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SimpleButton

Package | flash.display
Class | public class SimpleButton
Inheritance | SimpleButton InteractiveObject DisplayObject EventDispatcher Object

Language Version : | ActionScript 3.0

Player Version : | Flash Player 9

The SimpleButton class lets you control all instances of button symbols in a SWF file. After you create an instance of a button in the authoring tool, you can use the methods and properties of the SimpleButton class to manipulate buttons with ActionScript.

You can give a button an instance name in the Property inspector. SimpleButton instance names are displayed in the Movie Explorer and in the Insert Target Path dialog box in the Actions panel.

In ActionScript 3.0, you use the `new SimpleButton()` constructor to create a SimpleButton instance.

The SimpleButton class inherits from the InteractiveObject class.

View the examples

See also

InteractiveObject class
Core display classes

Public Properties
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| Property | Defined By
--- | --- | ---
|  | accessibilityProperties : AccessibilityProperties The current accessibility options for this display object. | DisplayObject
|  | alpha : Number Indicates the alpha transparency value of the object specified. | DisplayObject
|  | blendMode : String A value from the BlendMode class that specifies which blend mode to use. | DisplayObject
|  | cacheAsBitmap : Boolean If set to true, Flash Player caches an internal bitmap representation of the display object. | DisplayObject
|  | constructor : Object A reference to the class object or constructor function for a given object instance. | Object
|  | contextMenu : ContextMenu Specifies the context menu associated with this object. | InteractiveObject
|  | doubleClickEnabled : Boolean Specifies whether the object receives doubleClick events. | InteractiveObject
|  | downState : DisplayObject Specifies a display object that is used as the visual object for the button "Down" state —the state that the button is in when the user clicks the hitTestState object. | SimpleButton
|  | enabled : Boolean A Boolean value that specifies whether a button is enabled. | SimpleButton
|  | filters : Array An indexed array that contains each filter object currently associated with the display object. | DisplayObject
|  | focusRect : Object Specifies whether this object displays a focus rectangle. | InteractiveObject
|  | height : Number Indicates the height of the display object, in pixels. | DisplayObject
|  | hitTestState : DisplayObject Specifies a display object that is used as the hit testing object for the button. | SimpleButton
|  | loaderInfo : LoaderInfo [read-only] Returns a LoaderInfo object containing information about loading the file to which this display object belongs. | DisplayObject
|  | mask : DisplayObject The calling display object is masked by the specified mask object. | DisplayObject
|  | mouseEnabled : Boolean Specifies whether this object receives mouse messages. | InteractiveObject
|  | mouseX : Number [read-only] Indicates the x coordinate of the mouse position, in pixels. | DisplayObject
|  | mouseY : Number [read-only] Indicates the y coordinate of the mouse position, in pixels. | DisplayObject
|  | name : String Indicates the instance name of the DisplayObject. | DisplayObject
|  | opaqueBackground : Object Specifies whether the display object is opaque with a certain background color. | DisplayObject
|  | overState : DisplayObject Specifies a display object that is used as the visual object for the button over state — the state that the button is in when the mouse is positioned over the button. | SimpleButton
|  | parent : DisplayObjectContainer [read-only] Indicates the DisplayObjectContainer object that contains this display object. | DisplayObject
|  | prototype : Object [static] A reference to the prototype object of a class or function object. | Object
|  | root : DisplayObject [read-only] For a display object in a loaded SWF file, the root property is the top-most display object in the portion of the display list's tree structure represented by that SWF file. | DisplayObject
|  | rotation : Number Indicates the rotation of the DisplayObject instance, in degrees, from its original orientation. | DisplayObject
|  | scale9Grid : Rectangle The current scaling grid that is in effect. | DisplayObject
|  | scaleX : Number Indicates the horizontal scale (percentage) of the object as applied from the registration point. | DisplayObject
|  | scaleY : Number Indicates the vertical scale (percentage) of an object as applied from the registration point of the object. | DisplayObject
|  | scrollRect : Rectangle The scroll rectangle bounds of the display object. | DisplayObject
|  | soundTransform : SoundTransform The SoundTransform object assigned to this button. | SimpleButton
|  | stage : Stage [read-only] The Stage of the display object. | DisplayObject
|  | tabEnabled : Boolean Specifies whether this object is in the tab order. | InteractiveObject
|  | tabIndex : int Specifies the tab ordering of objects in a SWF file. | InteractiveObject
|  | trackAsMenu : Boolean Indicates whether other display objects that are SimpleButton or MovieClip objects can receive mouse release events. | SimpleButton
|  | transform : Transform An object with properties pertaining to a display object's matrix, color transform, and pixel bounds. | DisplayObject
|  | upState : DisplayObject Specifies a display object that is used as the visual object for the button up state — the state that the button is in when the mouse is not positioned over the button. | SimpleButton
|  | useHandCursor : Boolean A Boolean value that, when set to true, indicates whether Flash Player displays the hand cursor when the mouse rolls over a button. | SimpleButton
|  | visible : Boolean Whether or not the display object is visible. | DisplayObject
|  | width : Number Indicates the width of the display object, in pixels. | DisplayObject
|  | x : Number Indicates the x coordinate of the DisplayObject instance relative to the local coordinates of the parent DisplayObjectContainer. | DisplayObject
|  | y : Number Indicates the y coordinate of the DisplayObject instance relative to the local coordinates of the parent DisplayObjectContainer. | DisplayObject

