# Please Help me Lostinbeta!

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [April 27, 2003, 12:51pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380 "2003-04-27T12:51:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 18\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mindfriction](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/mindfriction/32/172_2.png) [@mindfriction](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/mindfriction)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 12:51pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/1 "2003-04-27T12:51:44Z")

</div>

Hey Lost 🙂

Long time, just wanted to ask something in regard to the post which we made a line tool (see below) using the draw API

[http://www.kirupaforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16658&perpage=15&pagenumber=4](http://www.kirupaforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16658&perpage=15&pagenumber=4)

The line tool works fabulously as I mentioned, but I was wondering how I would go about making it so that the lines created can be individually manipulated again after they are drawn, ie clicked and dragged to another position??

Ive thought about this long and hard, and all I can think of is making it so that each line that is drawn is created inside an emptyclip or attached to an empty clip which itself has a drag method. But Ive got no real idea how to do this properly with your code. Could provide me with any help?

Thanks in advance :tb:

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 1:05pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/2 "2003-04-27T13:05:24Z")

</div>

If only I knew 😛

I have to go soon so I don’t have time to figure it out now, but if I have time later tonight I will see what I can do.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/3 "2003-04-27T13:27:19Z")

</div>

LOL yeah “if only i knew” too :P, but if you could take a look at it later tonight that would be great :D.

Thanks, any help would be great

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/4 "2003-04-27T16:40:49Z")

</div>

couldnt you just use the bezier curve principle on that line?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/5 "2003-04-28T03:01:31Z")

</div>

Hmmmzz, looked at a few of those bezie curve examples in the posts, and I tried to incoroprate it into my code, but Im having heaps of trouble

```auto

function createEdge()
{
	tool.text="EDGE";
	nodeMode=false;
	edgeMode=true;
	createEdgeButt.gotoAndPlay("down");
	createNodeButt.gotoAndStop("up");
	
	
	_root.z+=1;
	//The 'holder' clip which will contain the line.
	this._parent.createEmptyMovieClip("lineHolder", _root.z);
	this._parent.lineHolder._focusrect = true;
	_root.z+=1;
	this._parent[lineHolder].createEmptyMovieClip("line", _root.z);
	_root.z+=1;
	this._parent[lineHolder].createEmptyMovieClip("tempLine", _root.z);
	_root.z+=1;
	this._parent[lineHolder].createEmptyMovieClip("point1", _root.z).buildPoint(3);
	_root.z+=1;
	this._parent[lineHolder].createEmptyMovieClip("point2", _root.z).buildPoint(3);
	this._parent[lineHolder].point1._visible = false;
	this._parent[lineHolder].point2._visible = false;//same as point1._visible=false; point2._visible=false
	

	this._parent._parent.onMouseDown = drawProcess;//25/3
	this._parent._parent.onMouseUp = drawFinalLine;
	this._parent._parent.onEnterFrame = clearMe;
}

function drawProcess() {
	if(edgeMode==true)
	{
		 if(canvas.hitTest(this._parent._xmouse, this._parent._ymouse, true)) {
			 xPos = _xmouse;
			 yPos = _ymouse;
			 this._parent[lineHolder].point1._x = this._parent[lineHolder].point2._x=xPos
			 this._parent[lineHolder].point1._y = this._parent[lineHolder].point2._y=yPos
			 this._parent[lineHolder].point1._visible = this._parent[lineHolder].point2._visible=true;
			 this._parent[lineHolder].line.moveTo(Xpos, Ypos);
			 
		 	 this.onMouseMove = function() {
				 this._parent[lineHolder].tempLine.clear();
				 this._parent[lineHolder].tempLine.lineStyle(2, 0xC9C9FC, 50);
				 this._parent[lineHolder].tempLine.moveTo(_xmouse, _ymouse);
				 if (Key.isDown(Key.SHIFT)) {
					 if (_ymouse<=yPos-100 || _ymouse>=yPos+100) {
						this._parent[lineHolder].point2._x = xPos;
						this._parent[lineHolder].point2._y = _ymouse;
						this._parent[lineHolder].tempLine.lineTo(xPos, _ymouse);
					} else {
						this._parent[lineHolder].point2._x = _xmouse;
						this._parent[lineHolder].point2._y = yPos;
						this._parent[lineHolder].tempLine.lineTo(_xmouse, yPos);
					}
				} else {
					this._parent[lineHolder].point2._x = _xmouse;
					this._parent[lineHolder].point2._y = _ymouse;
					this._parent[lineHolder].tempLine.lineTo(_xmouse, _ymouse);
				}
				
			};
		 }
	}
}

function drawFinalLine() {
	if(edgeMode==true)
	{
		if(canvas.hitTest(this._parent._xmouse, this._parent._ymouse, true)) {
			this._parent[lineHolder].tempLine.clear();
			delete this.onMouseMove;
			this._parent[lineHolder].point1._visible = this._parent[lineHolder].point2._visible=false;
			//this._parent.createEmptyMovieClip("lineHolder" + _root.lineNum, _root.lineNum);
			this._parent[lineHolder].line.lineStyle(.25, 0x2525F3, 100);
			if (Key.isDown(Key.SHIFT)) {
				if (_ymouse<=yPos-100 || _ymouse>=yPos+100) {
					this._parent[lineHolder].line.lineTo(_xmouse, _ymouse);
				} else {
					tthis._parent[lineHolder].line.lineTo(_xmouse, yPos);
				}
			} else {
				this._parent[lineHolder].line.lineTo(_xmouse, _ymouse);
			}
			_root.lineNum = _root.lineNum + 1;
			_root.p1x[_root.lineNum] = this._parent[lineHolder].point1._x;
			_root.p1y[_root.lineNum] = this._parent[lineHolder].point1._y;
			_root.p2x[_root.lineNum] = this._parent[lineHolder].point2._x;
			_root.p2y[_root.lineNum] = this._parent[lineHolder].point2._y;
			
		}
		else
		{
			this._parent[lineHolder].point1._visible = this._parent[lineHolder].point2._visible=false;
		}
	}
	
}

