MACROMEDIA DIRECTOR MX-LINGO DICTIONARY User manual

Lingo Dictionary
Macromedia Director MX

Trademarks
Afterburner, AppletAce, Attain, Attain Enterprise Learning System, Attain Essentials, Attain Objects for Dreamweaver, Authorware,
Authorware Attain, Authorware Interactive Studio, Authorware Star, Authorware Synergy, Backstage, Backstage Designer, Backstage
Desktop Studio, Backstage Enterprise Studio, Backstage Internet Studio, Contribute, Design in Motion, Director, Director Multimedia
Studio, Doc Around the Clock, Dreamweaver, Dreamweaver Attain, Drumbeat, Drumbeat 2000, Extreme 3D, Fireworks, Flash,
Fontographer, FreeHand, FreeHand Graphics Studio, Generator, Generator Developer’s Studio, Generator Dynamic Graphics Server,
Knowledge Objects, Knowledge Stream, Knowledge Track, Lingo, Live Effects, Macromedia, Macromedia M Logo & Design,
Macromedia Contribute, Macromedia Flash, Macromedia Xres, Macromind, Macromind Action, MAGIC, Mediamaker, Object
Authoring, Power Applets, Priority Access, Roundtrip HTML, Scriptlets, SoundEdit, ShockRave, Shockmachine, Shockwave, Shockwave
Remote, Shockwave Internet Studio, Showcase, Tools to Power Your Ideas, Universal Media, Virtuoso, Web Design 101, Whirlwind and
Xtra are trademarks of Macromedia, Inc. and may be registered in the United States or in other jurisdictions including internationally.
Other product names, logos, designs, titles, words or phrases mentioned within this publication may be trademarks, servicemarks, or
tradenames of Macromedia, Inc. or other entities and may be registered in certain jurisdictions including internationally.
This guide contains links to third-party Web sites that are not under the control of Macromedia, and Macromedia is not responsible for
the content on any linked site. If you access a third-party Web site mentioned in this guide, then you do so at your own risk. Macromedia
provides these links only as a convenience, and the inclusion of the link does not imply that Macromedia endorses or accepts any
responsibility for the content on those third-party sites.
Apple Disclaimer
APPLE COMPUTER, INC. MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, REGARDING THE ENCLOSED
COMPUTER SOFTWARE PACKAGE, ITS MERCHANTABILITY OR ITS FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
THE EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES IS NOT PERMITTED BY SOME STATES. THE ABOVE EXCLUSION MAY
NOT APPLY TO YOU. THIS WARRANTY PROVIDES YOU WITH SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS. THERE MAY BE OTHER
RIGHTS THAT YOU MAY HAVE WHICH VARY FROM STATE TO STATE.
Copyright © 2002 Macromedia, Inc. All rights reserved. This manual may not be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated, or
converted to any electronic or machine-readable form in whole or in part without prior written approval of Macromedia, Inc.
Third Party Software Notices and/or Additional Terms and Conditions can be found at http://www.macromedia.com/go/thirdparty/.
Part Number ZDR90M200
Acknowledgments
Writing: Jay Armstrong, George Brown, Stephanie Gowin, and, Tim Statler
Editing: Rosana Francescato, Mary Ferguson, Mary Kraemer, and Noreen Maher
Project Management: Stuart Manning
Production: Chris Basmajian, Caroline Branch, John Francis, and Patrice O’Neill
Multimedia: Aaron Begley and Benjamin Salles
First Edition: December 2002
Macromedia, Inc.
600 Townsend St.
San Francisco, CA 94103

3
CHAPTER 1
Lingo by Feature
This chapter lists various Macromedia Director MX features and the corresponding Lingo
elements that you can use to implement those features.
Accessibility
These terms are useful for making movies accessible to the disabled:
Text-to-speech
Keyboard navigation
voiceCount() voiceSet()
voiceGet() voiceSetPitch()
voiceGetPitch() voiceSetRate()
voiceGetRate() voiceSetVolume()
voiceGetVolume() voiceSpeak()
voiceInitialize() voiceState()
voicePause() voiceStop()
voiceResume() voiceWordPos()
autoTab selection (cast property)
hilite (command) selectedText
keyboardFocusSprite selEnd
selection (text cast member property) selStart
selection() (function)

