ActionScript for Flash MX: The Definitive Guide, Second Edition

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Copyright © 2007 O’Reilly & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Chapter 7: Conditionals

} else {

trace("x and y are equal");

}

// Expanded Nested if/else chain

if (x > y) {

trace("x is larger than y");

} else {

if (x < y) {

trace("x is smaller than y");

} else {

trace("x and y are equal");

}

}

The switch Statement

The switch statement, introduced in Flash Player 6, lets us execute one (or some-

times more) of several possible code blocks, based on the value of a single test

expression. In some cases, the switch statement is easier to write and more legible

than an if statement. For example, in the following switch statement, we greet the

user with a custom message depending on the value of the test expression

gender:

var surname = "Porter";

var gender = "male";

switch (gender) {

case "femaleMarried":

trace("Hello Mrs. " + surname);

break;

case "femaleGeneric":

trace("Hello Ms. " + surname);

break;

case "male":

trace("Hello Mr. " + surname);

break;

default:

trace("Hello " + surname);

}

Our switch statement attempts to match the value of gender to one of the supplied

case expressions: “femaleMarried”, “femaleGeneric”, or “male”. Because

gender

matches the expression “male”, the substatement trace("Hello Mr. " + surname); is

executed. If the test expression had not matched any case clause, then the default

statement—trace("Hello" + surname);—would have ...