Path object

Availability

Flash MX 2004.

Description

The Path object defines a sequence of line segments (straight, curved, or both), which you typically use when creating extensible tools. The following example shows an instance of a Path object being returned from the flash object:

path = fl.drawingLayer.newPath();

See also the drawingLayer object.

Method summary for the Path object

The following methods are available for the Path object:

Method	Description
path.addCubicCurve()	Appends a cubic Bézier curve segment to the path.
path.addCurve()	Appends a quadratic Bézier segment to the path.
path.addPoint()	Adds a point to the path.
path.clear()	Removes all points from the path.
path.close()	Appends a point at the location of the first point of the path and extends the path to that point, which closes the path.
path.makeShape()	Creates a shape on the Stage by using the current stroke and fill settings.
path.newContour()	Starts a new contour in the path.

Property summary for the Path object

The following properties are available for the Path object:

Property	Description
path.nPts	Read-only; an integer representing the number of points in the path.

path.addCubicCurve()

Availability

Flash MX 2004.

Usage

path.addCubicCurve(xAnchor, yAnchor, x2, y2, x3, y3, x4, y4)

Parameters

xAnchor A floating-point number that specifies the x position of the first control point.

yAnchor A floating-point number that specifies the y position of the first control point.

x2 A floating-point number that specifies the x position of the second control point.

y2 A floating-point number that specifies the y position of the second control point.

x3 A floating-point number that specifies the x position of the third control point.

y3 A floating-point number that specifies the y position of the third control point.

x4 A floating-point number that specifies the x position of the fourth control point.

y4 A floating-point number that specifies the y position of the fourth control point.

Returns

Nothing.

Description

Method; appends a cubic Bézier curve segment to the path.

Example

The following example creates a new path, stores it in the myPath variable, and assigns the curve to the path:

var myPath = fl.drawingLayer.newPath(); myPath.addCubicCurve(0, 0, 10, 20, 20, 20, 30, 0);

path.addCurve()

Availability

Flash MX 2004.

Usage

path.addCurve(xAnchor, yAnchor, x2, y2, x3, y3)

Parameters

xAnchor A floating-point value that specifies the x position of the first control point.

yAnchor A floating-point value that specifies the y position of the first control point.

x2 A floating-point value that specifies the x position of the second control point.

y2 A floating-point value that specifies the y position of the second control point.

x3 A floating-point value that specifies the x position of the third control point.

y3 A floating-point value that specifies the y position of the third control point.

Returns

Nothing.

Description

Method; appends a quadratic Bézier segment to the path.

Example

The following example creates a new path, stores it in the myPath variable, and assigns the curve to the path:

var myPath = fl.drawingLayer.newPath(); myPath.addCurve(0, 0, 10, 20, 20, 0);

path.addPoint()

Availability

Flash MX 2004.

Usage

path.addPoint(x, y)

Parameters

x A floating-point value that specifies the x position of the point.

y A floating-point value that specifies the y position of the point.

Returns

Nothing.

Description

Method; adds a point to the path.

Example

The following example creates a new path, stores it in the myPath variable, and assigns the new point to the path:

var myPath = fl.drawingLayer.newPath(); myPath.addPoint(10, 100);

path.clear()

Availability

Flash MX 2004.

Usage

path.clear()

Parameters

None.

Returns

Nothing.

Description

Method; removes all points from the path.

Example

The following example removes all points from a path stored in the myPath variable:

var myPath = fl.drawingLayer.newPath(); myPath.clear();

path.close()

Availability

Flash MX 2004.

Usage

path.close()

Parameters

None.

Returns

Nothing.

Description

Method; appends a point at the location of the first point of the path and extends the path to that point, which closes the path. If the path has no points, no points are added.

Example

The following example creates a closed path:

var myPath = fl.drawingLayer.newPath(); myPath.close();

path.makeShape()

Availability

Flash MX 2004.

Usage

path.makeShape([bSupressFill [, bSupressStroke]])

Parameters

bSuppressFill A Boolean value that, if set to true, suppresses the fill that would be applied to the shape. The default value is false. This parameter is optional.

bSupressStroke A Boolean value that, if set to true, suppresses the stroke that would be applied to the shape. The default value is false. This parameter is optional.

Returns

Nothing.

Description

Method; creates a shape on the Stage by using the current stroke and fill settings. The path is cleared after the shape is created. This method has two optional parameters for suppressing the fill and stroke of the resulting shape object. If you omit these parameters or set them to false, the current values for fill and stroke are used.

Example

The following example creates a shape with the current fill and no stroke:

var myPath = fl.drawingLayer.newPath(); myPath.makeShape(false, true);

path.newContour()

Availability

Flash MX 2004.

Usage

path.newContour()

Parameters

None.

Returns

Nothing.

Description

Method; starts a new contour in the path.

Example

The following example creates a hollow square:

var myPath = fl.drawingLayer.newPath(); myPath.addPoint( 0,  0); myPath.addPoint( 0, 30); myPath.addPoint(30, 30); myPath.addPoint(30,  0); myPath.addPoint( 0,  0); myPath.newContour(); myPath.addPoint(10, 10); myPath.addPoint(10, 20); myPath.addPoint(20, 20); myPath.addPoint(20, 10); myPath.addPoint(10, 10); myPath.makeShape();

path.nPts

Availability

Flash MX 2004.

Usage

path.nPts

Description

Read-only property; an integer representing the number of points in the path. A new path has 0 points.

Example

The following example uses the Output panel to show the number of points in the path referenced by the myPath variable:

var myPath = fl.drawingLayer.newPath(); var numOfPoints = myPath.nPts; fl.trace("Number of points in the path: " + numOfPoints); // Displays: Number of points in the path: 0