Chapter 14
Animated GIFs
These terms are useful for working with animated GIFs:
Animation
These terms are useful for creating animation with Lingo:
Behaviors
The terms in this section are useful for authoring behaviors and using behaviors while the
movie plays.
Authoring behaviors
Use these terms to set up behaviors and the behavior’s Parameters dialog box:
Sending messages to behaviors
Use these commands to send messages to behaviors attached to sprites:
Identifying behaviors
Use these terms to identify the behaviors attached to sprites:
directToStage pause (movie playback)
frameRate playBackMode
linked resume sprite
moviePath rewind sprite
blend locV
ink member (sprite property)
loc regPoint
locH tweened
ancestor on getBehaviorDescription
on runPropertyDialog on getPropertyDescriptionList
on getBehaviorTooltip property
on isOKToAttach
call sendSprite
callAncestor sendAllSprites
currentSpriteNum scriptInstanceList
me spriteNum

Lingo by Feature 5
Bitmaps
The terms in this section are useful for working with bitmaps.
Bitmap properties
Use these terms to check and set bitmap properties:
Alpha channel
Use these terms to control alpha channel effects:
Image objects
Use these terms to create and control image objects:
Buttons
See Buttons and check boxes in the Interface Elements section.
alphaThreshold foreColor
backColor palette
blend picture (cast member property)
depth pictureP()
dither rect (member)
trimWhiteSpace (property) imageCompression
imageQuality movieImageCompression
movieImageQuality
alphaThreshold dither
depth useAlpha
createMask() createMatte()
extractAlpha() setAlpha()
copyPixels() fill()
crop() (image object command) image
draw() image()
duplicate() (image function) rect (image)
getPixel() setPixel()

Chapter 16
Cast members
The terms in this section are useful for working with cast members.
Creating cast members
Use importFileInto and new() to create cast members.
Authoring
Use duplicate member, erase member, and pasteClipBoardInto to work with cast members
during authoring.
Graphic cast members
Use these terms to check and set the images assigned to graphic cast members:
General cast member properties
Use these terms to check and set cast member properties:
Graphic cast member dimensions
Use height, rect (member), and width to check and set dimensions for graphic cast members.
Casts
The terms in this section are useful for working with casts.
Loading casts
Use preLoadMode to check and set when Director preloads a cast.
Cast properties
Use these terms to specify cast properties:
center palette
crop (cast member property) picture (cast member property)
depth pictureP()
media regPoint
fileName (cast member property) number (cast member property)
media preLoadMode
modified type (cast member property)
name (cast member property) URL
castLib number (cast property)
fileName (cast property) number (system property)
name (cast property)

Lingo by Feature 7
Cast management
Use these terms to manage casts:
Computer and operating system
Use these terms to check and control the computer:
Operating system control
Use restart and shutDown to control the operating system.
Data types
These terms are useful for specifying data types:
Digital video
These terms are useful for working with AVI and QuickTime digital video:
activeCastLib number of members
duplicate member pasteClipBoardInto
erase member save castLib
findEmpty() selection (cast property)
move member
beep freeBlock()
beepOn freeBytes()
cpuHogTicks maxInteger
emulateMultiButtonMouse multiSound
floatPrecision romanLingo
# (symbol) string()
float() stringP()
floatP() symbol()
integer() symbolP()
integerP() VOID
objectP() voidP()
controller trackNextSampleTime
digitalVideoTimeScale trackPreviousKeyTime
digitalVideoType trackPreviousSampleTime
directToStage trackStartTime (sprite property)
duration trackStartTime (cast member property)
frameRate trackStopTime (sprite property)
loop (cast member property) trackStopTime (cast member property)
movieRate trackText

