Dynamic Textboxes

Dynamic textboxes are textboxes that can be changed by Flash, but not the user. Input boxes are what allow whoever uses the movie file to type they're own text. Both will be used in this tutorial.

Your First Box

1. First, let's create a textbox. Type anything you want.

2. In the Properties window, there's a dropdown box. Click on it and choose "Dynamic."

3. Under that there's a new box that says "<Instance Name>." Rename that "inputBox". This value is case sensitive so remember what case you use.

4. There should also be a property called "Var:" in the bottom right. Type in "input".

5. Now create a second one. Leave it blank. Rename "<Instance Name>" to "outputBox". Name the var space "output"

We now have two boxes, both Dynamic, one input, one output. Name this layer Text Boxes.

Time for the ActionScript.

1. Insert a layer and call it Actions. Click in Frame 1 of the actions layer and put the following code into the Actions panel:

onEnterFrame = function () {
output = input;
}

2. Now press Ctrl+Enter to test it out. Ta-da! Your text should appear in the lower box.

Congratulations, you've made your first dynamic textbox.

Moving on to Input Boxes

1. Let's keep it easy. Stay with your old boxes, but go back to the first one, inputBox. Remember that old dropdown menu? Click it again, but change it to input.

2. There. Test it out again (Ctrl + Enter) and now look. You can change the box but it still updates.

But that was too easy. Let's change it

3. Press Ctrl + F8 to create a new button. Name it okButton. Add a graphic so ther eis something to click on your stage.

4. Drag your button to the stage from the library. Rename "<Instance Name>" to "ok".

5. Deselect everything. Change the code from this:

onEnterFrame = function () {
output = input;
}

To this:

ok.onRelease = function () {
output = input;
}

6 . Test this! You did it! Yay!