```

And here’s the function which is called to enable the lines (and nodes) to be moved

```auto

function moveStuff()
{
	edgeMode=false;
	nodeMode=true;
	tool.text="MOVE";
	//remove any existing event handlers
	delete this._parent._parent.onMouseDown;
	delete this._parent._parent.onMouseUp;
	delete this._parent._parent.onEnterFrame;
	createEdgeButt.gotoAndStop("up");
	createNodeButt.gotoAndStop("up");
	
	for(var i=0; i < _root.nodeNum; i++)
	{
		this._parent["node" + i].nodeBody.onPress = newPress;
		this._parent["node" + i].nodeBody.onRelease = this._parent["node" + i].nodeBody.onReleaseOutside=newRelease;
	}
	
	for(var j=0; j < _root.lineNum; j++)
	{
		this._parent["lineHolder" + j].onPress = startDrag(this, false);
		this._parent["lineHolder" + j].onRelease = this._parent["lineHolder" + j].onReleaseOutside= this.stopDrag();
	}
	
}

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 11:40pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/6 "2003-04-28T23:40:47Z")

</div>

Heres my new version which im still having problems with

```auto

function createEdge()
{
	tool.text="EDGE";
	nodeMode=false;
	edgeMode=true;
	createEdgeButt.gotoAndPlay("down");
	createNodeButt.gotoAndStop("up");
		