Chapter 18
QuickTime
Use these terms to work with QuickTime:
RealMedia video
Use these terms to with RealMedia video:
movieTime trackType (cast member property)
pausedAtStart (Flash, digital video) trackType (sprite property)
quickTimeVersion() trackCount (cast member property)
timeScale trackCount (sprite property)
trackEnabled video (QuickTime, AVI)
trackNextKeyTime videoForWindowsPresent
enableHotSpot nodeType
fieldOfView nudge
getHotSpotRect() pan (QTVR property)
hotSpotExitCallback ptToHotSpotID()
hotSpotEnterCallback quickTimeVersion()
invertMask rotation
isVRMovie scale
loopBounds swing()
mask staticQuality
motionQuality tilt
mouseLevel translation
node triggerCallback
nodeEnterCallback warpMode
nodeExitCallback
audio (RealMedia) play
currentTime (RealMedia) realPlayerNativeAudio()
displayRealLogo realPlayerPromptToInstall()
duration (RealMedia) realPlayerVersion()
image (RealMedia) seek
lastError soundChannel (RealMedia)
mediaStatus state (RealMedia)
password stop (RealMedia)
pause (RealMedia) userName (RealMedia)
pausedAtStart (RealMedia) video (RealMedia)
percentBuffered

Lingo by Feature 9
Events
Use these event handlers for Lingo that runs when a specific event occurs:
Use the pass and stopEvent commands to override the way that Director passes messages along
the message hierarchy.
External files
The terms in this section are useful for working with external files.
Path names and filenames
Use these terms to check and set path names and filenames:
Obtaining external media
Use these terms to obtain external media:
activeCastLib on moveWindow
close window on mouseWithin
on cuePassed open window
on deactivateWindow on prepareFrame
on enterFrame on prepareMovie
on EvalScript on resizeWindow
on exitFrame on mouseUpOutside
on idle on rightMouseDown (event handler)
on keyDown on rightMouseUp (event handler)
on keyUp on startMovie
on mouseDown (event handler) on stepFrame
on mouseEnter on streamStatus
on mouseLeave on timeOut
on mouseUp (event handler) on zoomWindow
on stopMovie on beginSprite
on endSprite on hyperlinkClicked
@ (pathname) getNthFileNameInFolder()
applicationPath moviePath
fileName (cast property) searchCurrentFolder
fileName (cast member property) URL
downloadNetThing preloadNetThing()
importFileInto

Chapter 110
Managing external files
Use these terms to manage external files:
Flash
These terms are useful for working with Flash cast members:
closeXlib showXlib
open sound playFile
openXlib
actionsEnabled originV
broadcastProps pathName (movie property)
bufferSize pausedAtStart (Flash, digital video)
buttonsEnabled percentStreamed
bytesStreamed play
callFrame() playBackMode
centerRegPoint playing
clearError posterFrame
clickMode print()
defaultRect printAsBitmap()
defaultRectMode quality
directToStage rewind sprite
endTellTarget() See tellTarget() rotation
eventPassMode scale
findLabel() scaleMode
fixedRate on sendXML
flashRect setCallback()
flashToStage() settingsPanel()
frame() (function) setFlashProperty()
frame (sprite property) setVariable()
frameCount showProps()
frameRate sound
frameReady() the soundMixMedia
getError() sourceFileName
getFlashProperty() stageToFlash()
getFrameLabel() state (Flash, SWA)
getVariable() static
goToFrame stop (Flash)

Lingo by Feature 11
These terms are useful for working with global Flash objects, which do not require a Flash
cast member:
Frames
The Lingo terms in this section let you work with frames.
Frame events
Use the on enterFrame, on exitFrame, and on prepareFrame event handlers to contain Lingo
that runs at specific events within a frame.
Frame properties
Use these Lingo terms to check and set frame properties:
hitTest() stream
hold streamMode
imageEnabled streamSize
linked tellTarget()
loop (keyword) URL
mouseOverButton viewH
newObject() viewPoint
obeyScoreRotation viewScale
originH viewV
originMode volume (cast member property)
originPoint
clearAsObjects() setCallback()
newObject()
frameLabel frameTempo
framePalette frameTransition
frameScript label()
frameSound1 labelList
frameSound2 marker()
the markerList

