Flash :: Is It Possible To Auto-format Text?

Auto-Format Input Text?
I have some input text fields (by the text tool, not the component) in my form that I was wondering if they could be auto-formatted. I was looking specifically for dates & numbers. For example when the user inputs 082606 and then tabs away it would immediately update to 08/26/06, or when the user inputs 50000 it would immediately update to 50,000. Any suggestions on how to do this would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

Auto Format Dynamic Text In Foreign Language ?
I've struck with this issue for a long time now.

I have one dynamic textbox that'll read a text file written in Thai language.

The text shows fine, but when it have to go to new lines it'll go like:--

-----

For word: "Thai Language"

Desired result:
Thai
Language

My program:
Thai Lan
guage

----

Is there a way to make dynamic textbox do an auto format with Thai/any language that will prevent this behavior?

Or is there some alternative I can use?

,Thanks.

Can't Auto-format
For soem reason I can't use auto-format. It's saying my script contains syntax errors but when I test the movie, it plays perfectly without and errors. I think the problem was caused by using the '#include' function to call an ActionScript file, as the problem started to occur when I started using it. Is there anyway to auto-format it without this happening?

Bug In Auto Format
I copy a large chunk of code into a new project in CS3 and press the Auto Format button, the result was that some of the '(' character disappear
the code before:
aoX = (aR * 0.607) + (aG * 0.174) + (aB * 0.201);
the corrupted code after
aoX=aR * 0.607 + aG * 0.174 + aB * 0.201;

Be careful

Yair

Auto Format In AS
I have installed Adobe CS3 Master Collection. I cannot use AutoFormat in ActionScript panel. I have tried to change formatting parameters in Preferences but it still does not operate. Earlier I have used Macromedia Studio 8 (it was OK) and later trial version of Flash CS3 (not from package) (it was OK).

Don't Use Auto Format With AS3 In CS3
Here is an interesting tidbit I came across: http://www.senocular.com/?id=1.398

Auto Format And Func.
I wrote function(method) like this

ActionScript Code:
_root.strelica4.onPress=function()
{
_root.promjenaSlika("plus");
}

but then i clicked AutoFormat in AS window and

i got this

ActionScript Code:
_root.strelica4.onPress = function() {
_root.promjenaSlika("plus");
};

only differecne is that function has semicolon in the end now, why is that so? is that some new rule in flash 2004? or has this been always the right way to do this? because i never use semicolon when i have {}

Comments And Auto Format
When I use comments like this

/*
Comment
*/

and then use the autoformat button it indents the comments under the first /*. This wouold be fine if it only did it once but it keeps indenting more and more every time I clip auto format. So I end up with this after a few clicks

/*
_______ Comment
_______*/

Is this a bug or am I missing something?

Flash CS 3 Auto Format Problem
Hi Guys,

i have this following coding that flash CS3 seem to give me some problem on it autoformatting

Code:
if (diffR>180) {
diffR -= 360;
} else if (diffR<-180) {
diffR += 360;
}

The coding is on timeline, on FLASH 8, we have no problem, but on FLASH CS3, the error it got is "Error with autoformat near line:diffR +=360;"

Anyone will same problem?

Check Syntax Vs. Auto Format
i've been going through some of my clients actionscript files and there are some files in which i get The script contains no errors when i select 'Check Syntax' but when i click on 'Auto Format' i get The script contains syntax errors, so it cannot be Auto Formatted. Fix the errors and try again.

1. who's right?
2. can the actionscript execute properly when we see these messages?
3. what is flash checking with each button?

ActionScript Auto Format Options
Anyone know of any resources for modifying the ActionScript Auto Format options in the Flash IDE? (Just to head off the inievitable suggestions, I'd love to move to a better development solution, like eclipse or sciteflash, but I use a mac).

I just want to be able to have a comment show up after a line without the auto format automatically moving it down...

ActionScript Code:
var variable:String = new String(); // i like defining vars here

var variable:String = new String();
// but autoformat always moves comments down here!

Thanks,

D

Flash CS 3 Auto Format Problem
Last edited by chup : 2007-09-14 at 03:41.

