Working with Text > Controlling text with ActionScript > Formatting text dynamically |
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Formatting text dynamically
You can use the ActionScript TextFormat object to set properties of a text field. A TextFormat object incorporates character and paragraph formatting information. Character formatting information describes the appearance of individual characters: font name, point size, color, and an associated URL. Paragraph formatting information describes the appearance of a paragraph: left margin, right margin, indentation of the first line, and left, right, or center alignment.
First you must create a new TextFormat object. Then you can use the methods of the TextField object and pass them the TextFormat object as a parameter to format the text in a field.
Each character in a text field may individually be assigned a TextFormat object. The TextFormat object of the first character of a paragraph is examined to perform paragraph formatting for the entire paragraph.
To format text dynamically:
1 |
Choose Window > Actions to open the Actions panel if it isn't already open. |
2 |
Do one of the following to create a text field: |
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Use the Text tool to drag a text field on the Stage. Assign the text field an instance name in the Property inspector. |
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For this example, enter the instance name myText. |
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Use the |
3 |
Do one of the following to place text in the text field: |
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Enter text into the text field on the Stage. |
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Set the |
4 |
In the Actions toolbox, select the Objects category, then select the Movie category, then select the Movie category, then select the TextFormat category, then double-click |
myformat = new TextFormat(); |
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5 |
In the Actions toolbox, select the Objects category, then select the Movie category, then select the TextFormat category, then select the Properties category, then double-click |
myformat.color = 0xff0000; myformat.bullet = true; myformat.underline = true; |
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6 |
In the Actions toolbox, select the Objects category, then select the Movie category, then select the TextField category, then select the Method category, then double-click |
7 |
In the Object field, enter the name of the TextFormat object you created in step 4, myformat. The following code displays in the Script pane: |
mytext.setTextFormat(myformat); |
For a complete list of TextFormat object methods and detailed descriptions of each, see TextFormat (object).
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