Adobe® Flex® 4 Language Reference
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mx.effects 
EffectInstance 
Packagemx.effects
Classpublic class EffectInstance
InheritanceEffectInstance Inheritance EventDispatcher Inheritance Object
Implements IEffectInstance
Subclasses ActionEffectInstance, AnimateInstance, CompositeEffectInstance, MaskEffectInstance, SoundEffectInstance, TweenEffectInstance

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The EffectInstance class represents an instance of an effect playing on a target. Each target has a separate effect instance associated with it. An effect instance's lifetime is transitory. An instance is created when the effect is played on a target and is destroyed when the effect has finished playing. If there are multiple effects playing on a target at the same time (for example, a Parallel effect), there is a separate effect instance for each effect.

Effect developers must create an instance class for their custom effects.

See also



Public Properties
 PropertyDefined By
  className : String
[read-only] The name of the effect class, such as "FadeInstance".
EffectInstance
 Inheritedconstructor : Object
A reference to the class object or constructor function for a given object instance.
Object
  duration : Number
The duration of the effect, in milliseconds.
EffectInstance
  effect : IEffect
The IEffect object that created this IEffectInstance object.
EffectInstance
  effectTargetHost : mx.effects:IEffectTargetHost
A property that lets you access the target list-based control of a data effect.
EffectInstance
  hideFocusRing : Boolean
Determines whether the effect should hide the focus ring when starting the effect.
EffectInstance
  playheadTime : Number
Current time position of the effect.
EffectInstance
  propertyChanges : PropertyChanges
Specifies the PropertyChanges object containing the start and end values for the set of properties relevant to the effect's targets.
EffectInstance
 Inheritedprototype : Object
[static] A reference to the prototype object of a class or function object.
Object
  repeatCount : int
Number of times to repeat the effect.
EffectInstance
  repeatDelay : int
Amount of time, in milliseconds, to wait before repeating the effect.
EffectInstance
  startDelay : int
Amount of time, in milliseconds, to wait before starting the effect.
EffectInstance
  suspendBackgroundProcessing : Boolean
If true, blocks all background processing while the effect is playing.
EffectInstance
  target : Object
The UIComponent object to which this effect is applied.
EffectInstance
  triggerEvent : Event
The event, if any, which triggered the playing of the effect.
EffectInstance
Protected Properties
 PropertyDefined By
  playCount : int = 0
Number of times that the instance has been played.
EffectInstance
Public Methods
 MethodDefined By
  
Constructor.
EffectInstance
 Inherited
addEventListener(type:String, listener:Function, useCapture:Boolean = false, priority:int = 0, useWeakReference:Boolean = false):void
Registers an event listener object with an EventDispatcher object so that the listener receives notification of an event.
EventDispatcher
 Inherited
Dispatches an event into the event flow.
EventDispatcher
  
Interrupts an effect instance that is currently playing, and jumps immediately to the end of the effect.
EffectInstance
  
Called by the end() method when the effect finishes playing.
EffectInstance
  
Called after each iteration of a repeated effect finishes playing.
EffectInstance
 Inherited
Checks whether the EventDispatcher object has any listeners registered for a specific type of event.
EventDispatcher
 Inherited
Indicates whether an object has a specified property defined.
Object
  
This method is called if the effect was triggered by the EffectManager.
EffectInstance
 Inherited
Indicates whether an instance of the Object class is in the prototype chain of the object specified as the parameter.
Object
  
Pauses the effect until you call the resume() method.
EffectInstance
  
Plays the effect instance on the target.
EffectInstance
 Inherited
Indicates whether the specified property exists and is enumerable.
Object
 Inherited
removeEventListener(type:String, listener:Function, useCapture:Boolean = false):void
Removes a listener from the EventDispatcher object.
EventDispatcher
  
Resumes the effect after it has been paused by a call to the pause() method.
EffectInstance
  
Plays the effect in reverse, starting from the current position of the effect.
EffectInstance
 Inherited
Sets the availability of a dynamic property for loop operations.
Object
  
Plays the effect instance on the target after the startDelay period has elapsed.
EffectInstance
  
Stops the effect, leaving the target in its current state.
EffectInstance
 Inherited
Returns the string representation of this object, formatted according to locale-specific conventions.
Object
 Inherited
Returns the string representation of the specified object.
Object
 Inherited
Returns the primitive value of the specified object.
Object
 Inherited
Checks whether an event listener is registered with this EventDispatcher object or any of its ancestors for the specified event type.
EventDispatcher
Events
 Event Summary Defined By
 Inherited[broadcast event] Dispatched when the Flash Player or AIR application gains operating system focus and becomes active.EventDispatcher
 Inherited[broadcast event] Dispatched when the Flash Player or AIR application operating loses system focus and is becoming inactive.EventDispatcher
Property Detail

className

property
className:String  [read-only]

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The name of the effect class, such as "FadeInstance".

This is a short or "unqualified" class name that does not include the package name. If you need the qualified name, use the getQualifiedClassName() method in the flash.utils package.



Implementation
    public function get className():String

duration

property 
duration:Number

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The duration of the effect, in milliseconds.



Implementation
    public function get duration():Number
    public function set duration(value:Number):void

effect

property 
effect:IEffect

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The IEffect object that created this IEffectInstance object.



Implementation
    public function get effect():IEffect
    public function set effect(value:IEffect):void

effectTargetHost

property 
effectTargetHost:mx.effects:IEffectTargetHost

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

A property that lets you access the target list-based control of a data effect. This property enables an instance of an effect class to communicate with the list-based control on which the effect is playing.



