Flash MovieClip component -- creation complete?

Could you elaborate a little more on what you are trying to do?

I don't believe you fully understand what it means for a class to be "ready". Do you mean you want to run other code AFTER the constructor is done?

Which properties exactly are you "missing" if you try to set items in the constructor?

I am not certain exactly what you're asking but I think I get what you mean. You have instantiated a class but it doesn't have all of it's information available at instantiation.

While this probably means you should structure the application slightly differently, I have had the same situation before.

The way I've dealt with it is to have an "initialiser" method in the class that is triggered by a listener that is added in the constructor. This way, the initialiser can be called later when your other data/interaction has been dealt with.

PS: An "initialiser" is not a programming term as such and is not a special type of function – it's just a term I gave a private method.

My component has two "parameters" (as Flash calls them) that need to be set before the component can be drawn. These parameters are set in the component inspector (select the instance on the stage and go to Window > Component Inspector or Window > Properties > Parameters). As the component's look depends only on the initial value of these parameters, I want to draw it just once, right after they are set for the first time. I tried listening to Event.ADDED and Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE, but when these fire, the parameters are still not set. I want to be able to tell when Flash has initialized the component (its parameters set in the component inspector are set) and wants it to draw itself.

Ah, yes, now I see.

You are creating an action "Flash Professional" component with proeprties that are set there rather than in ActionScript.

Do you think you could post the code you are using for these properties? Sadly, I am unable to open FLA files on this computer, so the actual class would be best.

I have set the parameters to 10, 10 in the component inspector. It traces the following:

MyComponent()
0 0
[Event type="addedToStage" bubbles=false cancelable=false eventPhase=2]
0 0
set gridWidth(int)
10 0
set gridHeight(int)
10 10

package com.cifka.ondra {
	import flash.display.MovieClip;
	import flash.events.Event;

	public class MyComponent extends MovieClip{

		private var _gridWidth:int, _gridHeight:int;

		public function MyComponent() {
			trace("MyComponent()");
			trace(gridWidth, gridHeight);
			
			addEventListener(Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE, function(evt:Event) {
				trace(evt);
				trace(gridWidth, gridHeight);
			});
		}

		/* *********** GETTERS, SETTERS *********** */

		public function get gridWidth():int {
			return _gridWidth;
		}

		public function set gridWidth(gridWidth:int):void {
			_gridWidth = gridWidth;
			trace("set gridWidth(int)");
			trace(gridWidth, gridHeight);
		}

		public function get gridHeight():int {
			return _gridHeight;
		}

		public function set gridHeight(gridHeight:int):void {
			_gridHeight = gridHeight;
			trace("set gridHeight(int)");
			trace(gridWidth, gridHeight);
		}

	}

}

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Give the attached code a try.

You can check if the component is initialized like this:
if (myComponentInstance.initialized)   { ... }

And you can listen to when the component becomes initialized like this
myComponentInstance.addEventListener(MyComponent.INITIALIZED, onInitDone);


It might get annoying if you have dozens of properties to do this check, but it definitely works. If you really are having difficulties with this class, the best way is to set a default value for gridHeight and gridWidth, and have the code redraw or whatever you do if those values are changed via the component properties.

Do you understand, or do you have any further questions?

Good luck with your programming,
Andreas