This is a fairly simple tutorial, which will allow the user to drag movie clips around the stage. This is great for use in websites and games for user interaction.
STEP 1
First off, create a movie clip on the stage. To do this simply and for example purposes, select the shape tool, set the colours to your liking and draw a funky shape on the stage. Select this shape, and press f8 to convert to symbol. Select movie clip, registration centre, and name to MC_shape. Click ok, then set an instance name in the properties panel of MC_shape.
STEP 2
Rename layer 1 to ’shape’ and lock it. Create a new layer called ‘actions’. On the first frame of this layer, press f9 to enter the actions window and put the following code:
MC_shape.onPress = function(){
MC_shape.startDrag();
}
MC_shape.onRelease = function(){
MC_shape.stopDrag();
}
STEP 3
Hit CTRL + Enter, and you will notice that if you click and drag on your movie clip, you can move it about the stage! Pretty cool huh for a few lines of code.
Now I will explain what the code does:
The first line of the code takes your movie clip (MC_shape) when clicked (.onPress) starts up the following function ( = function(){ )
The second line takes the movie clip (MC_shape) and starts the Drag effect (startDrag();)
The third line closes the function ( } )
The second block of code is the same, except when the mouse release (.onRelease) is detected the drag ability is stopped (.stopDrag();)
And there you have it! A few simple steps that will allow you to drag movie clips around the Flash stage.
Have a play and enjoy!
More tutorials from The Dude coming soon, so stay tuned!
The Dude
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It’s me again!
This is awesome, one question though. Can I make a drag-around-able movie clip start moving somewhere, but when being dragged it obviously stops movieng, and when released it goes back to moving for the targeted area?
Kind of like a mix of motion tween and this.