Links to AS functions in text?

Question

Is there a way to create hyperlinks to AS functions within
text that is imported from an XML file without having to call out
to JavaScript and back?
In other words, I'd like to have a way to put a link in the
middle of a line of text and have it call an ActionScript function
when clicked.
Thanks for any help!

Answer 1

lectro,
> Is there a way to create hyperlinks to AS functions
within
> text that is imported from an XML file without having to
> call out to JavaScript and back?
I think the answer is yes. It is possible to create
hyperlinks (<a>
tags) in HTML-formatted text in a Flash text field. It is
possible to have
that hyperlink trigger ActionScript, rather then open a URL.
The
HTML-formatted text can indeed be loaded from an XML
document. Because none
of this involves anything outside of the SWF file itself
(besides the XML
document), no JavaScript is required.
> In other words, I'd like to have a way to put a link in
the
> middle of a line of text and have it call an
ActionScript
> function when clicked.
Assuming you're using HTML-formatted text, it's as easy as
using the
asfunction pseudo protocol, instead of the http protocol. For
example:
var tf:TextField = this.createTextField("sampleTF", 0, 0, 0,
0, 0);
tf.autoSize = "left";
tf.html = true;
tf.htmlText = "<p>Lorem ipsum dolor <a
href='asfunction:myFunction'>sit
amet</a>.</p>";
function myFunction():Void {
trace("I've been clicked!");
If your function accepts parameters, send those in as a
string, like
this:
tf.htmlText = "<p>Lorem ipsum dolor <a
href='asfunction:myFunction,param'>sit
amet</a>.</p>";
function myFunction(msg:String):Void {
trace(msg);
In the above example, the parameter's value is "param", so
that string
gets passed into the function, where it is intercepted as the
variable msg.
The line trace(msg) will trace "param" to the Output panel.
David Stiller
Co-author, Foundation Flash CS3 for Designers
http://tinyurl.com/2k29mj
"Luck is the residue of good design."