FLASH: Action Script - Explain this one

[Jefferis Peterson]

The following is from Branden Hall's   SPARKS.fla which has a neat effect

of creating a shower of fireworks when you press a button.  I was trying

to follow the fla when I got to the frame actions of the m-controller. I

realize that I need a degree in calculus perhaps to make sense of this,

but if there were an explanation of these terms, I'd be much further

along.   I'll ?? my guesses on the right.  The problem is that I couldn't

find some of these variables defined anywhere in the fla, unless I

misunderstood the definition syntax.


Set Variable: "zpos" = zpos+../:zspeed    ??  z axis a function of speed

of mouse movement?

Set Variable: "scale" = (zpos*4+100)/100  ?? scale is 104% ? 

Set Variable: "factor" = (zpos/10+100)/100 ?? ?? from here on I'm  pretty

lost.

Set Property ("../spark", X Position) = (../spark:_x+../:xspeed)*factor  ??

Set Variable: "../:yspeed" = ../:yspeed+/:gravity


Set Property ("../spark", Y Position) = (../spark:_y+../:yspeed)*factor


Set Property ("../spark", X Scale) = scale*100

  ?? scale 104% x 100% ?

Set Property ("../spark", Y Scale) = scale*100


Set Property ("../spark", Alpha) = ../spark:_alpha-../:fade

  ?? fade

isn't defined.

If (../spark:_alpha<0)

  ?? when fade reaches 0, remove clip.

      Remove Movie Clip ("../")


End If




Dragable MC Instance Actions:

On (Release)


      Set Variable: "temp" = 1


      Loop While (temp<=10)


            Set Variable: "current" = random(1000)

??  why times 1000??

            Duplicate Movie Clip ("/spark", "spark"&current, current) ??

spark = spark random X, random Y position???

            Set Property ("/spark"&current, X Position) = _x

 ?? why

doesn't this take the image off the screen? 

            Set Property ("/spark"&current, Y Position) = _y


            Set Variable: "/spark"&current&":xspeed" = random(6)-3+1

??

are these the definitions of speed variables?  what does it mean in english? 

            Set Variable: "/spark"&current&":yspeed" = random(8)*-1


            Set Variable: "/spark"&current&":zspeed" = random(10)-5


            Set Variable: "/spark"&current&":fade" = random(5)+3


            Set Variable: "temp" = temp+1


      End Loop


End On



-- 

Jefferis Kent Peterson

www.PetersonSales.net

Flash, Web Design and Marketing

jefferispetersonsales [dot] net

ICQ 19112253


flasher-digest


>http://www.dommermuth-1.com/arctan/


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