Implementation
    public function get effectTargetHost():mx.effects:IEffectTargetHost
    public function set effectTargetHost(value:mx.effects:IEffectTargetHost):void

hideFocusRing

property 
hideFocusRing:Boolean

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Determines whether the effect should hide the focus ring when starting the effect. The effect target is responsible for the hiding the focus ring. Subclasses of the UIComponent class hide the focus ring automatically. If the effect target is not a subclass of the UIComponent class, you must add functionality to it to hide the focus ring.

Set this property to true to hide the focus ring during the effect.

For subclasses of Effect, the default value is false. For subclasses of MaskEffect, the default value is true.



Implementation
    public function get hideFocusRing():Boolean
    public function set hideFocusRing(value:Boolean):void

playCount

property 
protected var playCount:int = 0

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Number of times that the instance has been played.

playheadTime

property 
playheadTime:Number

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Current time position of the effect. This property has a value between 0 and the total duration, which includes the Effect's startDelay, repeatCount, and repeatDelay.



Implementation
    public function get playheadTime():Number
    public function set playheadTime(value:Number):void

propertyChanges

property 
propertyChanges:PropertyChanges

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Specifies the PropertyChanges object containing the start and end values for the set of properties relevant to the effect's targets. This property is only set if the captureStartValues() method was called on the effect that created this effect instance.

You often use the propertyChanges property to create an effect that is used as part of a transition. Flex automatically calls the captureStartValues() method when it starts a transition. Within your override of the Effectinstance.play() method, you can examine the information within the propertyChanges() method to initialize the start and end values of the effect.



Implementation
    public function get propertyChanges():PropertyChanges
    public function set propertyChanges(value:PropertyChanges):void

See also

repeatCount

property 
repeatCount:int

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Number of times to repeat the effect. Possible values are any integer greater than or equal to 0.



Implementation
    public function get repeatCount():int
    public function set repeatCount(value:int):void

repeatDelay

property 
repeatDelay:int

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Amount of time, in milliseconds, to wait before repeating the effect.



Implementation
    public function get repeatDelay():int
    public function set repeatDelay(value:int):void

startDelay

property 
startDelay:int

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Amount of time, in milliseconds, to wait before starting the effect. Possible values are any int greater than or equal to 0. If the effect is repeated by using the repeatCount property, the startDelay property is applied only the first time the effect is played.



Implementation
    public function get startDelay():int
    public function set startDelay(value:int):void

suspendBackgroundProcessing

property 
suspendBackgroundProcessing:Boolean

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

If true, blocks all background processing while the effect is playing. Background processing includes measurement, layout, and processing responses that have arrived from the server.



Implementation
    public function get suspendBackgroundProcessing():Boolean
    public function set suspendBackgroundProcessing(value:Boolean):void

target

property 
target:Object

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The UIComponent object to which this effect is applied.



Implementation
    public function get target():Object
    public function set target(value:Object):void

triggerEvent

property 
triggerEvent:Event

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The event, if any, which triggered the playing of the effect. This property is useful when an effect is assigned to multiple triggering events.

If the effect was played programmatically by a call to the play() method, rather than being triggered by an event, this property is null.



Implementation
    public function get triggerEvent():Event
    public function set triggerEvent(value:Event):void
Constructor Detail

EffectInstance

()Constructor
public function EffectInstance(target:Object)

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Constructor.

Parameters
target:Object — UIComponent object to animate with this effect.
Method Detail

end

()method
public function end():void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Interrupts an effect instance that is currently playing, and jumps immediately to the end of the effect. This method is invoked by a call to the Effect.end() method. As part of its implementation, it calls the finishEffect() method.

The effect instance dispatches an effectEnd event when you call this method as part of ending the effect.

In a subclass of EffectInstance, you can optionally override this method As part of your override, you should call the super.end() method from the end of your override, after your logic.

See also

finishEffect

()method 
public function finishEffect():void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Called by the end() method when the effect finishes playing. This function dispatches an endEffect event for the effect target.

You do not have to override this method in a subclass. You do not need to call this method when using effects, but you may need to call it if you create an effect subclass.

finishRepeat

()method 
public function finishRepeat():void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Called after each iteration of a repeated effect finishes playing.

You do not have to override this method in a subclass. You do not need to call this method when using effects.

initEffect

()method 
public function initEffect(event:Event):void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

This method is called if the effect was triggered by the EffectManager. This base class version saves the event that triggered the effect in the triggerEvent property. Each subclass should override this method.

Parameters

event:Event — The Event object that was dispatched to trigger the effect. For example, if the trigger was a mouseDownEffect, the event would be a MouseEvent with type equal to MouseEvent.MOUSEDOWN.

pause

()method 
public function pause():void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Pauses the effect until you call the resume() method.

play

()method 
public function play():void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Plays the effect instance on the target. Call the startEffect() method instead to make an effect start playing on an EffectInstance.

In a subclass of EffectInstance, you must override this method. The override must call the super.play() method so that an effectStart event is dispatched from the target.

See also

resume

()method 
public function resume():void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Resumes the effect after it has been paused by a call to the pause() method.

reverse

()method 
public function reverse():void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Plays the effect in reverse, starting from the current position of the effect.

startEffect

()method 
public function startEffect():void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Plays the effect instance on the target after the startDelay period has elapsed. Called by the Effect class. Use this function instead of the play() method when starting an EffectInstance.

stop

()method 
public function stop():void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Stops the effect, leaving the target in its current state. This method is invoked by a call to the Effect.stop() method. As part of its implementation, it calls the finishEffect() method.

The effect instance dispatches an effectEnd event when you call this method as part of ending the effect.