Hi Guys,

i have this following coding that flash CS3 seem to give me some problem on it autoformatting

Code:
if (diffR>180) {
diffR -= 360;
} else if (diffR<-180) {
diffR += 360;
}

The coding is on timeline, on FLASH 8, we have no problem, but on FLASH CS3, the error it got is "Error with autoformat near line:diffR +=360;"

Anyone with same problem?

Check Syntax Says Good, Auto-Format Says Bad?
Anyone experienced this? It's a new one to me....
If I hit check syntax, it evaluates fine. If I hit Auto format, it tells me there are syntax errors I need to fix before it can format...

This is going into a commercially produced cd, so I'm not so comfortable leaving it as is...even though it does seem to function fine...

Any thoughts??

New Version Of Flash, Same Auto Format Bugs
When Flash CS3 came out, the first thing I noticed when I sat down to use it for the first time was that the ActionScript Auto Format was unusable because of bugs that were present in it. One of the bugs was that it would actually REMOVE parenthesis from certain lines of code, and next to object initializations. This made it unusable because it would constantly break programs. So pretty much, in CS3 you had this Auto Format feature (that worked wonderfully in previous versions of Flash) that was just there and couldn't actually be used by anyone who was going to do any sort of serious programming. This was pretty hard to believe being that Auto format worked fine in previous versions of Flash (I can't remember if it was in 8 or after 8 it broke).

So I take my time, go to the Flash CS3 bug reporter, and report the bug.

Fast forward a few years. CS4 comes out. I immediately buy the upgrade. What's the first thing I look at? The Auto formatter. To my dismay, it still contains the exact same bugs it did when CS3 came out years ago. I almost felt like asking for a refund. I don't think it's too high of an expectation for a bunch of obvious bugs to be fixed.

Then I have to ask myself, am I the only person on planet earth who uses the ActionScript Auto format? I used to love it to just clean up my code and indent it. I mean right now, it's just like "there". I don't see how anyone can actually be using it in its current state. Adobe should either get rid of it or fix it, preferably fix it.

I guess my question is, to anyone really, or preferably Adobe, what's going on here? Is this ever going to be fixed? It's not really fair that a feature that used to work perfectly has been broken in the last two major versions of Flash. Is there any possible way for Adobe to send down a fix for this, or is there a way for the user to fix it on their own?

Thanks in advance.

Edited: 11/01/2008 at 02:55:53 AM by cooleo100d

Presentation Format - Looping, Auto Advance, Etc
Any and all guidance would be SUPER appreciated, and you would be helping me help the 3rd world train to fight HIV! The big advantage to the "Slides" format is that we can more quickly lay in international language voiceover, but I HAVE to get these bugs worked out first... I have this training demo: http://www.invmed.info/pub/flash/ - I'm very happy with it but I need a couple very important elements in place.

I've searched the forums, found nothing on LiveDocs, spent half an hour in the book store looking for ANY solid information on slide behavior. Was the Slides feature just never fleshed out? I had these tricks worked out on a standard timeline, but I can't get it working on Slides...

1. Whenever a slide comes up, I need its animation to play. It's flawless by default the first time, but if a student backs up, they have to push replay (which is why I made the button). This is especially bad if they restart the demo from the end - every slide is stuck on the last frame. Is there an obvious setting I'm overlooking? It's got to be based on the slides function somewhere right?

2. Speaking of the replay-slide button, if I wanted that to be part of the "master slide," what would the script be? Right now I'm using:
on (release) {
//Movieclip GotoAndPlay Behavior
this.gotoAndPlay("1");
//End Behavior
}
...but it doesn't work when placed on the master slide (which is a drag, I thought that was the point of a master right?).

3. Finally, how do you make the slides progress at their own pace (for tradeshows etc)? I thought I had found a usable answer to this but I think I was too stupid to code it correctly (I'm dyslexic so extensive code & I don't play well together).

Thank you!

Edited: 03/27/2007 at 10:56:56 AM by chrishigh

[MX] Weird 'Unable To Auto Format Code' Message
When I click the check mark, message 'The script contains no errors'

When I click the Auto format button, message 'This script contains syntax errors, so it cannot be Auto Formatted. Fix the errors and try again.'

