Adobe® Flex® 4 Language Reference
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flash.display 
Loader 
Packageflash.display
Classpublic class Loader
InheritanceLoader Inheritance DisplayObjectContainer Inheritance InteractiveObject Inheritance DisplayObject Inheritance EventDispatcher Inheritance Object
Subclasses FlexLoader

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Runtime Versions: AIR 1.0 Flash Player 9

The Loader class is used to load SWF files or image (JPG, PNG, or GIF) files. Use the load() method to initiate loading. The loaded display object is added as a child of the Loader object.

Use the URLLoader class to load text or binary data.

The Loader class overrides the following methods that it inherits, because a Loader object can only have one child display object—the display object that it loads. Calling the following methods throws an exception: addChild(), addChildAt(), removeChild(), removeChildAt(), and setChildIndex(). To remove a loaded display object, you must remove the Loader object from its parent DisplayObjectContainer child array.

Note: The ActionScript 2.0 MovieClipLoader and LoadVars classes are not used in ActionScript 3.0. The Loader and URLLoader classes replace them.

When you use the Loader class, consider the Flash Player and Adobe AIR security model:

  • You can load content from any accessible source.
  • Loading is not allowed if the calling SWF file is in a network sandbox and the file to be loaded is local.
  • If the loaded content is a SWF file written with ActionScript 3.0, it cannot be cross-scripted by a SWF file in another security sandbox unless that cross-scripting arrangement was approved through a call to the System.allowDomain() or the System.allowInsecureDomain() method in the loaded content file.
  • If the loaded content is an AVM1 SWF file (written using ActionScript 1.0 or 2.0), it cannot be cross-scripted by an AVM2 SWF file (written using ActionScript 3.0). However, you can communicate between the two SWF files by using the LocalConnection class.
  • If the loaded content is an image, its data cannot be accessed by a SWF file outside of the security sandbox, unless the domain of that SWF file was included in a URL policy file at the origin domain of the image.
  • Movie clips in the local-with-file-system sandbox cannot script movie clips in the local-with-networking sandbox, and the reverse is also prevented.
  • You cannot connect to commonly reserved ports. For a complete list of blocked ports, see "Restricting Networking APIs" in the security chapter security chapter of the Programming ActionScript 3.0 book.

However, in AIR, content in the application security sandbox (content installed with the AIR application) are not restricted by these security limitations.

For more information, see the following:

  • The security chapter in the Programming ActionScript 3.0 book and the latest comments on LiveDocs
  • The security chapter in the Programming ActionScript 3.0 book and the latest comments on LiveDocs
  • The Flash Player Developer Center Topic: Security

When loading a SWF file from an untrusted source (such as a domain other than that of the Loader object's root SWF file), you may want to define a mask for the Loader object, to prevent the loaded content (which is a child of the Loader object) from drawing to portions of the Stage outside of that mask, as shown in the following code:

import flash.display.*;
 import flash.net.URLRequest;
 var rect:Shape = new Shape();
 rect.graphics.beginFill(0xFFFFFF);
 rect.graphics.drawRect(0, 0, 100, 100);
 rect.graphics.endFill();
 addChild(rect);
 var ldr:Loader = new Loader();
 ldr.mask = rect;
 var url:String = "http://www.unknown.example.com/content.swf";
 var urlReq:URLRequest = new URLRequest(url);
 ldr.load(urlReq);
 addChild(ldr);
 

