The XML

<data>

<button handle=”prim_butt1″ text=”Larry” x=”60″ y=”160″ ></button>

<button handle=”prim_butt2″ text=”Moe” x=”170″ y=”160″ ></button>

<button handle=”prim_butt3″ text=”Curly” x=”280″ y=”160″ ></button>

<button handle=”prim_butt4″ text=”Shemp” x=”390″ y=”160″ ></button>

</data>

Now The Actionscript:

package {

import flash.display.MovieClip;
import flash.events.*;
import flash.net.*;
import flash.text.*;

import mc_button_primary;

public class StarterClass extends MovieClip {

private var i:Number;
private var primButtonCount:Number;
private var xmlLoader:URLLoader;
private var dataXML:XML;
private var buttonPrimary:mc_button_primary;
private var urlArray = new Array();

public function StarterClass() {

trace(“StarterClass……….√ check”);

// create a loader for our xml file
xmlLoader = new URLLoader(new URLRequest(“nav_primary.xml”));
// oops couldn't get our xml file
xmlLoader.addEventListener(IOErrorEvent.IO_ERROR, noFile);
// got our file now go do something (myInitMethod) with it
xmlLoader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, myInitMethod);

// THROW ERROR IF XML SHOOTS CRAPS
function noFile(evt:IOErrorEvent):void {
trace(“Error. Data file not found.”);
}

}

// and now to do something with our data
private function myInitMethod(evt:Event):void {

trace(“myInitMethod……….√ check”);

// make sure flash knows it xml
dataXML = XML(xmlLoader.data);

// number of buttons in our xml
primButtonCount = dataXML.button.length();

// loop thru each button and make the data useful
for (i=0; i< primButtonCount; i++) {

trace("foo > “+dataXML.button[i].@handle );

// this is an array that contains the button text and it looks like
// urlArray[”prim_butt1″] == “Larry”

// it's referenced it in the click event
urlArray[dataXML.button[i].@handle] = dataXML.button[i].@text;

// create a new button from the library object
buttonPrimary = new mc_button_primary();
// give it a name
buttonPrimary.name = dataXML.button[i].@handle.toString();
// put it on the stage
addChild( buttonPrimary );

// find our new named button and give it a handle
var bttn_handle = getChildByName( buttonPrimary.name );
// now use the handle to move it and add text
bttn_handle.x = dataXML.button[i].@x;
bttn_handle.y = dataXML.button[i].@y;
bttn_handle.button_Text.text = dataXML.button[i].@text;
// add a listener so you can do something when you click it
bttn_handle.addEventListener( MouseEvent.CLICK, myButton_CLICK );

}

}

// here is the click event
function myButton_CLICK(event:MouseEvent):void {

// the name comes fom the urlArray ceated above
trace( “The button clicked was > “+urlArray[ event.target.name ]);

}

}

}
StarterClass_xml_basic.zip

// for this example I just want to count down 30 Seconds
var remainingSeconds:int = 30;

// this is the function that the setInterval function calls
function countDownSeconds() {

// not a second off of the current number of seconds
remainingSeconds--;

// if we have run out of seconds do this
if (remainingSeconds == 0) {

trace(“DONE”);
clearInterval(myInterval);

} else {

trace(“tic”);

}

}

// this is the line that calls the specified function
// in this case “countDownSeconds” and it calls it every
// 1000 milliseconds in this case.

var myInterval = setInterval(countDownSeconds, 1000);

 

First look inside the .fla and then inside the mc_button_primary and notice there is a little code inside there. Won’t work like you want to without it. You can add it to each instance via the myMethod() but it’s meant to be a button so let’s make this as simple as we can and put it here.

stop();
this.buttonMode = true;
this.mouseChildren = false;

StarterClass.as
Here is where something actually happens follow the comments.

package {

// here is the Adobe provided code that you need to import to make this happen
// get used to it. You'll be doing this alot.
import flash.display.MovieClip;
import flash.events.MouseEvent;
import flash.text.*;

// import our fancy button from the library
import mc_button_primary;

public class StarterClass extends MovieClip {

// here's where our new button is born
private var buttonPrimary:mc_button_primary;

// this is the constructor, it is the function/method that is automatically called
function StarterClass() {

trace(“Starter class…..√ check”);

// call myMethod and create a button
myMethod();

}

function myMethod() {

trace(” myMethod……….√ check”);
trace(” StarterClass called myMethod()”);
trace(” myMethod() creates a button”);

// create a new button from the exported library item
buttonPrimary = new mc_button_primary();

// name the new button
buttonPrimary.name = “Linus”;

// put Linus on the stage
addChild( buttonPrimary );

// create a handle to reference Linus with
var bttn_handle = getChildByName( buttonPrimary.name );

// Put the name in the text field then center Linus on the stage
bttn_handle.button_Text.text = buttonPrimary.name;
bttn_handle.x = ( stage.stageWidth - bttn_handle.width ) / 2;
bttn_handle.y = ( stage.stageHeight - bttn_handle.height ) / 2;

// add an event listener to Linus so we know when he was clicked
bttn_handle.addEventListener( MouseEvent.CLICK, myButton_CLICK );

}

// here is the listener
function myButton_CLICK(e:MouseEvent):void {

trace(” myButton_CLICK is called when the button is clicked”);

}

}

}

StarterClass_wButton.zip

The only thing to do in the .fla is add “StarterClass” in the Document Class field under properties or under Publish Settings > Flash > Settings >Document Class. The actionscript has to be Version 3.

package {

import flash.display.MovieClip;

public class StarterClass extends MovieClip {

public function StarterClass() {

trace(“Starter class…..√ check”);

myMethod();

}

private function myMethod():void {

trace(“myMethod……….√ check”);

}

}

}

starter_class.zip