Actions

Actions are the heart of ActionScript. Actions are sets of instructions that run when a specific event occurs. The events that trigger actions can range from mouse events and key presses to events that occur when a movie clip is playing (load, unload, data, enterFrame, and so on).

Name	Syntax	Shortcut Key	Description	Arguments
break	break;	Esc+br	Instructs Flash to break out of a loop.
comment	//	Esc+//	Inserts a comment.
continue	continue;	Esc+co	In a while loop, causes Flash to jump to the top of the loop. In a do while loop, causes Flash to jump to the bottom of the loop. In a for loop, causes Flash to jump to the for loop's post expression. In a for...in loop, causes Flash to jump back to the top of the loop.
delete	delete (reference);	Esc+da	Deletes the object and returns true if delete was successful.	reference The name of the variable to delete.
do while	do { statement; } while (condition);	Esc+do	Executes the statement, and then checks if the condition is true.	statement The statement to be executed. condition The condition to check.
duplicate MovieClip	duplicateMovieClip(target, newname, depth);	Esc+dm	Creates an instance of the movie clip; begins to play in frame 1.	target The target path of the movie clip to duplicate. newname A unique name for the instance of the movie clip being placed. depth The depth level of the movie clip.
else	else {statement(s)};	Esc+ el	Specifies the actions to complete if the initial if statement returns false.	statements The statement to be executed.
elseif	elseif (condition) statement(s){}	Esc+ei	Specifies another condition to check if the initial if statement returns false; if the elseif condition returns true, it executes the statements.	statement The statement to be executed. condition The condition to check.
for	for(init; condition; next ) {statement;	Esc+fr	A loop that automatically increments .	init The initial loop variable. condition The condition to check; returns true or false. next statement The increment of the initial loop.
for...in	for(variable iterant in object){ statement; }	Esc+fi	Loops through either the properties of an object or through the elements of an array and executes the statement for each property or element.	variable iterant The variable to be checked for. object The object to check for the preceding variable. statement What to do if the variable is found.
FSCommand	fscommand(command, arguments);	Esc+fs	Allows the Flash player to communicate with the program that is running it; allows you to call JavaScript commands.	command The string to be passed to the host application. arguments The string to be passed to the host application.
function	function functionname([argument0, argument1, ...argumentN] ){ statement(s) } function ([argument0, argument1, ...argumentN] ){ statement(s) }	Esc+fn	A set of statements you define for a particular task.	functionname The unique name of the function. argument0, argument1, ...argumentN The variables to pass into the function. statement(s) The actions of the function.
getURL	getURL(url, window );	Esc+gu	Loads a document specified in URL into a specified window.	URL The URL of the document. window Specifes the frame or window to load the URL; _blank opens a new window. variables Specifies how many variables will be sent.
gotoAnd Play	gotoAndPlay(scene, frame);	Esc+gp	Starts playing a movie at the specified frame.	scene The scene that the frame is located if none is listed; assumes current scene. frame The frame number to start playing.
gotoAnd Stop	gotoAndStop(scene, frame);	Esc+gs	Goes to a specified frame in the movie and stops playing.	scene The scene that the frame is located if none is listed; assumes current scene. frame The frame number to go to.
if	if(condition) { statement; }	Esc+if	Specifies a statement to execute only if the condition is true.	statement The statement to be executed. condition The condition to check.
include	#include "filename.as"	Esc+il	Includes a text file containing ActionScript.	filename.as The name of the text file to include.
loadMovie loadMovie Num	loadMovie(url, level, variables); loadMovieNum(url, level, variables)	Esc+in Esc+lm	Loads additional Flash movies (SWF) without closing the current movie.	url The URL of the SWF to load. level The level at which to load the movie; set to level 1 or higher to place on top of current movie. variables Method of sending data ” either GET or POST.
load Variables load Variables Num	loadVariables(url ,location, variables); loadVariablesNum(url ,location , variables);	Esc+ln Esc+lv	Reads data from an external text file into the movie.	url The location of the text file. variables Method for retrieving the variables. location The level to receive the variables.
nextFrame	nextFrame();	Esc+vn	Advances to the next frame.
nextScene	nextScene();	Esc+nf	Advances to the next scene.
on	on (mouseEvent) { statement }	Esc+ns	Specifies a statement to execute when the mouseEvent occurs.	mouseEvent Trigger that executes the code. statement The statement to be executed.
onClip Event	onClipEvent(movieEvent){ statements }	Esc+on	Specifies a statement to execute when the movieEvent occurs.	movieEvent Trigger that executes the code. statement The statement to be executed.
play	play();	Esc+pl	Plays the timeline.
prevFrame	prevFrame();	Esc+pf	Sends the playhead back a frame.
prevScene	prevScene();	Esc+ps	Sends the playhead back a scene.
print object	print(target, "bmovie"); print(target, "bmax"); print(target, "bframe");	Esc+pr	Prints what is specified.	target The instance name of the movie clip to print. bmovie Prints the area given the name of #b. bmax Used when the printable frames in your movie vary in size . bframe Used when you want each to fill the printed page.
printAs Bitmap	printAsBitmap(target, "bmovie"); printAsBitmap(target, "bmax"); printAsBitmap(target, "bframe");	Esc+pbm	Prints as a bitmap.	target The instance name of the movie clip to print. bmovie Prints the area given the name of #b. bmax Used when the printable frames in your movie vary in size. bframe Used when you want each object to fill the printed page.
remove MovieClip	removeMovieClip(target);	Esc+rm	Removes the movie clip instance created with the duplicateMovieClip action.	target The target path of the movie clip to duplicate.
return	return value;	Esc+rt	Returns the value specified.	value The information to be returned.
set variable	variable = expression; set(variable, expression);	Esc+sv	Sets a variable.	variable The name of the container that holds the information. expression The value to be contained in the variable.
set Property	setProperty(target, property, expression);	Esc+sp	Modifies the property of a movie clip.	target The target path of the movie clip instance. property The property to be set. expression The value to which the property is set.
startDrag	startDrag(target); startDrag(target, lockCenter); startDrag(target ,lockCenter ,left ,top , right, bottom);	Esc+dr		target Path of the movie clip instance. lockCenter A Boolean value; specifies if the movie clip will be locked to the center position of the mouse (true) or not (false), or to the left, top, right, or bottom values to constrain the drag of the movie clip.
stop	stop();	Esc+st	Allows the movie clip to be draggable.
stopAll Sounds	stopAllSounds();	Esc+ss	Stops the movie clip.
stopDrag	stopDrag();	Esc+sd	Ends the drag action of the movie clip.
trace	trace(expression);	Esc+tr	A statement to evaluate or a variable that will display in the Output window; used for debugging the file.	expression A statement to evaluate.
unload Movie unload MovieNum		Esc+um Esc+un	Removes a movie clip that was loaded using the loadMovie or attachMovie action.
var	varvariable Name1 = expression	Esc+vr	Used to declare local variables.	variableName The name of the variable. expression The value to be contained in the variable.
while	while(condition) { statement(s); }	Esc+wh	Specifies a statement to execute while the condition is true.	statement The statement to be executed. condition The condition to check.
with	with (object) { statement(s); }	Esc+wt	Directs the object to perform the tasks defined in the statements.	object An instance of an ActionScript object or movie clip. statement The statement to be executed.