I've never had these two buttons disagree.

Code compiles normally and everything works.

Has anyone run in to this? It would be nice to be able to autoformat this code again.

CS3 - Auto Format Doesn't Compact Blank Lines?
In Flash 8 on OS X, using Auto Format used to remove blank lines. I can't seem to find a way to enable this in CS3. Is it possible?

HEADS UP: Flash Glitch Involving Ternary Operator (?:) And Auto Format
I am not sure if its just or if this is a real glitch but man this has caused me so much trouble for the past couple of days till I figured it out.

If you use ternary (example)

PHP Code:

(foo<10) ? [true statement here] : [false statement here];

there is a nasty glitch that happens (to me) when it comes after a ' } '

PHP Code:

for(var i:Number = 0; i<some.length; i++){
 // omg i'm incrementing
}
(foo<10) ? [true statement here] : [false statement here];

If you hit the Auto Format button in flash this happens

PHP Code:

for(var i:Number = 0; i<some.length; i++){
 // omg i'm incrementing
}
foo<10) ? [true statement here] : [false statement here];
/// DUDE WHERE'S MY LEFT ' ( '

And while this is easy to find if you double click on the error... when you see the 'missing something error' your (my) first instinct isn't to go back 50-100 lines for the problem, but something you just wrote is the issue... -.-

whats the band-aid?

PHP Code:

for(var i:Number = 0; i<some.length; i++){
 // omg i'm incrementing
}
// lol I'm not just a comment... I protect my buddy below
(foo<10) ? [true statement here] : [false statement here];

How To Format External Text File To Show In Three Separate Columns Through Text Area?
Hullo everyone!

Could anyone suggest a piece of advice to visualize the following idea?

I should like to import an external .txt file into flash and display it by means of a text area component, which would take the better part of the screen and be skinned to fit the rest of the page design. The text ought to be formatted by way of an external .css file. Images are optional.

I can do all this allright, but what I should like to have is the text formatted to be displayed in three separate columns. The idea for this naturally comes from the Flash version of the Macromedia Edge newsletter.

I should be most thankful if anyone cared to come up with a solution.

CreateTextField, Dynamically Loaded Text, And Setting Text Format..
I'm trying to format some text that i'm loading into a text box, that's inside a movie clip, that's created at load time. It seems that I have everything but the snippet of code that will apply the text formatting. I just don't know where to get it from, or rather, what to point it at.

my code is

Code:
//creates empty movie clip
this.createEmptyMovieClip("enter_mc", 10);
//creates text field inside movie clip
this.enter_mc.createTextField("welcome_txt", this.getNextHighestDepth(), 0, 0, 100, 300);
//sets text formatting
var my_fmt:TextFormat = new TextFormat();
my_fmt.bold = true;
my_fmt.size = 20;
//

LV = new LoadVars();
// declare a new LoadVars object
LV.load("enterTxt.txt");
// load content in it
LV.onLoad = function(success) {
if (success) {
// when the file is loaded...
_root.enter_mc.welcome_txt.text = this.enterTxt;
// load the value of the variable "enterTxt" in the
// file into the text field "named" welcome_txt
}
};
and that works to create the movie clip, the text box, and load the text.

this

Code:
_root.enter_mc.welcome_txt.setTextFormat(my_fmt);
would make sense for formatting the text but it doesn't format the loaded text. there's nothing special about the text that's being loaded.

I'm at a loss, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Space In Html Freaks Out Text Format In Text Field
heres the html

<A HREF="http://www.thelink.com" TARGET="">link1</A> <A HREF="http://www.thelink.com" TARGET="">link2</A>

Text Format Property: Leading (=text Spacing, BUT)
Hi!

In Flash it is possible to set the line spacing to a negative value - with the result of tighter lines.
It is also possible to define line spacing via ActionScript (.leading property of text format), but it is not possible to set negative values.

I really need those text lines with less spacing than 0pt.

Does anyone know how to fix this problem? Maybe a workaround?

Thank you!

