ActionScript for Flash MX: The Definitive Guide, Second Edition

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

Datatype Conversion

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Table 3-3 shows the results of converting each datatype to a Boolean.

Explicit Type Conversion

If the automatic (implicit) type-conversion rules do not suit our purpose, we can

manually (explicitly) change a datum’s type. When we take matters into our own

hands, we must remember that the rules listed in the preceding tables still apply.

Converting to a string with the toString() method

We can invoke the toString()method to convert any datum to a string. For example:

x.toString( ); // Get the string value of the variable x.

(523).toString( ); // Returns "523". Note that we use parentheses

// so that the "." isn't treated as a decimal point.

Other numeric value String equivalent of the number. For example, 944.345 becomes “944.345“.

Array A comma-separated list of element values.

Object The value that results from calling toString() on the object. By default, the toString

() method of an

object returns “

[object Object]“. The toString() method can be customized to return a more use-

ful result (e.g., toString()of a Date object returns: “

Sun May 14 11:38:10 EDT 2000“).

Movieclip The path to the movie clip instance, given in absolute terms starting with the document level in the

Player. For example, “

_level0.ball“.

Table 3-3. Converting to a Boolean

Original data Result ...