Trying to use setInterval command

Question

does anyone have any idea what I am doing wrong, Im trying to
load random swfs and have them change on the current screen after a
given duration (im still learning and this happens to be in as2)
filename = ["countdown.swf", "snow.swf", "chimneysweep.swf",
"shanghaiedtochina.swf", "ashleydowns.swf"];
path = "
http://testwebsite/flash/swf/";
i = filename.length;
k = Math.floor(Math.random()*i);
loadMovie(path+filename[k], movieTarget);
var setInterval(loadMovie, 1000);

Answer 1

splotter,
> filename = ["countdown.swf", "snow.swf",
"chimneysweep.swf",
> "shanghaiedtochina.swf", "ashleydowns.swf"];
This line creates a variable named filename and sets it an
an instance
of the Array class. So you have an array with five elements
in it. For
what it's worth, I recommend that you use the var keyword to
formally declar
your variable: Since you're using AS2, you may as well type
your variable,
while you're at it. These extra small steps are good habits
to get into,
because they can be helpful in complex projets.
var filename:Array = ["countdown.swf", "snow.swf",
"chimneysweep.swf",
"shanghaiedtochina.swf", "ashleydowns.swf"];
> path = "
http://testwebsite/flash/swf/";
This line creates another variable, this time a string, and
sets it to a
value. Again, I recommend you declare and type your variable:
var path:String = "
http://testwebsite/flash/swf/";
> i = filename.length;
Here, you're creating yet another variable, this time a
number, based on
the length of the array. In this context, i equals 5.
var i:Number = filename.length;
> k = Math.floor(Math.random()*i);
Here, you're creating another number variable, whose value
is some
number between 0 and 4. For grins, let's say it happens to be
3.
var k:Number = Math.floor(Math.random()*i);
> loadMovie(path+filename[k], movieTarget);
Here, you're invoking the loadMovie() function with a
concatenated first
parameter. Assuming k is 3, then you're actually saying the
following:
loadMovie("
http://testwebsite/flash/swf/shanghaiedtochina.swf",
movieTarget);
... because path plus the third element from the filename
array is the
string shown.
> var setInterval(loadMovie, 1000);
Now you're setting up a timed loop that repeats every second
(every
1,000 milliseconds). The function you're repeatedly
triggering is the
loadMovie() function, but you aren't specifying any
parameters this time.
My hunch is that you want to load a random movie every
second, but I'm
not sure. If I'm right, then you're going to have to
re-generate your
random number every time the function is triggered. I'd wrap
the operative
part in a custom function and trigger that function instead.
var filename:Array = ["countdown.swf", "snow.swf",
"chimneysweep.swf",
"shanghaiedtochina.swf", "ashleydowns.swf"];
var path:String = "
http://testwebsite/flash/swf/";
var i:Number = filename.length;
function loadRandomMovie():Void {
var k:Number = Math.floor(Math.random()*i);
loadMovie(path+filename[k], movieTarget);
setInterval(loadRandomMovie, 1000);
Now, keep in mind, you don't need the var keyword in front
of the
setInterval() call. setInterval() isn't a variable. The
function does
return a value, so you can store *that*, if you want, but you
don't need to
unless you want to use clearInterval() later to stop the
looping. That
might look like this ...
var interval:Number = setInterval(loadRandomMovie, 1000);
... which means later you could use clearInterval(interval)
to stop the
loop.
David Stiller
Co-author, Foundation Flash CS3 for Designers
http://tinyurl.com/2k29mj
"Luck is the residue of good design."