get instance name?

[EnSanity]

Is there some type of method that on (press) you could find out what the instance name is of the variable clicked?

example: there is a button which has an instance name of myButton

- now when i click it do something like

instancename = getVariableClicked();
and instancename would get the value myButton
i dont know if there is a method like this, is there?

Thanks!

[CyanBlue]

Howdy...

You can use _name to get the instance name, but you cannot reset/change the instance name via script...

[EnSanity]

:-D dont need to!

[EnSanity]

hrmmmm BLUE, how does this ._name function work? i've tried a couple different ways and havent gotten it to work. I have read in my flash book that

but quite honestly, using the _name property to determine the name of a movie clip instance would be rather silly. After all, to examine or set an object's properties, you would already need to know the name of the object. And if you already know the name of an object, the _name property will have the value that you already know.

Well that would defeat the purpose of the property now wouldnt it? If it cant tell the name of the object being selected, then it cant help me. Can it in someway that im missing?

Example: say the button's instance name is button1 and

on release i want the variable instname to get the instance name of this button. So if everything worked instname would equal "button1" can you help me get this?

[CyanBlue]

Well... I am not quite sure what you are trying to do there...

Let's make it simple...

Create a button on the stage, and give it 'Btn_Test' as an instance name...
In frame 1 of the movie, add this script...

Btn_Test.onPress = function ()
{
    trace(this._name);
}

Run the movie and click on it, and see the output panel...

Is it what you are looking for???

[EnSanity]

This is what i am trying to do: I am letting the user dynamically create buttons, so the only thing i know about the instance name is that there will be a w to start it a number proceeding it (ex. w12) so at some point during my script i want the user to be able to add text associated to each button. So basically i need to be able to get the instance name to modify the text associated with it. Do you follow? Since i am duplicating these "buttons" from a main movie clip i could add a generic script to that button saying like

on(release){
    instname = this._name;
}

would that work?

Regards,
EnSanity

[EnSanity]

hrmm no that would be too easy. wow - that is the most pointless function EVER! to make that work i would have to go

trace(yay._name);

which wold give me the output "yay"....... how stupid. Do you have any idea how i could accomplish what i stated i needed to do in the previous post? Im stuck! - EnSanity

[CyanBlue]

Hm... Obviously I am not getting what you are saying...

So, you have buttons on the stage via duplicateMovieClip() function... And, you want to know the instance name of the selected/pressed movieclip, and save it to the variable???

Your script should do what I've just said...

on (release){
    instname = this._name;
}

I don't understand what you meant by 'too easy'... Do me a favor and post your code or sample file...

[EnSanity]

well blue, i have found out how to make it work.

on the one being duplicated i added this code:

_root.instFunction(this);

and on the root timeline i added

function instFunction (obj){
	_root.instname=obj._name;
	trace (instname);
}

aparently my book The Complete Reference: Macromedia Flash MX was wrong. In it was that quote i posted a few posts ago about _name property being worthless. I have since then written them a letter and figured out my problem. But i do have a question i can ask of you. Right now i have a delete button and on it is the code

on (release)
{
	removeMovieClip(_root.instname);
}

Now for some reason this does not work. instname gets the value once a copied button is clicked. How should i fix this?

[CyanBlue]

Glad you got it working...

removeMovieClip() function will only delte instances of the movieclip that has been laid on the stage via attachMovie() function or duplicateMovieclip() function... Make sure of that... and also make sure that _root.instname is within the scope... and try this code...

on (release)
{
    trace("_root.instname = " + _root.instname);
    _root.instname.removeMovieClip();
    // or
    _root[instname].removeMovieClip();
}

Let me know...