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With

SWF Action
Action Category: 
Control
Action Details: 
0
Action Identifier: 
148
Action Structure: 
unsigned short   f_size;
Action Length: 
2 byte(s)
Action Stack: 
pop 1 (o)
Action Operation: 
with o1
  // execute f_size bytes of actions
  ...
end with;
Action Flash Version: 
5
See Also: 
Set Target
Set Target (dynamic)

The variable references within the following f_size bytes of action are taken as names of members of the specified object o1. When no member of that name is available in that object, the previous With, or the corresponding global variable is queried. This is similar to the Pascal language with instruction or to the Set Target (dynamic) for movies.

String Less Than

SWF Action
Action Category: 
String and Characters
Action Details: 
0
Action Identifier: 
41
Action Structure: 
<n.a.>
Action Length: 
0 byte(s)
Action Stack: 
pop 2 (s), push 1 (b)
Action Operation: 
s1 := pop();
s2 := pop();
r := s2 < s1;
push(r);
Action Flash Version: 
4
See Also: 
Equal
Equal (typed)
Greater Than (typed)
Less Than
Less Than (typed)
Strict Equal
String Equal
String Greater Than

Pop two strings, compare them, push the Boolean result back on the stack.

This operation was available since version 4 of SWF. Since Macromedia introduced String Greater Than (typed) in version 6, it is likely that this operator is expected to legally be used, although it seems to me that the Less Than (typed) action should be used instead.

String

SWF Action
Action Category: 
String and Characters
Action Details: 
0
Action Identifier: 
75
Action Structure: 
<n.a.>
Action Length: 
0 byte(s)
Action Stack: 
pop 1 (a), push 1 (s)
Action Operation: 
a1 := pop();
r := a1.toString();
push(r);
Action Flash Version: 
5
See Also: 
Cast Object
Integral Part
Number

Pops one item and transform it into a string.

For strings, this action has no effect.

For numbers, it works as expected, it transforms them in a string (see the sprintf(3C) manual pages).

For a user defined object, the method named toString() is called.

This is similar to a Cast Object operation, although it is available in version 5 and obviously it only works for strings. It is most certainly preferable to use a Cast Object operation since version 7.

Integral Part

SWF Action
Action Category: 
Arithmetic
Action Details: 
0
Action Identifier: 
24
Action Structure: 
<n.a.>
Action Length: 
0 byte(s)
Action Stack: 
pop 1 (n), push 1 (n)
Action Operation: 
n1 := pop();
r := floor(n1);
push(r);
Action Flash Version: 
4
See Also: 
Number
String

Pop one value, transform it into an integer, and push the result back on the stack.

The popped value can already be an integer in which case this instruction has no effect.

Other similar features are available in the Math object.

Get Variable

SWF Action
Action Category: 
Variables
Action Details: 
0
Action Identifier: 
28
Action Structure: 
<n.a.>
Action Length: 
0 byte(s)
Action Stack: 
pop 1 (s), push 1 (a)
Action Operation: 
s1 := pop();
r := *s1;
push(r);
Action Flash Version: 
4
See Also: 
Get Member
Get Property
Set Local Variable
Set Member
Set Property
Set Variable

Pop one string, search for a variable of that name, and push its value on the stack. This action first checks for local variables in the current function. If there isn't such a variable, or the execution is not in a function, then the corresponding global variable is read.

The variable name can include sprite names separated by slashes and finished by a colon as in. Only global variables are accessible in this way.

Example:

Get Property

SWF Action
Action Category: 
Properties
Action Details: 
0
Action Identifier: 
34
Action Structure: 
<n.a.>
Action Length: 
0 byte(s)
Action Stack: 
pop 1 (n), pop 1 (s), push 1 (a)
Action Operation: 
n1 := pop();
s2 := pop();
r := s2[n1];
push(r);
Action Flash Version: 
4
See Also: 
Call Method
Get Member
Set Property

Query the property n1 of the object named s2 (a field in a structure if you wish), and push the result on the stack. Note that since version 5, it is preferable to use Get Member or Call Method when a corresponding variable or function member is available on the object.

The following is the list of currently accepted properties or fields for the Get Property and the Set Property actions. Note that the properties can be specified with either an integer (type 7, requires V5.0+) or a single precision floating point (type 1, V4.0 compatible). And since strings are automatically transformed in a value when required, one can use a string to represent the property number (type 0). It works with a double value, I even tested a Boolean and null and it works. Obviously it isn't a good idea to use these. The default should be a single precision float. Please, see the Push Data action for more information about data types.

WARNING: Adobe is trying to phase out this functionality. It is very likely not working in ABC code and it is not necessary since objects have member functions that can be used for the exact same purpose and it is a lot cleaner to use those instead.

