FLASH: z sorting to make a GUI

[John McKenzie]

o generous and wise ones


I'm fooling around with some z-sorting actionscript to create the effect of

multiple windows similar to a standard GUI. I am aware of Praystation's

z-sorting fla, and have looked it over. My code is pretty similar. The

problem I am having with mine is that I can only bring a window from behind

another window up to the front *once*, after which time it stops working.


I am accomplishing the z sorting in this uncontroversial fashion:


In base timeline, frame 1:


Set Variable: "tempWindow" ="no"


Attached to the grabby part of the "window" movie clip:


On (Press)

Set Variable: "/:focus" = /:focus+1

if(eval(/:tempWindow)="no")

  duplicate movie clip ("/spawnedWindow", "spawnedWindowTemp", /:focus)

  remove movie clip ("/spawnedWindow")

  start Drag("/spawnedWindowTemp")

  set variable: "/:tempWindow"="yes"

else

duplicate movie clip ("/spawnedWindowTemp", "spawnedWindow", /:focus)

  remove movie clip ("/spawnedWindowTemp")

  start Drag("/spawnedWindow")

  set variable: "/:tempWindow"="no"

end if


I have streamlined this a bit in the interest of keeping your attention.

there are actually different windows, each with their own name, and they all

use the variable "/:focus" to keep track of depth.


So basically what that does is takes a window A, makes a copy B in front of

it and deletes window A, unless the extant window is window B, in which case

it makes a copy A in front of it and deletes window B. This should work over

and over again, but what is happening, it seems, is nothing after the "else"

ever gets evaluated.


Using the output feature, I can determine that the variable "tempWindow" is

indeed getting set to yes, which would seem to force the "else" condition to

take effect.


all insight appreciated,


your humble servant,


john mckenzie



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