Public Methods
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| Method | Defined By
--- | --- | ---
|  | SimpleButton(upState:DisplayObject = null, overState:DisplayObject = null, downState:DisplayObject = null, hitTestState:DisplayObject = null) Creates a new SimpleButton instance. | SimpleButton
|  | addEventListener(type:String, listener:Function, useCapture:Boolean = false, priority:int = 0, useWeakReference:Boolean = false):void Registers an event listener object with an EventDispatcher object so that the listener receives notification of an event. | EventDispatcher
|  | dispatchEvent(event:Event):Boolean Dispatches an event into the event flow. | EventDispatcher
|  | getBounds(targetCoordinateSpace:DisplayObject):Rectangle Returns a rectangle that defines the area of the display object relative to the coordinate system of the targetCoordinateSpace object. | DisplayObject
|  | getRect(targetCoordinateSpace:DisplayObject):Rectangle Returns a rectangle that defines the boundary of the display object, based on the coordinate system defined by the targetCoordinateSpace parameter, excluding any strokes on shapes. | DisplayObject
|  | globalToLocal(point:Point):Point Converts the point object from the Stage (global) coordinates to the display object's (local) coordinates. | DisplayObject
|  | hasEventListener(type:String):Boolean Checks whether the EventDispatcher object has any listeners registered for a specific type of event. | EventDispatcher
|  | hasOwnProperty(name:String):Boolean Indicates whether an object has a specified property defined. | Object
|  | hitTestObject(obj:DisplayObject):Boolean Evaluates the display object to see if it overlaps or intersects with the obj display object. | DisplayObject
|  | hitTestPoint(x:Number, y:Number, shapeFlag:Boolean = false):Boolean Evaluates the display object to see if it overlaps or intersects with the point specified by the x and y parameters. | DisplayObject
|  | isPrototypeOf(theClass:Object):Boolean Indicates whether an instance of the Object class is in the prototype chain of the object specified as the parameter. | Object
|  | localToGlobal(point:Point):Point Converts the point object from the display object's (local) coordinates to the Stage (global) coordinates. | DisplayObject
|  | propertyIsEnumerable(name:String):Boolean Indicates whether the specified property exists and is enumerable. | Object
|  | removeEventListener(type:String, listener:Function, useCapture:Boolean = false):void Removes a listener from the EventDispatcher object. | EventDispatcher
|  | setPropertyIsEnumerable(name:String, isEnum:Boolean = true):void Sets the availability of a dynamic property for loop operations. | Object
|  | toString():String Returns the string representation of the specified object. | Object
|  | valueOf():Object Returns the primitive value of the specified object. | Object
|  | willTrigger(type:String):Boolean Checks whether an event listener is registered with this EventDispatcher object or any of its ancestors for the specified event type. | EventDispatcher

