Adobe 65036570 Scripting Guide - Page 42

ADOBE DIRECTOR 11.0 5 Scripting Dictionary Unlike behaviors, movie scripts, and parent scripts, cast member scripts do not appear in the Cast window. However, if Show Cast Member Script Icons is selected in the Cast Window Preferences dialog box, cast members that have a script attached display a small script icon in the lower-left corner of their thumbnails in the Cast window. Scripting terminology Both Lingo and JavaScript syntax use some terms that are specific to each language, in addition to some terms that are shared between each language. Important scripting terms are listed here in alphabetical order. These terms are used throughout the Director Scripting Reference, so it will help to understand these terms before moving forward. • Constants are elements whose values do not change. For example, in Lingo, constants such as TAB, EMPTY, and RETURN always have the same values and cannot be modified. In JavaScript syntax, constants such as Math.PI and Number.MAX_VALUE always have the same values and cannot be modified. You can also create your own custom constants in JavaScript syntax by using the keyword const. For more information on constants, see "Constants" on page 13. • Events are actions that occur while a movie is playing. Events occur when a movie stops, a sprite starts, the playhead enters a frame, the user types at the keyboard, and so on. All events in Director are predefined, and always have the same meaning. For more information on events, see "Events" on page 26. • Expressions are any part of a statement that produces a value. For example, 2 + 2 is an expression. • Functions refer to either top-level functions or specific types of JavaScript syntax code. A top-level function instructs a movie to do something while the movie is playing or returns a value, but it is not called from any specific object. For example, you would call the top-level list() function by using the syntax list(). Like a function, a method also instructs a movie to do something while the movie is playing or returns a value, but it is always called from an object. A function is used in JavaScript syntax to represent an event handler, a custom object, a custom method, and so on. The use of JavaScript functions in these cases is described in the applicable topics later in this reference. • Handlers, or event handlers, are sets of statements within a script that run in response to a specific event and subsequent message. When an event occurs, Director generates and sends a corresponding message to scripts, and a corresponding handler runs in response to the message. The names of handlers are always the same as the events and messages they respond to. Note: Although in JavaScript syntax an event is actually handled by a function, the term handler is used generically throughout this reference to refer to both Lingo handlers and JavaScript syntax functions that handle events. For more information on handlers, see "Handlers" on page 28. • Keywords are reserved words that have a special meaning. For example, in Lingo, the keyword end indicates the end of a handler. In JavaScript syntax, the keyword var indicates that the term following it is a variable.