Writing Scripts with ActionScript > Assigning actions to a button

 

Assigning actions to a button

To make a movie perform an action when a button is clicked or rolled over, you can assign an action to the button. You must assign actions to an instance of the button; other instances of the symbol aren't affected.

When you assign an action to a button, you must nest the action inside an on handler and specify the mouse or keyboard events that trigger the action. When you assign an action to a button in normal mode, the on handler is automatically inserted and you can choose an event from a list. (For more information about event handlers, see Controlling when ActionScript runs.)

You can also use events of the ActionScript Button object to execute scripts when a button event occurs. For more information, see Handling events with ActionScript.

The following instructions describe how to assign actions to a button using the Actions panel in normal mode. Once you've assigned an action, you test the movie to see whether it works.

 
To assign an action to a button:

1

Select a button and choose Window > Actions to open the Actions panel if it isn't already open. Alternatively, you can select the button or movie clip instance from the jump menu in the Actions panel.

2

To assign an action, do one of the following:

Click a folder in the Actions toolbox (at the left side of the panel). Double-click an action to add it to the Script pane (at the right side of the panel).

Drag an action from theActions toolbox to the Script pane.

Click the Add (+) button and choose an action from the pop-up menu.

Use the keyboard shortcut listed next to an action in the Add (+) button pop-up menu.

Selecting an action from the Actions toolbox in normal mode
 

3

In the parameter text boxes at the top of the panel, enter parameters for the action as needed.

Parameters vary depending on the action you choose. For detailed information on the required parameters for each action, see the online ActionScript Dictionary in the Help menu. To insert a target path for a movie clip into a parameter text box, click the Insert Target Path button above the Script pane. For more information, see Working with Movie Clips and Buttons.

4

Repeat steps 2 and 3 to assign additional actions as necessary.

 
To test a button action:

Choose Control > Test Movie.

For more information on using simple actions, see Controlling movie playback. For more information on creating interactivity, see Creating complex interactivity.