Events
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| Event | Summary | Defined By
--- | --- | --- | ---
|  | activate | Dispatched when Flash Player gains operating system focus and becomes active. | EventDispatcher
|  | added | Dispatched when a display object is added to the display list. | DisplayObject
|  | addedToStage | Dispatched when a display object is added to the on stage display list, either directly or through the addition of a sub tree in which the display object is contained. | DisplayObject
|  | clear | Dispatched when the user selects 'Clear' (or 'Delete') from the text context menu. | InteractiveObject
|  | click | Dispatched when a user presses and releases the main button of the user's pointing device over the same InteractiveObject. | InteractiveObject
|  | copy | Dispatched when the user activates the platform specific accelerator key combination for a copy operation or selects 'Copy' from the text context menu. | InteractiveObject
|  | cut | Dispatched when the user activates the platform specific accelerator key combination for a cut operation or selects 'Cut' from the text context menu. | InteractiveObject
|  | deactivate | Dispatched when Flash Player loses operating system focus and is becoming inactive. | EventDispatcher
|  | doubleClick | Dispatched when a user presses and releases the main button of a pointing device twice in rapid succession over the same InteractiveObject when that object's doubleClickEnabled flag is set to true. | InteractiveObject
|  | enterFrame | Dispatched when the playhead is entering a new frame. | DisplayObject
|  | exitFrame | Dispatched when the playhead is exiting the current frame. | DisplayObject
|  | focusIn | Dispatched after a display object gains focus. | InteractiveObject
|  | focusOut | Dispatched after a display object loses focus. | InteractiveObject
|  | frameConstructed | Dispatched after the constructors of frame display objects have run but before frame scripts have run. | DisplayObject
|  | keyDown | Dispatched when the user presses a key. | InteractiveObject
|  | keyFocusChange | Dispatched when the user attempts to change focus by using keyboard navigation. | InteractiveObject
|  | keyUp | Dispatched when the user releases a key. | InteractiveObject
|  | mouseDown | Dispatched when a user presses the pointing device button over an InteractiveObject instance in the Flash Player window. | InteractiveObject
|  | mouseFocusChange | Dispatched when the user attempts to change focus by using a pointer device. | InteractiveObject
|  | mouseMove | Dispatched when a user moves the pointing device while it is over an InteractiveObject. | InteractiveObject
|  | mouseOut | Dispatched when the user moves a pointing device away from an InteractiveObject instance. | InteractiveObject
|  | mouseOver | Dispatched when the user moves a pointing device over an InteractiveObject instance in the Flash Player window. | InteractiveObject
|  | mouseUp | Dispatched when a user releases the pointing device button over an InteractiveObject instance in the Flash Player window. | InteractiveObject
|  | mouseWheel | Dispatched when a mouse wheel is spun over an InteractiveObject instance in the Flash Player window. | InteractiveObject
|  | paste | Dispatched when the user activates the platform specific accelerator key combination for a paste operation or selects 'Paste' from the text context menu. | InteractiveObject
|  | removed | Dispatched when a display object is about to be removed from the display list. | DisplayObject
|  | removedFromStage | Dispatched when a display object is about to be removed from the display list, either directly or through the removal of a sub tree in which the display object is contained. | DisplayObject
|  | render | Dispatched when the display list is about to be updated and rendered. | DisplayObject
|  | rollOut | Dispatched when the user moves a pointing device away from an InteractiveObject instance. | InteractiveObject
|  | rollOver | Dispatched when the user moves a pointing device over an InteractiveObject instance. | InteractiveObject
|  | selectAll | Dispatched when the user activates the platform specific accelerator key combination for a select all operation or selects 'Select All' from the text context menu. | InteractiveObject
|  | tabChildrenChange | Dispatched when the value of the object's tabChildren flag changes. | InteractiveObject
|  | tabEnabledChange | Dispatched when the object's tabEnabled flag changes. | InteractiveObject
|  | tabIndexChange | Dispatched when the value of the object's tabIndex property changes. | InteractiveObject

