Very simple - how do I make a function?

[roscoman]

This sounds absolutely ridiculous but I simply cannot get this to work. I want to have a MovieClip with a function that can be called from the main timeline that controls aspects of the MovieClip instance.

So I make a MovieClip and I put some actionscript on the first frame of the first layer:

changeFrame = function()
{
trace("calling changeFrame function");
gotoAndStop(2);
}

Then I put an instance of the MovieClip on the main stage, give the instance the name 'myInstance' and put some actionscript in the first frame of the main timeline:

_root.myInstance.changeFrame();

The function is never called. I just do not understand this. Please could someone explain what I'm doing wrong.

Many thanks
Ross

[mooska]

use protoMovieClip.prototype.changeFrame = function(){
///bla bla bla
}

[roscoman]

Hi Mooska
Thanks for your reply. I tried the prototype thing and it worked, but the problem was that if I had another MovieClip (an instance of a different MovieClip symbol) with the same function name, there is a strange interaction. For example:

MovieClip1 has a function:

MovieClip.prototype.changeFrame = function()
{
trace("Called changeFrame function of MovieClip1");
}

And MovieClip2 has the a function with the same name:

MovieClip.prototype.changeFrame = function()
{
trace("Called changeFrame function of MovieClip2");
}

and instances on the main stage, mc1Instance and mc2Instance. If I use:

_root.mc2Instance.changeFrame();

The output is : "Called changeFrame function of MovieClip1"

It's a strange interaction but I need to have the MovieClips having functions with the same name. I guessed it was something to do with me not really understanding what the MovieClip.prototype thing was doing.

Any other ideas?

Thanks
Ross

[mooska]

MovieClip.prototype add a method to mc, method example is gotoAndPlay();
so after applying it, EVERY movieclip has it ;)

[roscoman]

Well that makes sense but I don't want that to happen. I want to put a function in a MovieClip that only applies to instances of that MovieClip, not every instance of every MovieClip I make. How do I do that? It seems like such a simple and obvious thing to want to do but I just cannot work out how to do it.

Thanks
Ross

[mooska]

this.myInstance.changeFrame = function()
{
trace("calling changeFrame function");
gotoAndStop(2);
}