Chapter 112
Interface elements
The Lingo terms in this section are useful for working with interface elements.
Menus
Use these terms to create menus:
Buttons and check boxes
Use these terms to specify buttons and check boxes:
Keys
The Lingo terms in this section are related to using the keyboard.
Identifying keys
Use these terms to identify keys:
Keyboard interaction
Use keyPressed(), lastEvent(), and lastKey to detect what the user types at the keyboard.
Keyboard events
Use these terms to set up handlers that respond to pressing keys:
enabled name (menu item property)
installMenu number (menu items)
menu number (menus)
name (menu property) script
alert checkBoxType
buttonStyle checkMark
buttonType hilite (cast member property)
checkBoxAccess
charToNum() keyPressed()
commandDown mouseChar
controlDown numToChar()
key() optionDown
keyCode() shiftDown
on keyDown keyDownScript
on keyUp keyUpScript
flushInputEvents

Lingo by Feature 13
Lingo
The Lingo terms in this section are important language elements that you use to construct scripts.
Boolean values
Use these terms to test whether a condition exists:
•FALSE (0is the numerical equivalent of FALSE).
•TRUE (1is the numerical equivalent of TRUE).
•not
•or
Script control
Use these terms to control how a script executes:
Code structures
Use if to create if..then statements.
Use case, end case, and otherwise in case statements.
Use these terms for repeat loops:
Syntax elements
Use these terms as part of Lingo’s syntax:
abort pass
do result
exit scriptsEnabled
halt scriptText
nothing stopEvent
end repeat repeat with
exit repeat repeat with...down to
next repeat repeat with...in list
repeat while
# (symbol) member (keyword)
" (string) of
¬ (continuation) or
-- (comment) property
() (parentheses) sprite
castLib the
end window
global

Chapter 114
Lists
The terms in this section are useful for working with lists.
Creating lists
Use [ ] (list), duplicate() (list function), or list() to create a list.
Adding list items
Use these terms to add items to a list:
Deleting list items
Use these terms to delete items from a list:
Retrieving values from a list
Use these terms to retrieve values from a list:
Getting information about lists
Use these terms to get information about lists:
Setting values in a list
Use these terms to set values in a list:
[ ] (bracket access) addVertex
add append
addVertex
deleteAll deleteOne
deleteAt deleteProp
[ ] (bracket access) getOne()
deleteProp getPos()
deleteProp getProp()
getLast() getPropAt()
count() max()
findPos min
findPosNear param()
ilk() paramCount()
listP()
[ ] (bracket access) setAt
setaProp setProp

Lingo by Feature 15
Media synchronization
Use these terms to synchronize animation and sound:
Memory management
The terms in this section are useful for determining memory requirements and controlling when
the movie loads and unloads cast members.
Idle events
Use the on idle event handler for Lingo that runs when the movie is idle.
Idle loading
Use these terms to control idle loading:
Preloading and querying media
Use these terms to load media into memory and check whether media are available:
Available memory
Use these terms to check how much memory is available:
cuePointNames on cuePassed
cuePointTimes isPastCuePoint()
mostRecentCuePoint
cancelIdleLoad idleLoadPeriod
finishIdleLoad idleLoadTag
idleHandlerPeriod idleReadChunkSize
idleLoadDone() netThrottleTicks
frameReady() preloadNetThing()
loaded preLoadMember
mediaReady preLoadMovie
preLoad (command) preLoadRAM
preLoad (cast member property) purgePriority
preLoadBuffer member unLoad
preLoadEventAbort unLoadMember
preLoadMode unloadMovie
freeBlock() movieFileFreeSize
freeBytes() movieFileSize
memorySize

Chapter 116
Memory requirements
Use ramNeeded() and size to determine how much memory required for a cast member or a
range of frames.
Menus
See Menus in the Interface elements section.
Message window
Use these terms to work in the Message window:
Monitor
Use colorDepth, deskTopRectList, and switchColorDepth to check and control the monitor.
Mouse interaction
The terms in this section are useful for Lingo related to using the mouse.
Mouse clicks
Use these terms to detect what the user does with the mouse:
put traceLoad
showXlib traceLogFile
trace appMinimize
clickOn mouseLine
doubleClick mouseLoc
emulateMultiButtonMouse mouseMember
lastClick() mouseOverButton
lastEvent() on mouseUp (event handler)
lastRoll mouseV
mouseChar mouseWord
on mouseDown (event handler) on rightMouseDown (event handler)
mouseH on rightMouseUp (event handler)
mouseItem rollOver()
mouseLevel stillDown