	_root.z+=1;
	this._parent.createEmptyMovieClip("tempLine", _root.z);
	_root.z+=1;
	this._parent.createEmptyMovieClip("point1", _root.z).buildPoint(3);
	_root.z+=1;
	this._parent.createEmptyMovieClip("point2", _root.z).buildPoint(3);
	point1._visible = false;
	point2._visible = false;//same as point1._visible=false; point2._visible=false
	
	delete this._parent._parent.onMouseDown;
	this._parent._parent.onMouseDown = drawProcess;//25/3
	this._parent._parent.onMouseUp = drawFinalLine;
	this._parent._parent.onEnterFrame = clearMe;
}

function drawProcess() {
	if(edgeMode==true)
	{
		 if(canvas.hitTest(this._parent._xmouse, this._parent._ymouse, true)) {
			 _root.lineNum++;
			 _root.z+=1;
			 //create a seperate mc for each line
			 this._parent.createEmptyMovieClip("line"+_root.lineNum, _root.z);
			 		 
			 xPos = _xmouse;
			 yPos = _ymouse;
			 
			 trace("_xmouse: " + xPos + " _ymouse: " + yPos);
			 point1._x = point2._x=xPos
			 point1._y = point2._y=yPos
			 point1._visible = point2._visible=true;
			 
			 this._parent["line"+ _root.lineNum].moveTo(xPos, yPos);
			 trace("x: " + this._parent["line" + 1]._x);
		 
		 	 this.onMouseMove = function() {
				 tempLine.clear();
				 tempLine.lineStyle(2, 0xC9C9FC, 50);
				 tempLine.moveTo(xPos, yPos);
				 if (Key.isDown(Key.SHIFT)) {
					 if (_ymouse<=yPos-100 || _ymouse>=yPos+100) {
						point2._x = xPos;
						point2._y = _ymouse;
						tempLine.lineTo(xPos, _ymouse);
					} else {
						point2._x = _xmouse;
						point2._y = yPos;
						tempLine.lineTo(_xmouse, yPos);
					}
				} else {
					point2._x = _xmouse;
					point2._y = _ymouse;
					tempLine.lineTo(_xmouse, _ymouse);
				}
				
			};
		 }
	}
}

function drawFinalLine() {
	if(edgeMode==true)
	{		
		if(canvas.hitTest(this._parent._xmouse, this._parent._ymouse, true)) {
			tempLine.clear();
			delete this.onMouseMove;
			point1._visible = point2._visible=false;
			this._parent["line" + _root.lineNum].lineStyle(.25, 0x2525F3, 100);
			if (Key.isDown(Key.SHIFT)) {
				if (_ymouse<=yPos-100 || _ymouse>=yPos+100) {
					this._parent["line" + _root.lineNum].lineTo(xPos, _ymouse);
				} else {
					this._parent["line" + _root.lineNum].lineTo(_xmouse, yPos);
				}
			} else {
				this._parent["line" + _root.lineNum].lineTo(_xmouse, _ymouse);
			}
			//_root.lineNum = _root.lineNum + 1;
			_root.p1x[_root.lineNum] = point1._x;
			_root.p1y[_root.lineNum] = point1._y;
			_root.p2x[_root.lineNum] = point2._x;
			_root.p2y[_root.lineNum] = point2._y;
			
		}
	}
	
}

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 5:20am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/7 "2003-04-29T05:20:08Z")

</div>

Hrmm… sorry, I couldn’t really figure out a good method to do it :-\ ☹

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/8 "2003-04-29T05:36:49Z")

</div>

Thats ok, thanks anyway lost. … I can get it drawing in individual clips but for some reason it draws offset to the hitTest area (canvas mc), ie I tempLine gets drawn on canvas and the final line appears about 100px to the left lol.

:cyclops:

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 5:52am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/9 "2003-04-29T05:52:59Z")

</div>

Actually just a guess from looking at the dictionary, I may need to use somewhere something like this

```auto

myMovieClip.globalToLocal(point)
or 
myMovieClip.localToGlobal(point)

```

to stop that offsetting… but thats way over my head ;(

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 6:13am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/10 "2003-04-29T06:13:15Z")

</div>

Heya lost sorry, I found this script in [actionscript.org](http://actionscript.org), pretty good and close to the functionality Im trying to achieve. Would this spark you inner mind?

> **[ActionScript.org Forums - Powered by vBulletin](http://www.actionscript.org/forums/index.php)**
>
> ActionScript.org Forums

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 6:22am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/11 "2003-04-29T06:22:11Z")

</div>

I think the problem is the targetting of the line.

