Tweening Dynamically Created movieClips from Library

[jemnon]

I having an issue with tweening the movie clips individually after they've been added to the stage.

 

essentially, i just want each movie clip to tween after they've been added to the stage.

 

here is my code:

 

import com.greensock.*;
import com.greensock.easing.*;

var mc:Number = 28;
var topPos:uint;
var arry:Array;
var hc:Array;
var tl:TimelineLite = new TimelineLite();

//trace(arry.length);

init();

function init():void {	
for(var i:int = 0; i		var b:MovieClip = new box_mc();
	b.x = (i % 7) * 49;
	b.y = int(i / 7) * 49;
	holder_mc.alpha = 0;
	holder_mc.addChild(;

	animateChildren(holder_mc);

	b.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OVER, onMouseOver);
	b.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OUT, onMouseOut);
	b.buttonMode = true;
	b.mouseChildren = false;
}
}

function animateChildren(holder_mc:MovieClip):void {
var arry:Array = new Array(holder_mc.numChildren);

trace(arry.length);

for(var n:int = 0; n < arry.length; n ++) {
	TweenMax.allTo(arry[n], 1, {alpha:1}, 0.3);
}
}

function onMouseOver(evt:MouseEvent):void {
var m:MovieClip = MovieClip(evt.target);

TweenLite.to(m, 1, {scaleX:1.5, scaleY:1.5});

topPos = holder_mc.numChildren - 1;
holder_mc.setChildIndex(m, topPos);
}

function onMouseOut(evt:MouseEvent):void {
var m:MovieClip = MovieClip(evt.target);
TweenLite.to(m, 1, {scaleX:1, scaleY:1});
}

 

thanks

[jemnon]

also, getting this error after publish,

 

TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.

at com.greensock::TweenMax$/allTo()

at 1_fla::MainTimeline/animateChildren()

at 1_fla::MainTimeline/init()

at 1_fla::MainTimeline/frame1()

[Carl]

hello jemmon,

 

there are a number of things that are messing up here:

 

the biggest problems are in here:

 

var arry:Array = new Array(holder_mc.numChildren);

trace(arry.length);

for(var n:int = 0; n

TweenMax.allTo(arry[n], 1, {alpha:1}, 0.3);

}

 

the whole point of allTo is so that you don't need to manually loop through an array... you just tell allTo what array to loop through.

i have a video here on allFrom which works in a similar fashion: http://bit.ly/f5qWol

 

so either kill the for loop, or just use the loop to call a bunch of TweenMax.to()s

 

next your arry Array doesn't have anything in it.

in your loop add

trace(arry[n])

 

I don't think anything will trace.

 

what you want to do is define your arry Array outside of any functions.

in the init function add each b to arry via

 

arry.push(

 

this will put each b into arry so that TweenMax.allTo(arry, 1, {alpha:1}) will work inside animateChildren()

 

lastly

 

the init function is calling animateChildren 28 times because it is inside a loop

furthermore animateChildren is hoping to also loop through all the items in holder_mc.

So 28 times you are calling a function that is trying to animate everything in holder_mc.

so inside the init() function make sure animateChildren doesn't run until all objects are on the stage by moving animateChildren() outside the init() loop.

 

also, each b needs to have it's alpha set to 0 initially so that your tween bringing the alpha to 1 actually has something to do.

 

 

ultimately your code should look something like this (i can't guarantee it will work)

 

var arry:Array = new Array();

function init():void {   
  for(var i:int = 0; i      var b:MovieClip = new box_mc();
     b.x = (i % 7) * 49;
     b.y = int(i / 7) * 49;

//make each b alpha 0       
     b.alpha = 0;

     holder_mc.alpha = 0;
     holder_mc.addChild(;

// add each b to the arry Array
     arry.push(;


     b.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OVER, onMouseOver);
     b.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OUT, onMouseOut);
     b.buttonMode = true;
     b.mouseChildren = false;
  }

//call animateChildren() outside the loop
  animateChildren();
}



function animateChildren():void {
//clean up animateChildren by using a single allTo() : no need for a loop

// oh an make sure the holder can be seen

holder_mc.alpha = 1

  TweenMax.allTo(arry, 1, {alpha:1}, 0.3);
  }
}

 

you were very close! hopefully this explanation brings you closer to making something sweet.

 

Carl

[jemnon]

Hey Carl,

 

That worked out perfectly, and thanks for the clarification on each aspect of it.

Really helpful

 

-dave

[Carl]

you're welcome. glad to help.