Learning ActionScript 2.0 for Macromedia® Flash® 8

Chapter 10. Handling Events

Events are actions that occur while a SWF file is playing. An event such as a mouse click or a keypress is called a user event because it occurs as a result of direct user interaction. An event that Flash Player generates automatically, such as the initial appearance of a movie clip on the Stage, is called a system event because it isn’t generated directly by the user.

In order for your application to react to events, you must use event handlers—ActionScript code associated with a particular object and event. For example, when a user clicks a button on the Stage, you might advance the playhead to the next frame. Or when an XML file finishes loading over the network, the contents of that file might appear in a text field. ...