Property Detail

downState | property

`downState:DisplayObject` [read-write]

Language Version : | ActionScript 3.0

Player Version : | Flash Player 9

Specifies a display object that is used as the visual object for the button "Down" state —the state that the button is in when the user clicks the `hitTestState` object.

Implementation
`public function get downState():DisplayObject`
`public function set downState(value:DisplayObject):void`

See also

hitTestState
overState
upState

enabled | property |

`enabled:Boolean` [read-write]

Language Version : | ActionScript 3.0

Player Version : | Flash Player 9

A Boolean value that specifies whether a button is enabled. When a button is disabled (the enabled property is set to `false`), the button is visible but cannot be clicked. The default value is `true`. This property is useful if you want to disable part of your navigation; for example, you might want to disable a button in the currently displayed page so that it can't be clicked and the page cannot be reloaded.

Implementation
`public function get enabled():Boolean`
`public function set enabled(value:Boolean):void`

hitTestState | property |

`hitTestState:DisplayObject` [read-write]

Language Version : | ActionScript 3.0

Player Version : | Flash Player 9

Specifies a display object that is used as the hit testing object for the button. For a basic button, set the `hitTestState` property to the same display object as the `overState` property. If you do not set the `hitTestState` property, the SimpleButton is inactive — it does not respond to mouse and keyboard events.

Implementation
`public function get hitTestState():DisplayObject`
`public function set hitTestState(value:DisplayObject):void`

See also

downState
overState
upState

overState | property |

`overState:DisplayObject` [read-write]

Language Version : | ActionScript 3.0

Player Version : | Flash Player 9

Specifies a display object that is used as the visual object for the button over state — the state that the button is in when the mouse is positioned over the button.

Implementation
`public function get overState():DisplayObject`
`public function set overState(value:DisplayObject):void`

See also

downState
hitTestState
upState

soundTransform | property |

`soundTransform:SoundTransform` [read-write]

Language Version : | ActionScript 3.0

Player Version : | Flash Player 9

The SoundTransform object assigned to this button. A SoundTransform object includes properties for setting volume, panning, left speaker assignment, and right speaker assignment. This SoundTransform object applies to all states of the button. This SoundTransform object affects only embedded sounds.

Implementation
`public function get soundTransform():SoundTransform`
`public function set soundTransform(value:SoundTransform):void`

See also

flash.media.SoundTransform

trackAsMenu | property |

`trackAsMenu:Boolean` [read-write]

Language Version : | ActionScript 3.0

Player Version : | Flash Player 9

Indicates whether other display objects that are SimpleButton or MovieClip objects can receive mouse release events. The `trackAsMenu` property lets you create menus. You can set the `trackAsMenu` property on any SimpleButton or MovieClip object. If the `trackAsMenu` property does not exist, the default behavior is `false`.

You can change the `trackAsMenu` property at any time; the modified button immediately takes on the new behavior.

Implementation
`public function get trackAsMenu():Boolean`
`public function set trackAsMenu(value:Boolean):void`

upState | property |

`upState:DisplayObject` [read-write]

Language Version : | ActionScript 3.0

Player Version : | Flash Player 9

Specifies a display object that is used as the visual object for the button up state — the state that the button is in when the mouse is not positioned over the button.