Tensile

Auto Scrolling Dynamic Text From External Text File
Hi guys,

I'm loading a text file into a dynamic text box using LoadVars, and I've got it to scroll using this code:

Code:
var myInterval = setInterval(scrollUp, 500);
function scrollUp() {
_root.text_mc.textbox.scroll += 1;
}
...but there are two problems. One, the client says it's too jerky (as it's doing it a line at a time, rather than a smooth scroll), and two, the client would like it to be like a news scroller, meaning it automatically scrolls to the bottom of the text, and then the start of the text appears underneath and keeps scrolling continuously. I hope I've explained myself reasonably well!

If someone could help me out with these two things, I'd really appreciate it - cheers!

Boog

Auto Scrolling Dynamic Text From External Text File
Hi guys,

I'm loading a text file into a dynamic text box using LoadVars, and I've got it to scroll using this code:

Code:

var myInterval = setInterval(scrollUp, 500);
function scrollUp() {
_root.text_mc.textbox.scroll += 1;
}
...but there are two problems. One, the client says it's too jerky (as it's doing it a line at a time, rather than a smooth scroll), and two, the client would like it to be like a news scroller, meaning it automatically scrolls to the bottom of the text, and then the start of the text appears underneath and keeps scrolling continuously. I hope I've explained myself reasonably well!

If someone could help me out with these two things, I'd really appreciate it - cheers!

Boog

How To Format Text Within Dinamic Text Field?
Hi!

A couple of days ago, I was crying for help about how to put a link to URL, dinamically from a external text.

I had two pretty answers that figured out my issue. That was good!

Now, I am stepping forward, and trying something else that seems do not work. Or I am very wrong, or the "renderize text as HTML" option is not so much eficcient, because seems to me that it dont recognizes the most of the simplest HTML tags. For instances, I tried the tag and the only thing I got was to vanish anything I put between the two tags!

Well, that's my question: how to format text (bold, italic, font color, font face, etc) from a external text????

Thanks!

How Do You Format Text In A Text Area Component?
I'm looking for an easy way to create a scrollable block of text without getting into all the action script (I think I'm allergic to scripting and programming of all kinds, I just like to make stuff look cool, which I'm good at). I tried using a text area component, which seems to work fine, but is the only way to get the text into the area is to open the component inspector and paste the text into the parameter text field? Then also, how do you format the text once it's in? Thanks...

We Are 138

Format And Load Text Into Dynamic Text Box?
The nicest and smartest people are on Kirupa.
Kirupa rocks.

What is the simplest most fool-proof way of pre-formatting text (even outside of Flash) then having it load into a Flash dynamic text box so that it LOOKS THE SAME? Whoever is kind enough to answer this, please be sickeningly descriptive. I can't get anything to work from tutorials. In fact, I can't even get a basic text file to load into a Flash text box! The text needs to maintain the hyperlinks assigned to various words.

* Scottie

I can design a city but can't fix a pipe.

HELP -> How Can I Auto-Update Dynamic Text W/ Input Text?
Here is my scene:

ROOT:

I have 3 MCs -- (all are the same right now)

DesktopsMC.

LaptopsMC.

ServersMC.

Each MC is on it's own keyframe (5-10-15) with a stop action.

Then I have the total amount of $$ remaining:

Drag.TotalMC

------------------------------

Inside the MCs are as follows:

DesktopMC --

A series of Checkbox MCs that affect the Dynamic Text box in a MC on the root stage, called "Drag.Total".

the function for the CheckBoxes goes somethin' like this:

Code:
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
function myHandler(component) {
switch (component) {
case Box1 :
checkValue = (parseInt(price1)*qty1);
break;
case Box2 :
checkValue = (parseInt(price2)*qty2);
break;
case Box3 :
checkValue = (parseInt(price3)*qty3);
break;
case Box4 :
checkValue = (parseInt(price4)*qty4);
break;
}

if (component.getValue()) {
deskTot += checkValue;
_root.totRemaining -= checkValue;
// total -= checkValue;
} else {
deskTot -= checkValue;
_root.totRemaining += checkValue;
// total += checkValue;
}

_root.Drag.total.test = (_root.totRemaining);
}
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

the above code works on the checkboxes.

BUT

I would like to make the Price1 dynamic text auto-update when you type in the QTY1 box.

