package {
    import flash.display.Sprite;
    import flash.text.engine.FontDescription;
    import flash.text.engine.TextBlock;
    import flash.text.engine.TextLine;
    import flash.text.engine.TextElement;
    import flash.text.engine.ElementFormat;
    import flash.text.engine.TabStop;
    import flash.text.engine.TabAlignment;
    
    public class TabStopExample extends Sprite {
        
        public function TabStopExample():void {
            var tabSize:Number = 20;
            var tabNumber:Number = 4;
            var fontDescription:FontDescription = new FontDescription("Verdana");
            var format:ElementFormat = new ElementFormat(fontDescription);
            var textElement:TextElement = new TextElement(null, format);
            var tabStop:TabStop = new TabStop();
            var textBlock:TextBlock = new TextBlock();
            var tabs:Vector.<TabStop> = new Vector.<TabStop>();
            var i = 0;
            var lineYpos:Number = 0;
            var textLine:TextLine = null;
            while(i < tabNumber)
            {
                tabs.push(tabStop);
                tabStop.position += tabSize;
                textElement.text = "tabstop #" + i + " is at position: " + tabStop.position;
                lineYpos += 15;
                textBlock.content = textElement;
                var newLine:TextLine = textBlock.createTextLine(textLine, 200);
                addChild(newLine);
                newLine.x = tabStop.position;
                newLine.y = lineYpos ;
                ++i;
            }
            textBlock.tabStops = tabs;
        }
    }
}