Sometimes \_root, this, or \_parent doesn’t alway work. In that case sometimes you have to resort to this.\_parent. And depending on how many clips your final clip is in it can be this.\_parent.\_parent.\_parent, etc, etc…lol.

The offsetting seems to me like you are setting \_x and \_y coordinate (or possible \_xmouse and\_ymouse coordinates) by the wrong timelines settings… if you know what I mean.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 6:24am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/12 "2003-04-29T06:24:39Z")

</div>

If you dont understand… then check this to see what I mean…

[AS]this.createEmptyMovieClip(“test”, 1);  
test.\_x = 275;  
test.\_y = 200;  
this.onMouseMove = function() {  
trace(\_root.\_xmouse);  
trace(test.\_xmouse);  
};[/AS]

I created a movie clip and moved it center stage (that is… if your movie is the standard 550x400), then I use an onMouseMove to trace the \_xmouse position on the \_root timeline and the \_xmouse position inside the test clips timeline. You will see they return different results. As you get closer to the upper left, the \_root.\_xmouse returns closer to 0, and as you get closer to the center of the stage the test.\_xmouse returns closer to 0.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 6:36am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/13 "2003-04-29T06:36:58Z")

</div>

Hmm yeah I know what you mean regarding the timelines. And the targeting is deffintly the problem because the final line appears to be exactly the same size, angle etc its just that its offset as I mentioned, to the left. :hair:  
Seems to be it gets the xPos and yPos ok, but when it redraws the line as final line it appears to draw under the coordinates of the ‘outer’ clip and I have no idea which clip is this ‘outer’ clip BAH

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 6:37am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/14 "2003-04-29T06:37:54Z")

</div>

And just for kicks… heres another example of a clip inside the test clip…

[AS]this.createEmptyMovieClip(“test”, 1);  
test.createEmptyMovieClip(“test2”, 1);  
test.\_x = 275;  
test.\_y = 200;  
test.test2.\_x = 150;  
test.test2.\_y = 100;  
this.onMouseMove = function() {  
trace("Orig: "+\_root.\_xmouse);  
trace("Test: "+test.\_xmouse);  
trace("Test2: "+test.test2.\_xmouse);  
};[/AS]

This time I moved the test2 clip (150, 100) according to the (0,0) of the test clip.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 6:39am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/15 "2003-04-29T06:39:57Z")

</div>

> \*Originally posted by mindfriction \*  
> \*\*Hmm yeah I know what you mean regarding the timelines. And the targeting is deffintly the problem because the final line appears to be exactly the same size, angle etc its just that its offset as I mentioned, to the left. :hair:  
> Seems to be it gets the xPos and yPos ok, but when it redraws the line as final line it appears to draw under the coordinates of the ‘outer’ clip and I have no idea which clip is this ‘outer’ clip BAH \*\*

Yeah, the xPos and yPos are probably correct, your just targeting the wrong timeline to draw the final line in, so its creating it in the right coords of the wrong clip, causing the offset.

At least in theory I think thats the problem. Good luck finding out how to target it… that kind of stuff is a PAIN!!!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 6:48am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/16 "2003-04-29T06:48:56Z")

</div>

lol, ‘just for kicks’.

Hey one other thing before I dive into this painful mess just a passing thought, if I clear temp line mc as I do, how can I be sure the final line empty clip i create will register at the same relative position as the temp line empty?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 6:54am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/17 "2003-04-29T06:54:03Z")

</div>

If you want to be sure… then don’t clear your temp line… if thats what you mean. You can always comment out the tempLine clear code while testing then uncomment it when your done.

That is if I understand what you are saying. Its 3am now and I gotta get up early… so I really have to go now and I hope I understood correctly.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 7:00am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/please-help-me-lostinbeta/19380/18 "2003-04-29T07:00:55Z")

</div>

Thanks for listening (or reading) my insanity lost.

Usually im on the forums late because it seems thats the best time to be on due to timeline difference, its actually 5.00pm in Melbourne Australia atm.  
I’ll let you know how it goes 😛