Creating Interaction with ActionScript > Creating sound controls
Creating sound controls
To control sounds in a movie, you use the predefined Sound object. To use the methods of the Sound object, you must first create a new Sound object. Then you can use the attachSound
method to insert a sound from the library into a movie while the movie is running. The Sound object's setVolume
method controls the volume and the setPan
method adjusts the left and right balance of a sound.
To attach a sound to a Timeline:
1 | Choose File > Import to import a sound. |
2 | Select the sound in the library and choose Linkage from the Options menu. |
3 | Select Export This Symbol and give it the identifier mySound. |
4 | Select frame 1 in the main Timeline and choose Window > Actions. |
5 | Drag the set variable action from the toolbox to the Script window. |
6 | Enter s in the Value box. |
7 | In the Toolbox list, select Objects, then select Sound, and drag new Sound to the Value box. |
The code should look like this: | |
s = new Sound(); |
|
8 | Double-click the evaluate action in the toolbox. |
9 | Enter s in the Expression box. |
10 | In the Objects category of the Toolbox list, select Sound, then drag attachSound to the Expression box. |
11 | Enter "mySound" in the ID argument of attachSound . |
12 | Double-click the evaluate action in the toolbox. |
13 | Enter s in the Expression box. |
14 | In the Objects category, select Sound, then drag start to the Expression box. |
The code should look like this: | |
s = new Sound(); s.attachSound("mySound"); s.start(); |
|
15 | Choose Control > Test Movie to hear the sound. |
![]() |
To create a sliding volume control:
1 | Drag a button to the Stage. |
2 | Select the button and choose Insert > Convert to Symbol. Choose the movie clip behavior. |
This creates a movie clip with the button on it's first frame. | |
3 | Select the movie clip and choose Edit > Edit Symbol. |
4 | Select the button and choose Window > Actions. |
5 | Enter the following actions: |
on (press) { startDrag ("", false, left, top, right, bottom); dragging = true; } on (release, releaseOutside) { stopDrag (); dragging = false; } |
|
The startDrag parameters left , top , right , and bottom are variables set in a clip action. |
|
6 | Choose Edit > Edit Movie to return to the main Timeline. |
7 | Select the movie clip on the Stage. |
8 | Enter the following actions: |
onClipEvent (load) { top=_y; left=_x; right=_x; bottom=_y+100; } onClipEvent(enterFrame){ if (dragging==true){ _root.s.setVolume(100-(_y-top)); } } |
|
9 | Choose Control > Test Movie to use the volume slider. |
![]() |
To create a balance sliding control:
1 | Drag a button to the Stage. |
2 | Select the button and choose Insert > Convert to Symbol. Choose the movie clip property. |
3 | Select the movie clip and choose Edit > Edit Symbol. |
4 | Select the button and choose Window > Actions. |
5 | Enter the following actions: |
on (press) { startDrag ("", false, left, top, right, bottom); dragging = true; } on (release, releaseOutside) { stopDrag (); dragging = false; } |
|
The startDrag parameters left , top , right , and bottom are variables set in a clip action. |
|
6 | Choose Edit > Edit Movie to return to the main Timeline. |
7 | Select the movie clip on the Stage. |
8 | Enter the following actions: |
onClipEvent(load){ top=_y; bottom=_y; left=_x-50; right=_x+50; center=_x; } onClipEvent(enterFrame){ if (dragging==true){ _root.s.setPan((_x-center)*2); } } |
|
9 | Choose Control > Test Movie to use the balance slider. |
![]() |
For more information about the methods of the Sound object, see their entries in the ActionScript Dictionary.