Lingo in a Nutshell

Behavior and Parent Script Lingo

Table 12-5 covers Lingo pertaining to Behaviors and parent scripts.

The text of scripts is limited to 32,000 characters, so it easy to run out of room when creating complex objects.

You can use the ancestor property to create objects that use multiple scripts, but the management can get annoying. Hopefully, Macromedia will address the 32,000 characters scriptText of member limit in Director 7.

Table 12-5. Behaviors and Parent Scripts Lingo

Command	Usage
the actorList	A list of object instances that receive the stepFrame message. Use to send messages to child objects each time playback head moves.
ancestor	A property of a child object that points, not to the parent script, but to a “grandparent” script of your choosing. property ancestor set ancestor = new (script "Ancestor Script“)
birth (script "Parent Script“)	Obsolete. Use new() instead.
call (#handlerName, script | scriptInstance | objectList {, args})	Sends a custom message to a one or more scripts, script instances, or child objects.
callAncestor (#handlerName, script | scriptInstance | objectList {, args})	Sends a custom message to the ancestor of one or more script instances or child objects.
the currentSpriteNum	Indicates the current sprite number from within a Behavior attached to a sprite.
getBehaviorInitializers(spriteNum, behaviorNum)	Returns the list of default property values passed to on runPropertyDialog. Requires UI Helper Xtra, included with D6.5.
getBehaviorMemRef( ...