Lingo by Feature 17
Mouse events
Use these terms to set up handlers that respond to mouse events:
Cursor control
Use cursor (command), cursor (sprite property), and cursorSize to control the
pointer (cursor).
Movies in a window
The terms in this section are useful for working with movies in a window.
Movie in a window events
Use these event handlers to contain Lingo that you want to run in response to events in a movie
in a window:
Opening and closing movies in a window
Use these terms for opening and closing windows:
Window appearance
Use these terms to check and set the appearance of a movie’s window:
mouseDownScript on mouseUp (event handler)
mouseUpScript on mouseUpOutside
on mouseDown (event handler) on mouseWithin
on mouseEnter on rightMouseDown (event handler)
on mouseLeave on rightMouseUp (event handler)
activeCastLib on openWindow
on closeWindow on resizeWindow
on moveWindow on zoomWindow
close window open window
forget windowList
drawRect sourceRect
fileName (window property) tell
frontWindow title
modal titleVisible
moveToBack visible (window property)
moveToFront windowPresent()
name (window property) windowType
rect (window) appMinimize

Chapter 118
Communication between movies
Use the tell command to send messages between movies.
Movies
The terms in this section are useful for managing movies.
Stopping movies
Use these terms to stop or quit the movie or projector:
Movie information
Use these terms to obtain information about the movie and the movie’s environment:
Source control
Use these terms to manage Director projects being worked on by more than one person:
Saving movies
Use saveMovie and updateMovieEnabled to save changes to a movie.
Error checking
Use the alertHook event to post alerts that describe errors in a projector.
Movie events
Use the on prepareMovie, on startMovie, and on stopMovie event handlers for Lingo that
responds to movie events.
exitLock quit
halt restart
pauseState shutDown
environment moviePath
lastFrame number (system property)
movie runMode
movieFileFreeSize safePlayer
movieFileSize version
movieName movieFileVersion
comments creationDate
modifiedBy modifiedDate
linkAs() seconds

Lingo by Feature 19
Multiuser server
Director MX users should use Macromedia Flash Communication Server MX for
communication among Director movies and with application servers. For more information
about using Flash Communication Server MX, see Using Flash Communication Server MX in
Using Director.
Navigation
Use these terms to jump to different locations:
Network Lingo
The terms in this section are useful for working with the network.
Downloading and streaming media
Use these terms to obtain or stream media from the network:
Checking availability
Use frameReady() and mediaReady to check whether specific media are
completely downloaded.
Using network operations
Use these terms to check the progress of a network operation or get information regarding
network media:
delay goToFrame
go gotoNetMovie
go loop gotoNetPage
go next play
go previous play done
downloadNetThing (For projectors and
authoring only) gotoNetPage
getNetText() postNetText
gotoNetMovie preloadNetThing()
getStreamStatus() netMIME()
getLatestNetID netTextResult()
netAbort on streamStatus
netDone() proxyServer
netError() tellStreamStatus()
netPresent URLEncode
netLastModDate()

Chapter 120
Working with the local computer
Use these terms to work with the user’s computer:
Browsers
Use on EvalScript, externalEvent, and netStatus to interact with browsers. For additional
information about browser scripting using languages such as JavaScript, see “Shockwave
Publishing” on the Director Support Center at www.macromedia.com/support/director/
internet.html.
Accessing EMBED and OBJECT tag parameters
Use externalParamCount(), externalParamName(), and externalParamValue() to access
EMBED and OBJECT parameter tags:
Operators
The terms in this section are operators available in Lingo.
Math operators
Use these terms for math statements:
Comparison operators
Use and, not, and or to compare expressions.
Palettes and color
Use these terms to check and set palettes for movies and for cast members:
browserName() clearCache (For projectors and
authoring only)
cacheDocVerify() (For projectors and
authoring only) getPref()
cacheSize() (For projectors and
authoring only) setPref
* (multiplication) <> (not equal)
/ (division) > (greater than)
+ (addition) >= (greater than or equal to)
- (minus) < (less than)
= (equals) <= (less than or equal to)
color() paletteMapping
depth puppetPalette
palette rgb()