 

Float Decimal Name Comments Version
0x00000000 0 x x position in pixels (not TWIPs!) 4
0x3F800000 1 y y position in pixels (not TWIPs!) 4
0x40000000 2 x scale horizontal scaling factor in percent (50 — NOT 0.5 — represents half the normal size!!!) 4
0x40400000 3 y scale vertical scaling factor in percent (50 — NOT 0.5 — represents half the normal size!!!) 4
0x40800000 4 current frame the very frame being played; one can query the root current frame using an empty string ("") as the name of the object; note that the first current frame is number 1 and the last is equal to the total number of frames; on the other hand, the Goto instruction expects a frame number from 0 to the number of frames - 1 4
0x40A00000 5 number of frames total number of frames in movie/sprite/thread 4
0x40C00000 6 alpha alpha value in percent (50 — NOT 0.5 — means half transparent) 4
0x40E00000 7 visibility whether the object is visible 4
0x41000000 8 width maximum width of the object (scales the object to that width) 4
0x41100000 9 height maximum height of the object (scales the object to that height) 4
0x41200000 10 rotation rotation angle in degrees 4
0x41300000 11 target return the name (full path) of an object; this can be viewed as a reference to that object 4
0x41400000 12 frames loaded number of frames already loaded 4
0x41500000 13 name name of the object 4
0x41600000 14 drop target object over which this object was last dropped 4
0x41700000 15 url URL linked to that object 4
0x41800000 16 high quality whether we are in high quality mode 4
0x41880000 17 show focus rectangle whether the focus rectangle is visible 4
0x41900000 18 sound buffer time position (or pointer) in the sound buffer; useful to synchronize the graphics to the music 4
0x41980000 19 quality what the quality is (0 - Low, 1 - Medium or 2 - High) 5
0x41A00000 20 x mouse current horizontal position of the mouse pointer within the Flash window 5
0x41A80000 21 y mouse current vertical position of the mouse pointer within the Flash window 5
0x46800000 16384 clone this flag has to do with the depth of sprites being duplicated 4

SWF Internal Functions

Since Flash version 5, you can use internal functions (really member functions or methods of internal objects.) These functions are always available. These methods are called using the Call Function action with the name of the object and function separated by a period. A few of these internal functions are duplicates of some direct action script instructions. In general, it is preferred to use these internal functions rather than the direct action. However, direct actions are a good way to optimize your ActionScript code.

Similarly, you can access internal constants (really variable ...

Declare Function (V7)

SWF Action
Action Category: 
Control
Action Details: 
(256 variables)
Action Identifier: 
142
Action Structure: 
string     f_name;
unsigned short   f_arg_count;
unsigned char   f_reg_count;
unsigned short   f_declare_function2_reserved : 7;
unsigned short   f_preload_global : 1;
unsigned short   f_preload_parent : 1;
unsigned short   f_preload_root : 1;
unsigned short   f_suppress_super : 1;
unsigned short   f_preload_super : 1;
unsigned short   f_suppress_arguments : 1;
unsigned short   f_preload_arguments : 1;
unsigned short   f_suppress_this : 1;
unsigned short   f_preload_this : 1;
swf_params   f_params[f_arg_count];
unsigned short   f_function_length;

WARNING: the preload/suppress flags are defined on a short and thus the bytes in a Flash file will look swapped.

Action Length: 
-1 byte(s)
Action Stack: 
n.a.
Action Operation: 
create a function on the current target
Action Flash Version: 
7
See Also: 
Call Function
Call Method
Declare Function
Push Data
Return
Store Register

Declare a function which can later be called with the Call Function action or Call Method action (when defined as a function member.) The f_function_length1 defines the number of bytes that the function declaration uses after the header (i.e. the size of the actions defined in the function.) All the actions included in this block are part of the function body.

  • 1. A function is limited to 65535 bytes.

Declare Dictionary

SWF Action
Action Category: 
Objects
Action Details: 
0
Action Identifier: 
136
Action Structure: 
unsigned short    f_count;
string   f_dictionary[f_count];
Action Length: 
-1 byte(s)
Action Stack: 
n.a.
Action Operation: 
<n.a.>
Action Flash Version: 
5
See Also: 
Push Data

Declare an array of strings that will later be retrieved using the Push Data action with a dictionary lookup. There can be a maximum of 65534 strings. The visibility of a dictionary is within its DoAction or other similar block of actions. Note that you should have only one Declare Dictionary. The dictionary is visible from everywhere in the DoAction.

Call Function

SWF Action
Action Category: 
Control
Action Details: 
0
Action Identifier: 
61
Action Structure: 
<n.a.>
Action Length: 
0 byte(s)
Action Stack: 
pop 1 (s), pop 1 (i), pop i2 (a), push 1 (a)
Action Operation: 
s1 := pop();
i2 := pop();
for(idx := 3; idx < i2 + 3; ++idx) {
  aidx = pop();
}
r := call s1(a3, a4, a5...a(i2+2));
push(r);
Action Flash Version: 
5
See Also: 
Call Method
Declare Function
Declare Function (V7)
Return

Pops one string that represents the name of the function to call, pop one integer indicating the number of arguments following, pop each argument, call the named function, push the result of the function on the stack. There is always a result1.

  • 1. When nothing is returned by the function, the result undefined is pushed on the stack.