, I the function to search for titles. It consists of a text input box and a search button..

When the search buttons is clicked I then loop through an array checking if input_title.text = titles_array[i]['title']

The problem is that it only returns a result if it's an exact match.

Because some of the title are pretty long, I would like the search to be more flexible i.e:

type in "harry" and click search.

"harry the bastard" returned.

there is is no 'LIKE' in actionscript or wildcards that I can use, is there anyway i can do this?