This would continue for Price2 & QTY2, Price3&QTY3,.......
up to 50.

How Can I Auto-Update My DYNAMIC Text with INPUT Text?

Text Format
when writing text in flash you are given 4 options in the parameter window. Align to left, right, center, or on both sides (to make a perfect block). When i select the last opion to so that the text is aligned on both sides it never works. it allways looks like its only aligned on the left hand side. Does anyone know a way to make loaded txt files appear in these perfect blocks. Maybe a html tag or something? thanks in advance

Text Format
Can anyone help me with the syntax for changing the colour of a dynamic text field using script.
Do I change the instance name of the field or the field name and what is it?

Thanks

Text Format
Hi all.....

I need ur help to solve my problem..
I make textfield then i want to set font and font size in the text field. I load
text from XML.
Here is the code but it doesn't work.

many thanks

code :
for (i=0;i<2;i++){
_root.createTextField("head"+i,i,380,80+(i*280),30 0,80);

_root["head"+i].border = true;
_root["head"+i].borderColor = 0xcccccc;
_root["head"+i].background = false;
_root["head"+i].backgroundColor = oxFFCC00;
_root["head"+i].autoSize = "left"
_root["head"+i].wordWrap = true
_root["head"+i].html = true

}

myFormat = new TextFormat();
myFormat.size = 14;
myFormat.font = "Arial";
_root.head.setNewTextFormat(myFormat)

Text Format
Hi,

I was wondering if anyone knows a way to change which color you highlight in. As in when you take your mouse and select text on a white background you get a black border and white text so that you know what you selecting.

now in flash when you have a dynamic text box and you make it selectable you can highlight text with the mouse but what happens is that no matter what color the text is it will always hightlight with a black bg and white text. my problem is that my bg is black and my text is white so you cant tell what you selecting? does anyone know how to make it so you can tell what you selecting

I have attached an example.

textselect.swf

AJ

Keep Format Of Text
I have a dynamic text field. How can I keep the format properties when I change the text ? (I am loading the text from id3)

Format XML Text
Hi All,

I am filling a dynamic text field with content from an XML document. How would I apply formatting to that text, such as bold, italic, font, color and add a link? Is this possible in the xml document and transfer to Flash?

Thanks.

_t

Text Format
How would you get flash to read a text field and seperate it into lines, for example:

line 1
this is line 2
here is line 3
this starts line 4

How would I read that as 4 seperate lines into an array or something like that? Thanks.

Text Will Not Format?
The code is still Times New Roman help!!!!

var imageText:TextField = new TextField();
var textStyle:TextFormat = new TextFormat();
var imageLoader:Loader;
//imageLoader.load(new URLRequest("thumbnails/image3.jpg"));
var xml:XML;
var xmlList:XMLList;
var xmlList2:XMLList;
var xmlLoader:URLLoader = new URLLoader();
var xmlLoader2:URLLoader = new URLLoader();
textStyle.font = "Helvetica";
xmlLoader.load(new URLRequest("data/images1.xml"));
xmlLoader2.load(new URLRequest("data/images2.xml"));
xmlLoader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, xmlLoaded);
xmlLoader2.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, xmlLoaded2);

function xmlLoaded(event:Event):void {
xml = XML(event.target.data);
xmlList = xml.children();

for (var i:int = 0; i < xmlList.length(); i++) {
imageLoader = new Loader();
imageLoader.load(new URLRequest(xmlList[i].attribute("thumb")));
imageLoader.x = 0;
imageLoader.alpha = .5;
imageLoader.y = i * 72 + 1;
imageLoader.name = xmlList[i].attribute("source");
addChild(imageLoader);
imageLoader.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, showPicture);
}
}

function xmlLoaded2(event:Event):void {
xml = XML(event.target.data);
xmlList2 = xml.children();

for (var i:int = 0; i < xmlList2.length(); i++) {
imageLoader = new Loader();
imageLoader.load(new URLRequest(xmlList2[i].attribute("thumb")));
imageLoader.x = 103;
imageLoader.alpha = .5;
imageLoader.y = i * 72 + 1;
imageLoader.name = xmlList2[i].attribute("source");
addChild(imageLoader);
imageLoader.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, showPicture);
}
}

