Problem with arrays and drag/drop interface

programming flash
1

I’m creating a flash application that lets you drag and drop items from a toybox or library area onto specific landing pads, to create custom designs within rooms.

I have movieclip landing pads/targets on the main timeline named drop1, drop2, drop3… through drop7. I have the following code attached to a toy (movieclip) in the toybox:


onClipEvent (load) {
    // determine starting point of item
    origin_x = this._x;
    origin_y = this._y;
    // holds which landing pad is selected
    _root.dropSelection = 1;
    // build array for landing pads
    var drops = new Array(8);
    for (var i = 1; i<=drops.length-1; i++) {
        drops* = "_parent.drop"+i;
        trace(drops*);
    }
    // build array for snap position for x coordinate when mouse is released
    var dropPosX = new Array(8);
    for (var i = 1; i<=dropPosX.length-1; i++) {
        dropPosX* = "_parent.drop"+i+"._x";
    }
    // build array for snap position for y coordinate when mouse is released
    var dropPosY = new Array(8);
    for (var i = 1; i<=dropPosY.length-1; i++) {
        dropPosY* = "_parent.drop"+i+"._y";
    }
}
onClipEvent (enterFrame) {
    // landing pad detection script
}
onClipEvent (mouseDown) {
    // test if the mouse is within the movieclip and if so do stuff
    if (this.hitTest(_root._xMouse, _root._yMouse)) {
        // hide movieclip containing initial user instructions text
        _root.helpTag._visible = false;
        // pick up the item
        this.startDrag();
        // changes the look of the movieclip while dragging
        gotoAndStop(2);
    }
}
onClipEvent (mouseUp) {
    // drop item
    this.stopDrag();
    // tests if the item is over the intended target and if so does stuff
    if (this.hitTest(drops[_root.dropSelection])) {
        this.gotoAndStop(2);
        // this should snap the item to the land pad's position but it doesn't
        this._x = dropPosX[_root.dropSelection];
        this._y = dropPosY[_root.dropSelection];
    } else {
        // if object isn't over a landing pad, push it back to the toybox
        this.gotoAndStop(1);
        this._x = origin_x;
        this._y = origin_y;
        trace("not in the zone");
    }
}

I’m having trouble figuring out why the array I’ve built isn’t triggering the snap into place when I let go of the item. Also I’m trying to determine the best method for detecting which landing pad the item is being dragged over. I’ve set the root variable dropSelection to 1 just to test the interaction over the first landind pad. Currently with the gotoAndPlay(2) command the movieclip that is being dragged changes to different icon that is just as big as the landing pads. All the landing pads are close togethor so right now it would be easy to overlap which could be a problem in determining which pad to snap to which I’m not sure how to fix.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
Chris

2

http://www.n99creations.com/?pID=archives&col=Blue&arch=Alphabet_Teacher

thAT help?

3

I’ll have to look through this a little more closely but this looks like what I was looking for. Thanks
Chris