View the examples

See also



Public Properties
 PropertyDefined By
 InheritedaccessibilityImplementation : AccessibilityImplementation
The current accessibility implementation (AccessibilityImplementation) for this InteractiveObject instance.
InteractiveObject
 InheritedaccessibilityProperties : AccessibilityProperties
The current accessibility options for this display object.
DisplayObject
 Inheritedalpha : Number
Indicates the alpha transparency value of the object specified.
DisplayObject
 InheritedblendMode : String
A value from the BlendMode class that specifies which blend mode to use.
DisplayObject
 InheritedblendShader : Shader
[write-only] Sets a shader that is used for blending the foreground and background.
DisplayObject
 InheritedcacheAsBitmap : Boolean
If set to true, Flash Player or Adobe AIR caches an internal bitmap representation of the display object.
DisplayObject
 Inheritedconstructor : Object
A reference to the class object or constructor function for a given object instance.
Object
  content : DisplayObject
[read-only] Contains the root display object of the SWF file or image (JPG, PNG, or GIF) file that was loaded by using the load() or loadBytes() methods.
Loader
  contentLoaderInfo : LoaderInfo
[read-only] Returns a LoaderInfo object corresponding to the object being loaded.
Loader
 InheritedcontextMenu : NativeMenu
Specifies the context menu associated with this object.
InteractiveObject
 InheriteddoubleClickEnabled : Boolean
Specifies whether the object receives doubleClick events.
InteractiveObject
 Inheritedfilters : Array
An indexed array that contains each filter object currently associated with the display object.
DisplayObject
 InheritedfocusRect : Object
Specifies whether this object displays a focus rectangle.
InteractiveObject
 Inheritedheight : Number
Indicates the height of the display object, in pixels.
DisplayObject
 InheritedloaderInfo : LoaderInfo
[read-only] Returns a LoaderInfo object containing information about loading the file to which this display object belongs.
DisplayObject
 Inheritedmask : DisplayObject
The calling display object is masked by the specified mask object.
DisplayObject
 InheritedmouseChildren : Boolean
Determines whether or not the children of the object are mouse enabled.
DisplayObjectContainer
 InheritedmouseEnabled : Boolean
Specifies whether this object receives mouse messages.
InteractiveObject
 InheritedmouseX : Number
[read-only] Indicates the x coordinate of the mouse position, in pixels.
DisplayObject
 InheritedmouseY : Number
[read-only] Indicates the y coordinate of the mouse position, in pixels.
DisplayObject
 Inheritedname : String
Indicates the instance name of the DisplayObject.
DisplayObject
 InheritednumChildren : int
[read-only] Returns the number of children of this object.
DisplayObjectContainer
 InheritedopaqueBackground : Object
Specifies whether the display object is opaque with a certain background color.
DisplayObject
 Inheritedparent : DisplayObjectContainer
[read-only] Indicates the DisplayObjectContainer object that contains this display object.
DisplayObject
 Inheritedprototype : Object
[static] A reference to the prototype object of a class or function object.
Object
 Inheritedroot : DisplayObject
[read-only] For a display object in a loaded SWF file, the root property is the top-most display object in the portion of the display list's tree structure represented by that SWF file.
DisplayObject
 Inheritedrotation : Number
Indicates the rotation of the DisplayObject instance, in degrees, from its original orientation.
DisplayObject
 InheritedrotationX : Number
Indicates the x-axis rotation of the DisplayObject instance, in degrees, from its original orientation relative to the 3D parent container.
DisplayObject
 InheritedrotationY : Number
Indicates the y-axis rotation of the DisplayObject instance, in degrees, from its original orientation relative to the 3D parent container.
DisplayObject
 InheritedrotationZ : Number
Indicates the z-axis rotation of the DisplayObject instance, in degrees, from its original orientation relative to the 3D parent container.
DisplayObject
 Inheritedscale9Grid : Rectangle
The current scaling grid that is in effect.
DisplayObject
 InheritedscaleX : Number
Indicates the horizontal scale (percentage) of the object as applied from the registration point.
DisplayObject
 InheritedscaleY : Number
Indicates the vertical scale (percentage) of an object as applied from the registration point of the object.
DisplayObject
 InheritedscaleZ : Number
Indicates the depth scale (percentage) of an object as applied from the registration point of the object.
DisplayObject
 InheritedscrollRect : Rectangle
The scroll rectangle bounds of the display object.
DisplayObject
 Inheritedstage : Stage
[read-only] The Stage of the display object.
DisplayObject
 InheritedtabChildren : Boolean
Determines whether the children of the object are tab enabled.
DisplayObjectContainer
 InheritedtabEnabled : Boolean
Specifies whether this object is in the tab order.
InteractiveObject
 InheritedtabIndex : int
Specifies the tab ordering of objects in a SWF file.
InteractiveObject
 InheritedtextSnapshot : flash.text:TextSnapshot
[read-only] Returns a TextSnapshot object for this DisplayObjectContainer instance.
DisplayObjectContainer
 Inheritedtransform : flash.geom:Transform
An object with properties pertaining to a display object's matrix, color transform, and pixel bounds.
DisplayObject
 Inheritedvisible : Boolean
Whether or not the display object is visible.
DisplayObject
 Inheritedwidth : Number
Indicates the width of the display object, in pixels.
DisplayObject
 Inheritedx : Number
Indicates the x coordinate of the DisplayObject instance relative to the local coordinates of the parent DisplayObjectContainer.
DisplayObject
 Inheritedy : Number
Indicates the y coordinate of the DisplayObject instance relative to the local coordinates of the parent DisplayObjectContainer.
DisplayObject
 Inheritedz : Number
Indicates the z coordinate position along the z-axis of the DisplayObject instance relative to the 3D parent container.
DisplayObject
Public Methods
 MethodDefined By
  
Creates a Loader object that you can use to load files, such as SWF, JPEG, GIF, or PNG files.
Loader
 Inherited
Adds a child DisplayObject instance to this DisplayObjectContainer instance.
DisplayObjectContainer
 Inherited
Adds a child DisplayObject instance to this DisplayObjectContainer instance.
DisplayObjectContainer
 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
Indicates whether the security restrictions would cause any display objects to be omitted from the list returned by calling the DisplayObjectContainer.getObjectsUnderPoint() method with the specified point point.
DisplayObjectContainer
  