function showPicture(event:MouseEvent):void {
imageLoader = new Loader();
imageLoader.load(new URLRequest(event.target.name));
imageLoader.alpha = 1;
imageLoader.x = 208;
addChild(imageLoader);
imageOne.visible = false;
imageText.x = imageLoader.x;
imageText.y = 435;
for (var j:int = 0; j < xmlList.length(); j++) {
if (xmlList[j].attribute("source") == event.target.name) {
imageText.text = xmlList[j];
}
}
for (var p:int = 0; p < xmlList2.length(); p++) {
if (xmlList2[p].attribute("source") == event.target.name) {
imageText.text = xmlList2[p];
}
}
}
imageText.autoSize = TextFieldAutoSize.LEFT;
addChild(imageText);
imageText.setTextFormat(textStyle);

Text Format Without AS?
Pretty simple? i can not figure it out.

How do I underline text in flash 8? its not the same as in 2004, i'm missing the underline icon (and ctrl-U does not work).

And how do I adjust th space between the text lines, so my text will exactly fit in the textbox?

Thanks,
Demeter

Text Format
for some reason the text format doesnt look like its being applied

ActionScript Code:
register = new TextField();
hyperlink = new TextFormat("Arial",null,0x0000FF,false,false,true);
register.setTextFormat(hyperlink);
register.text = "Register";
register.selectable = false;
register.x = 10;
register.y = 15;
register.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK,signUp);
addChild(register);

Format Text From Xml
I am using flash MX to load dinamic text (fom a xml file).
I know in MX 2004 i can format the text with css.
Is there a way to do this in MX? (change the color, size,....of text)

10x!

Format The Text Box
how can i change the dimension of a text box without make unclear the text?

Any Way To Format Text In Xml
hi guys,

I have a photogallery done in flash. Its having a external xml file where the descriptions and image location is defined. Is there any way to add font color , font size , and all other font formating options inside the xml file to take effect inside flash movie. I have tried cddata , , <fontface> etc etc... but no result. Please any one help

Format Text
Hi,

Would the textFormat object be better suited for formatting input text fields, perhaps in an application utilizing components, making the Stylesheet Object better suited for HTML and XML Objects?

Text Format Without AS?
This is not an AS question, I know how to do that, but.........

How do I underline text in flash 8? its not the same as in 2004, i'm missing the underline icon (and ctrl-U does not work).

And how do I adjust th space between the text lines, so my text will exactly fit in the textbox?

Thanks,
Demeter

Currency Format On Text
Hey guys and girls,

I was hoping someone could possibly help me out with this problem that I am having.

I am trying to output a number and use currency formating on it. For example:

230 becomes - 230.00
2300 becomes - 2,300.00

Is there a built in way of doing this or can I force it to do this. Please any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Niklas Wahlberg

Format The Dynamic Text
Hey guys!

It's pretty easy to load a text file ( mytext.txt) into flash. I am building a pretty big site now and it needs to change it contents a lot. So that's what I'll be using!

Does anyone know how to make links then?

for example:
mytext.txt looks like this

content= He i want this text to be a link to another .swf movie

Is this possible? Or can you only use it for text and not for formatted text?

Hope somebody can explain or even knows a site where it will be explained!

thnx

Text Format Indent
Hi here's this problem i have been having with text format
im loading some details from an asp file into flash

lets say they are movie channel data
is in channel 1 movie 1 , channel 1 movie 2.

now i am parsing this data to display into flash
im am using html to display this data.

the problem is sometimes if the movie name is too big it goes on the the next line under the line number.
is there a way i can indent this data?. through actionscript

as in instead of displaying

1. Channel 1 Movie
a
2. Channel 2 Movie
abcd

i want to display it in this format

1. Channel 1 Movie
a
2. Channel 2 Movie
abcd

i am currently displaying the data using this code

_root.txt = _root.txt + n + ". " + "<a href="BottomLinkTransaction.asp?vChannelId=" + _root.chid + "&VmovieId=" + dummyy[1] + "">"
+ dummyy[0] + "</a>";

Thanks
Rahul

P.S I am using Flash Mx