Assigning dynamic/unique variable names in a for loop in AS3

Assigning dynamic variable names to objects created in a for loop in AS3.

You have to get very creative to search these questions on google because words like “for” and “loop” are so utterly common.

If you have a loop in AS3 creating multiple variables but need them to have unique names (for later modification) you need to create something like an array to store the references to the variables.

For example, anything you create in a for loop is a temporary reference. It disappears after the loop is complete, and whatever objects were created stick around in the displayObject.

In my situation I had a loop creating my navigation elements, but needed to position each X value separately.

Here is the method I used to keep the references to these variables:

private var mcArray:Array = new Array();  // array that holds references
private function myfunction():void{
	for (var i:int=0; i<2; i++) { 
		var movieClip:MovieClip = new MovieClip(); // the temporary variable
		addChild(movieClip);
		mcArray[i] = movieClip; // store reference to temporary variable in array
	}
}

Now, to use those references:

mcArray[0].method_here;
// or
// --
for (var i:int=0; i<2; i++) {
	mcArray[i].foo = bar;
}

To be absolutely clear, the above example creates two MovieClips according to the loop (while i < 2), and places each MovieClip in the mcArray array at index i (which we have defined as the integer counting the loop).

Now if I wanted to access those individual MovieClips I could use the mcArray to do so.

mcArray[0].graphics.beginFill(0x555555,1);
mcArray[0].graphics.drawRect(0,0,900,300);
mcArray[0].graphics.endFill();</code>

I could also loop through the array to apply an animation to each item. The possibilities are endless when you use this basic concept!

Generate 1000 triangles. Animate each one to a random color and rotation.