Cancels a load() method operation that is currently in progress for the Loader instance.
Loader
 Inherited
Determines whether the specified display object is a child of the DisplayObjectContainer instance or the instance itself.
DisplayObjectContainer
 Inherited
Dispatches an event into the event flow.
EventDispatcher
 Inherited
getBounds(targetCoordinateSpace:DisplayObject):Rectangle
Returns a rectangle that defines the area of the display object relative to the coordinate system of the targetCoordinateSpace object.
DisplayObject
 Inherited
Returns the child display object instance that exists at the specified index.
DisplayObjectContainer
 Inherited
Returns the child display object that exists with the specified name.
DisplayObjectContainer
 Inherited
Returns the index position of a child DisplayObject instance.
DisplayObjectContainer
 Inherited
Returns an array of objects that lie under the specified point and are children (or grandchildren, and so on) of this DisplayObjectContainer instance.
DisplayObjectContainer
 Inherited
getRect(targetCoordinateSpace:DisplayObject):Rectangle
Returns a rectangle that defines the boundary of the display object, based on the coordinate system defined by the targetCoordinateSpace parameter, excluding any strokes on shapes.
DisplayObject
 Inherited
Converts the point object from the Stage (global) coordinates to the display object's (local) coordinates.
DisplayObject
 Inherited
Converts a two-dimensional point from the Stage (global) coordinates to a three-dimensional display object's (local) coordinates.
DisplayObject
 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
 Inherited
Evaluates the bounding box of the display object to see if it overlaps or intersects with the bounding box of the obj display object.
DisplayObject
 Inherited
hitTestPoint(x:Number, y:Number, shapeFlag:Boolean = false):Boolean
Evaluates the display object to see if it overlaps or intersects with the point specified by the x and y parameters.
DisplayObject
 Inherited
Indicates whether an instance of the Object class is in the prototype chain of the object specified as the parameter.
Object
  
load(request:URLRequest, context:LoaderContext = null):void
Loads a SWF, JPEG, progressive JPEG, unanimated GIF, or PNG file into an object that is a child of this Loader object.
Loader
  
loadBytes(bytes:ByteArray, context:LoaderContext = null):void
Loads from binary data stored in a ByteArray object.
Loader
 Inherited
Converts a three-dimensional point of the three-dimensional display object's (local) coordinates to a two-dimensional point in the Stage (global) coordinates.
DisplayObject
 Inherited
Converts the point object from the display object's (local) coordinates to the Stage (global) coordinates.
DisplayObject
 Inherited
Indicates whether the specified property exists and is enumerable.
Object
 Inherited
Removes the specified child DisplayObject instance from the child list of the DisplayObjectContainer instance.
DisplayObjectContainer
 Inherited
Removes a child DisplayObject from the specified index position in the child list of the DisplayObjectContainer.
DisplayObjectContainer
 Inherited
removeEventListener(type:String, listener:Function, useCapture:Boolean = false):void
Removes a listener from the EventDispatcher object.
EventDispatcher
 Inherited
Changes the position of an existing child in the display object container.
DisplayObjectContainer
 Inherited
Sets the availability of a dynamic property for loop operations.
Object
 Inherited
Swaps the z-order (front-to-back order) of the two specified child objects.
DisplayObjectContainer
 Inherited
swapChildrenAt(index1:int, index2:int):void
Swaps the z-order (front-to-back order) of the child objects at the two specified index positions in the child list.
DisplayObjectContainer
 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
  
Removes a child of this Loader object that was loaded by using the load() method.
Loader
  
