Comments on: Flash CS3 – Quote Rotator

By: jack

jack — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:33:18 +0000

This is great, but I’m curious how you remove the random rotation and make it cycle in the order of the XML?

By: andy

andy — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 23:24:58 +0000

Hi there – thanks for sharing!!! It really helps us noobs learn.
Wondering if you might be able to walk through making this index the xml tree in order rather than random? Im trying everything but just bungle it everytime ; )

thx in advance

By: Sander

Sander — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:25:20 +0000

I think more people have this problem but I can’t seen to get a proper fix for it:

TypeError: Error #2007: Parameter text must be non-null.
at flash.text::TextField/set text()
at quoteRotator_fla::MainTimeline/rotateQuote()
at flash.utils::Timer/flash.utils:Timer::_timerDispatch()
at flash.utils::Timer/flash.utils:Timer::tick()

It’s because sometimes it tries to place the text before it loaded the XML.

By: Sander

Sander — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 09:49:56 +0000

Solved my problem.
instead of adding the the movieclip containing the text field I dynamically generated a text field.

By: Sander

Sander — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:19:14 +0000

Hey I’m trying to put the script in a class (the one with the Tweener Class). But I cant get it to work. I imported to necessary classes:
=================
import flash.events.*;
import flash.xml.*;
import flash.utils.*;
import flash.net.*;
import caurina.transitions.Tweener;
=================
But now I get these errors:
=================
- 1119: Access of possibly undefined property alpha through a reference with static type Class. || QuoteMC.alpha = 0;

- 1119: Access of possibly undefined property alpha through a reference with static type Class. || AuthorMC.alpha = 0;

- 1120: Access of undefined property rotateTimer. || rotateTimer.addEventListener(“timer”, rotateQuote);//add a listener to the timer

- 1120: Access of undefined property rotateQuote. || rotateTimer.addEventListener(“timer”, rotateQuote);//add a listener to the timer

- 1120: Access of undefined property rotateTimer. || rotateTimer.start();// start the timer

- 1180: Call to a possibly undefined method init. || init();

- 1119: Access of possibly undefined property quote_txt through a reference with static type Class. || QuoteMC.quote_txt.text = String(quote[initRandom]);

- 1119: Access of possibly undefined property author_txt through a reference with static type Class. || AuthorMC.author_txt.text = String(author[initRandom]);

- 1119: Access of possibly undefined property alpha through a reference with static type Class. || QuoteMC.alpha = 0;

- 1119: Access of possibly undefined property alpha through a reference with static type Class. || AuthorMC.alpha = 0;

- 1119: Access of possibly undefined property quote_txt through a reference with static type Class. || QuoteMC.quote_txt.text = “”;

- 1119: Access of possibly undefined property author_txt through a reference with static type Class. || AuthorMC.author_txt.text = “”;

- 1119: Access of possibly undefined property quote_txt through a reference with static type Class. || QuoteMC.quote_txt.text = quote[randomness];

- 1119: Access of possibly undefined property author_txt through a reference with static type Class. || AuthorMC.author_txt.text = author[randomness];
=================
Now I’m adding the text field Dynamically in another class containing:
=================
public var quote:QuoteMC = new QuoteMC();
public var quotegen:Quotes = new Quotes();

auteur.x = 659;
auteur.y = 282;
addChild(auteur);

quote.x = 2;
quote.y = 282;
addChild(quote);
=================

Can someone please help me out with the classes.
I think the common problem is that I don’t give the created MC’s the instance names needed (quote_txt & author_txt). The other problems I can’t seem to figure out. If anyone knows the answer please post a reply on my blog here: http://blog.libertystudio.nl/2009/02/23/quote-rotator-using-classes/ or email me.

Thanks in advance

By: WilliamR

WilliamR — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 01:03:11 +0000

Since this is open forum, I felt like I should share my code. In no way I’m a flash programmer, maybe get a half dozen projects a year. And hack most of the code together. So be nice!

Modifications: Added no duplicate rotation, so no one quote is shown twice in a row. Added Fade in and fade out based on Toby’s code. I also added a system to move the author up or down depending if it was using multiple lines or not (the size will very depending on you’re dimensions). With my last message also fixed that annoying #2007 error.

CODE:

import caurina.transitions.Tweener;

var quote:Array = new Array();
var author:Array = new Array();
var lastQuote:Number = 0;

var totalQuotes:Number;
quoteMC.alpha = 0;
authMC.alpha = 0;

var rotateTimer:Timer = new Timer(7000, 100000); //rotates the quote every 2 seconds for 100000 times
rotateTimer.addEventListener(“timer”, rotateQuote);//add a listener to the timer
rotateTimer.start();// start the timer

function init():void {
var quotesXML:XML = new XML();
quotesXML.ignoreWhitespace = true;
var XMLURL:URLRequest = new URLRequest(“http://localhost/quotes1.xml”);
var myLoader:URLLoader = new URLLoader(XMLURL);
myLoader.addEventListener(“complete”, xmlLoaded);
function xmlLoaded(event:Event):void {
quotesXML = XML(myLoader.data);
totalQuotes = quotesXML.quote.length() – 1;
for (var i:int = 0; i < quotesXML.quote.length(); i++) {
quote[i] = quotesXML.quote[i].text;
author[i] = quotesXML.quote[i].author;
}
var initRandom:Number = randomNumber(0, totalQuotes);
lastQuote = initRandom;

var temp:String = quote[initRandom];
if (temp.length < 60) {
authMC.y = 50;
} else {
authMC.y = 72;
}