Implementation
`public function get upState():DisplayObject`
`public function set upState(value:DisplayObject):void`

See also

downState
hitTestState
overState

useHandCursor | property |

`useHandCursor:Boolean` [read-write]

Language Version : | ActionScript 3.0

Player Version : | Flash Player 9

A Boolean value that, when set to `true`, indicates whether Flash Player displays the hand cursor when the mouse rolls over a button. If this property is set to `false`, the arrow pointer cursor is displayed instead. The default is `true`.

You can change the `useHandCursor` property at any time; the modified button immediately uses the new cursor behavior.

Implementation
`public function get useHandCursor():Boolean`
`public function set useHandCursor(value:Boolean):void`
Constructor Detail

SimpleButton | () | Constructor

`public function SimpleButton(upState:DisplayObject = null, overState:DisplayObject = null, downState:DisplayObject = null, hitTestState:DisplayObject = null)`

Language Version : | ActionScript 3.0

Player Version : | Flash Player 9

Creates a new SimpleButton instance. Any or all of the display objects that represent the various button states can be set as parameters in the constructor.

Parameters

| `upState:DisplayObject` (default = `null`)`` — The initial value for the SimpleButton up state.
| `overState:DisplayObject` (default = `null`)`` — The initial value for the SimpleButton over state.
| `downState:DisplayObject` (default = `null`)`` — The initial value for the SimpleButton down state.
| `hitTestState:DisplayObject` (default = `null`)`` — The initial value for the SimpleButton hitTest state.

Examples How to use examples
SimpleButtonExample.as
The following example uses the SimpleButtonExample class, which in turn uses the CustomSimpleButton class, and this class then instantiates four ButtonDisplayState objects. The result is a button that is created in the shape of a square, whose background color changes based on the mouse state by overriding instance properties of the SimpleButton class. This is accomplished by performing the following steps:

1. In the `SimpleButtonExample()` constructor, a new CustomSimpleButton object of type SimpleButton, called `button`, is created, which calls the `CustomSimpleButton` constructor method. The `button` object is the added to the display list. The button's color and size are determined in the steps that follow.
2. In the CustomSimpleButton class, instance properties are declared that are later used to control the size and background color of `button`, based on the state it is in (orange in the normal state, dark yellow in the mouse over state, an light blue in the mouse down state). In all of the `button`'s states, the size of the square is set to 80 pixels by using the `size` property.
3. The constructor function for the CustomSimpleButton class sets the `downState`, `overState`, `upState`, `hitTestState`, and `useHandCursor` properties with four instances of the ButtonDisplayState class.
4. In the ButtonDisplayState class, the constructor sets the value of the square's size and background color and calls the `draw()` method.
5. The `draw()` method redraws the square with the size and background color set in the constructor based on the button's state.

    package {
        import flash.display.Sprite;

        public class SimpleButtonExample extends Sprite {
            public function SimpleButtonExample() {
                var button:CustomSimpleButton = new CustomSimpleButton();
                addChild(button);
            }
        }
    }

    import flash.display.DisplayObject;
    import flash.display.Shape;
    import flash.display.SimpleButton;

    class CustomSimpleButton extends SimpleButton {
        private var upColor:uint   = 0xFFCC00;
        private var overColor:uint = 0xCCFF00;
        private var downColor:uint = 0x00CCFF;
        private var size:uint      = 80;

        public function CustomSimpleButton() {
            downState      = new ButtonDisplayState(downColor, size);
            overState      = new ButtonDisplayState(overColor, size);
            upState        = new ButtonDisplayState(upColor, size);
            hitTestState   = new ButtonDisplayState(upColor, size * 2);
            hitTestState.x = -(size / 4);
            hitTestState.y = hitTestState.x;
            useHandCursor  = true;
        }
    }

    class ButtonDisplayState extends Shape {
        private var bgColor:uint;
        private var size:uint;

        public function ButtonDisplayState(bgColor:uint, size:uint) {
            this.bgColor = bgColor;
            this.size    = size;
            draw();
        }

        private function draw():void {
            graphics.beginFill(bgColor);
            graphics.drawRect(0, 0, size, size);
            graphics.endFill();
        }
    }

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