For Loop and ComboBoxes help

[Continuity-B]

I have var numOfCombos:Number which is the number of combobox instances on stage, say 4, (I am making myself a template) which is used to define the range of a the for-loop below....


for (var i:Number = 1; i<=numOfCombos; i++) {
_root["cbBox_"+i]._x = 100, ;

}

I've traced i and published it and it works perfectly. But the thing is it was intended only a precursor to this code...

for (var i:Number = 1; i<=numOfCombos; i++) {
_root["cbBox_"+i].selectedIndex = 2;

}

...which does nothing. I am trying to make my comboboxes jump to a correct answer, in the end this will run when a button is pushed and the selectedIndex number will be a variable relating to the correct index for each combobox. But I want to know why this is not working?!

Thanks in advance
Scott

[Continuity-B]

If you absolutely must move my thread, fine, but I wouldn't mind being told where so that I can find it again without having to hunt - it's fairly irritating.

Anyway, I hope someone can still help, thanks.

[Continuity-B]

Right I see now the problem is that the indices are undefined... I thought they would be set when i used addItemAt to fill the comboBoxes?

[CyanBlue]

Now I suddenly feel really guilty... But you are responsible for posting your question to the right forum and you cannot imagine how many threads I have to move because of the various reasons... and I'd rather use that time to help somebody instead of moderating the forum... :(

At any rate, you can use this link to review all your posts...
http://www.actionscript.org/forums/subscription.php3?do=viewsubscription&folderid=all

As for your question, that syntax is totally valid... Maybe there is something else going on...
I've attached a sample file to show you that it works fine... Maybe you might want to double check it with what you have, and post more details if they look the same...

[Continuity-B]

Thanks for your reply - I can see all the forums and I thought it more of an AS problem but anyway nevermind.

The difference I can see is that you have populated the cbs with the inspector and I have used...

cbBox_1.addItemAt(0,"one");
cbBox_1.addItemAt(1,"two");
cbBox_1.addItemAt(2,"three");
cbBox_1.addItemAt(3,"four");

... as I find the inspector clunky for repeated use when creating lots of these interactivities and I'm trying to write wholly AS solution.

I tested a 'selectedIndex =' OUTSIDE of the for-loop and it works fine, inside it does nothing and when I try to trace an index number inside the loop it is undefined.

Here is my full AS so far...

// import the comboBox class
// allows us to declare the instances and get approcode hints
import mx.controls.ComboBox;

// declare symbol instances
// gives appropriate code hints
var cbBox_1:ComboBox;
var cbBox_2:ComboBox;
var cbBox_3:ComboBox;
var cbBox_4:ComboBox;

// declare variables
// numOfCombos == the total number of comboBox instances on stage
// will be used in a 'for loop' to dynamically repeat the same code for each comboBox when a button is pressed
var numOfCombos = 4;
// correctN == the index of the correct answer in each comboBox
var correct_1:Number = 0;
var correct_2:Number = 1;
var correct_3:Number = 2;
var correct_4:Number = 3;

//functions

for (var i:Number = 1; i<=numOfCombos; i++) {
// trace here to check the values for i are correct
//trace(i);
// this doesn't work
_root["cbBox_"+i].selectedIndex = 1;
}


// populate fields in each comboBox with 'addItemAt(position:Number, label:String)'
// you can use addItem(label:String) to add labels consecutively but with addItemAt we can see the position number for reference
cbBox_1.addItemAt(0,"one");
cbBox_1.addItemAt(1,"two");
cbBox_1.addItemAt(2,"three");
cbBox_1.addItemAt(3,"four");
//
cbBox_2.addItemAt(0,"five");
cbBox_2.addItemAt(1,"six");
cbBox_2.addItemAt(2,"seven");
cbBox_2.addItemAt(3,"eight");
//
cbBox_3.addItemAt(0,"nine");
cbBox_3.addItemAt(1,"ten");
cbBox_3.addItemAt(2,"eleven");
cbBox_3.addItemAt(3,"twelve");
//
cbBox_4.addItemAt(0,"thirteen");
cbBox_4.addItemAt(1,"fourteen");
cbBox_4.addItemAt(2,"fifteen");
cbBox_4.addItemAt(3,"sixteen");

// run now
// this works
//cbBox_1.selectedIndex = 1;

[CyanBlue]

What happens if you move that for loop block down below where it says // run now??? Does that make any difference???

[Continuity-B]

Ha ha yeah that's it !

So obvious in hindsight, always the way though...

Thanks a lot, looks solved now !

Scott

[CyanBlue]

Yup... The trouble was that you were trying to set the selectedIndex of the component that had nothing in it, so it did not work...