Tweener.addTween(quoteMC, {alpha:1, time:5});
Tweener.addTween(authMC, {alpha:1, time:5});
quoteMC.quote_txt.text = String(quote[initRandom]);
authMC.author_txt.text = String(author[initRandom]);
}

}

function wait(evt:TimerEvent)
{
stop();
var myInterval = setInterval( function () {
play();
clearInterval(myInterval);
rotateQuoteIN(evt);
}, 2000);
}

function rotateQuote(evt:TimerEvent) {
Tweener.addTween(quoteMC, {alpha:0, time:3});
Tweener.addTween(authMC, {alpha:0, time:3});
wait(evt);
}

function rotateQuoteIN(evt:TimerEvent) {
quoteMC.alpha = 0;
authMC.alpha = 0;
Tweener.addTween(quoteMC, {alpha:1, time:6});
Tweener.addTween(authMC, {alpha:1, time:6});
quoteMC.quote_txt.text = “”;
authMC.author_txt.text = “”;
var randomness:Number = randomNumber(0, totalQuotes);

/* prevent the same quote from showing */
while ( lastQuote == randomness) {
randomness = randomNumber(0, totalQuotes);
}

lastQuote = randomness;

var temp:String = quote[randomness];
if (temp.length < 60) {
authMC.y = 50;
} else {
authMC.y = 72;
}

quoteMC.quote_txt.text = quote[randomness];
authMC.author_txt.text = author[randomness];

}

function randomNumber(low:Number, high:Number):Number {
var low:Number = low;
var high:Number = high;
return Math.round(Math.random() * high – low) + low;
}
init();

By: WilliamR

WilliamR — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 20:36:08 +0000

If you get error #2007, i think the problem is

totalQuotes = quotesXML.quote.length();

needs to be changed too

totalQuotes = quotesXML.quote.length() – 1;

You get the #2007 because the original code is reaching out of the array bounds.

By: Alex C

Alex C — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 01:53:04 +0000

I was having the same error #2007. It’s caused by this line:

var XMLURL:URLRequest = new URLRequest(“http://localhost/quoteRotator/quotes1.xml”);

You need to change that to the localhost folder where the app is running. However, after fixing that, the first quote comes up as “undefined” and then it works ok. What’s causing this?

By: ZeroHart

ZeroHart — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:07:00 +0000

Is there a way to do this but in AS2??

By: ZeroHart

ZeroHart — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:55:15 +0000

Hi there is there a way I can make a Flash SWF to add quotes to the XML? so People can add quotes by themselves?

By: orange

orange — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:25:50 +0000

Excelent job and thanks for sharing your work Tiago. I’m using it and works fine however I’m getting an error:

TypeError: Error #2007: Parameter text must be non-null.
at flash.text::TextField/set text()
at quotes_fla::MainTimeline/rotateQuote()
at flash.utils::Timer/flash.utils:Timer::_timerDispatch()
at flash.utils::Timer/flash.utils:Timer::tick()

The code I’m using is:

import caurina.transitions.Tweener;

var quote:Array = new Array();
var totalQuotes:Number;
quoteMC.alpha = 0;

var rotateTimer:Timer = new Timer(5000, 100);//rotates the quote every 2 seconds for 100 times
rotateTimer.addEventListener(“timer”, rotateQuote);//add a listener to the timer
rotateTimer.start();// start the timer

}

function rotateQuote(evt:TimerEvent) {
quoteMC.alpha = 0;
Tweener.addTween(quoteMC, {alpha:1, time:5});
quoteMC.quote_txt.text = “”;
var randomness:Number = randomNumber(0, totalQuotes);
quoteMC.quote_txt.text = quote[randomness];
}

function randomNumber(low:Number, high:Number):Number {
var low:Number = low;
var high:Number = high;
return Math.round(Math.random() * high – low) + low;
}
init();

I’m totally new at as3 so any help will be welcome.
Thanks in advance.

By: orange

orange — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:12:09 +0000

Excelent job and thanks for sharing your work Tiago. I’m using it and works fine however I’m getting an error:

The code I’m using is:

import caurina.transitions.Tweener;

var quote:Array = new Array();
var author:Array = new Array();
var totalQuotes:Number;
quoteMC.alpha = 0;

}

function randomNumber(low:Number, high:Number):Number {
var low:Number = low;
var high:Number = high;
return Math.round(Math.random() * high – low) + low;
}
init();

I’m totally new at as3 so any help will be welcome.
Thanks in advance.