This tutorial will demonstrate how to create XML inside Flash using AS3.
Exercise 1: This exercise shows how you can generate a simple XML value in your Output box.
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First, if you start a new Flash session, create a new file, and make sure to choose AS3 as your actionscript setting.
Hit F9 and you will be in the Actions code editor. Enter the following text:
trace(myXML);
When you execute this statement (by pressing CTRL + Enter on a PC or CMD + Enter on a Mac), you will get “Brad” in your Output box. Trace is a great feature for testing your programs since it writes whatever you “trace” to the Output box.
Exercise 2: This shows how we can output our values to a Combo box instead of just to the Output box.
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Start a new Flash file, again using AS3.
Drag a Combo Box component to your Library.
Drag a TextInput box from the Library to the Stage and name the instance info_txt.
Create a new layer and name it a (as in “a”).
Click on the first frame, press the F9 key, and start typing the following actionscript:
var image:XML = new XML(<image/>);
//image:XML – variable with an image datatype
//<image/>creates an image element –
//this is the shorthand method to open and close an element at the same time
image.filename = “sagrada.jpg”;
image.architect = “Antonio Gaudi”;
trace(image); //sends result to output
The result you should now see in your Output box is this:
<image>
<filename>sagrada.jpg</filename>
<architect>Antonio Gaudi</architect>
</image>
If we also want to see the result in the TextInput box, we can do so by adding this line:
Exercise 3: This shows how to pull specific information from the XML file and display it.
var image:XML = new XML(<image/>);
image.fileName = “sagrada.jpg”;
image.architect = “Antonio Gaudi”;
info_txt.text = image.architect;
This code will return the following content to your TextInput box:
Antonio Gaudi
(This happens since you requested the value “architect” from “image”.)
Note: You may need to open the Properties panel and adjust the size of your TextInput box so it is big enough to show any output generated.
Exercise 4: This shows how to add an attribute to your XML code.
var image:XML = new XML(<image/>);
image.@fileName = “sagrada.jpg”;
image.architect = “Antonio Gaudi”;
info_txt.text = image;
This should return:
<image filename=”sagrada.jpg”>
<architect>Antonio Gaudi<architect>
</image>
Challenge: Write code for a guitar xml file that returns this input to the info_txt.text box:
<guitar filename=”R4001.jpg”>
<brand>Rickenbacker</brand>
<model>4001</model>
</guitar>
The answer to this challenge will be posted next week.
Next Up: Importing XML Data with Flash.
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