ActionScript: The Definitive Guide

Name

#include Directive — import the text of an external ActionScript file

Availability

Flash 5

Synopsis

#include path

Arguments

path

A string indicating the name and location of the script file to import, which may be specified relative to the .fla file or as an absolute path (see samples under Example). Note that forward slashes, not backslashes should be used in the path. Script files should be named with the .as file extension.

Description

The #include directive brings script text from an external text file (preferably one with the .as extension) into the current script, placing it directly where the #include command occurs in the script. The #include operation is performed at compile time, meaning that the text included in a movie is the text that existed at the time the movie was tested, exported, or published from the authoring tool. If the external file changes after the movie is exported, the changes will not be reflected in the movie. In order for the changes to be added to the movie, the movie must be re-exported.

The #include directive is used to incorporate the same block of code in multiple scripts or across Flash projects (much as you’d use an external asset library). You would do this in order to centralize your code, when maintaining code in a version-control system tool (such as CVS or Microsoft Visual Source Safe), or when using an external text editor that you prefer over the ActionScript editor. It is also handy when a programmer is working separately from, say, a ...