Attempts to unload child SWF file contents and stops the execution of commands from loaded SWF files.
Loader
 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
 InheritedDispatched when a display object is added to the display list.DisplayObject
 InheritedDispatched when a display object is added to the on stage display list, either directly or through the addition of a sub tree in which the display object is contained.DisplayObject
 InheritedDispatched when the user selects 'Clear' (or 'Delete') from the text context menu.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when a user presses and releases the main button of the user's pointing device over the same InteractiveObject.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when a user gesture triggers the context menu associated with this interactive object in an AIR application.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when the user activates the platform specific accelerator key combination for a copy operation or selects 'Copy' from the text context menu.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when the user activates the platform specific accelerator key combination for a cut operation or selects 'Cut' from the text context menu.InteractiveObject
 Inherited[broadcast event] Dispatched when the Flash Player or AIR application operating loses system focus and is becoming inactive.EventDispatcher
 InheritedDispatched when a user presses and releases the main button of a pointing device twice in rapid succession over the same InteractiveObject when that object's doubleClickEnabled flag is set to true.InteractiveObject
 Inherited[broadcast event] Dispatched when the playhead is entering a new frame.DisplayObject
 Inherited[broadcast event] Dispatched when the playhead is exiting the current frame.DisplayObject
 InheritedDispatched after a display object gains focus.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched after a display object loses focus.InteractiveObject
 Inherited[broadcast event] Dispatched after the constructors of frame display objects have run but before frame scripts have run.DisplayObject
 InheritedDispatched when the user presses a key.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when the user attempts to change focus by using keyboard navigation.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when the user releases a key.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when a user presses and releases the middle button of the user's pointing device over the same InteractiveObject.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when a user presses the middle pointing device button over an InteractiveObject instance.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when a user releases the pointing device button over an InteractiveObject instance.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when a user presses the pointing device button over an InteractiveObject instance.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when the user attempts to change focus by using a pointer device.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when a user moves the pointing device while it is over an InteractiveObject.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when the user moves a pointing device away from an InteractiveObject instance.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when the user moves a pointing device over an InteractiveObject instance.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when a user releases the pointing device button over an InteractiveObject instance.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when a mouse wheel is spun over an InteractiveObject instance.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched by the drag initiator InteractiveObject when the user releases the drag gesture.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched by the target InteractiveObject when a dragged object is dropped on it and the drop has been accepted with a call to DragManager.acceptDragDrop().InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched by an InteractiveObject when a drag gesture enters its boundary.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched by an InteractiveObject when a drag gesture leaves its boundary.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched by an InteractiveObject continually while a drag gesture remains within its boundary.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched at the beginning of a drag operation by the InteractiveObject that is specified as the drag initiator in the DragManager.doDrag() call.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched during a drag operation by the InteractiveObject that is specified as the drag initiator in the DragManager.doDrag() call.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when the user activates the platform specific accelerator key combination for a paste operation or selects 'Paste' from the text context menu.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when a display object is about to be removed from the display list.DisplayObject
 InheritedDispatched when a display object is about to be removed from the display list, either directly or through the removal of a sub tree in which the display object is contained.DisplayObject
 Inherited[broadcast event] Dispatched when the display list is about to be updated and rendered.DisplayObject
 InheritedDispatched when a user presses and releases the right button of the user's pointing device over the same InteractiveObject.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when a user presses the pointing device button over an InteractiveObject instance.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when a user releases the pointing device button over an InteractiveObject instance.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when the user moves a pointing device away from an InteractiveObject instance.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when the user moves a pointing device over an InteractiveObject instance.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when the user activates the platform specific accelerator key combination for a select all operation or selects 'Select All' from the text context menu.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when the value of the object's tabChildren flag changes.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when the object's tabEnabled flag changes.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when the value of the object's tabIndex property changes.InteractiveObject
 InheritedDispatched when a user enters one or more characters of text.InteractiveObject
Property Detail

content

property
content:DisplayObject  [read-only]

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Runtime Versions: AIR 1.0 Flash Player 9

Contains the root display object of the SWF file or image (JPG, PNG, or GIF) file that was loaded by using the load() or loadBytes() methods.



Implementation
    public function get content():DisplayObject

Throws
SecurityError — The loaded SWF file or image file belongs to a security sandbox to which you do not have access. For a loaded SWF file, you can avoid this situation by having the file call the Security.allowDomain() method or by having the loading file specify a loaderContext parameter with its securityDomain property set to SecurityDomain.currentDomain when you call the load() or loadBytes() method.

See also

contentLoaderInfo

property 
contentLoaderInfo:LoaderInfo  [read-only]

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Runtime Versions: AIR 1.0 Flash Player 9

Returns a LoaderInfo object corresponding to the object being loaded. LoaderInfo objects are shared between the Loader object and the loaded content object. The LoaderInfo object supplies loading progress information and statistics about the loaded file.

Events related to the load are dispatched by the LoaderInfo object referenced by the contentLoaderInfo property of the Loader object. The contentLoaderInfo property is set to a valid LoaderInfo object, even before the content is loaded, so that you can add event listeners to the object prior to the load.



Implementation
    public function get contentLoaderInfo():LoaderInfo

See also

Constructor Detail

Loader

()Constructor
public function Loader()

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Runtime Versions: AIR 1.0 Flash Player 9

Creates a Loader object that you can use to load files, such as SWF, JPEG, GIF, or PNG files. Call the load() method to load the asset as a child of the Loader instance. You can then add the Loader object to the display list (for instance, by using the addChild() method of a DisplayObjectContainer instance). The asset appears on the Stage as it loads.

You can also use a Loader instance "offlist," that is without adding it to a display object container on the display list. In this mode, the Loader instance might be used to load a SWF file that contains additional modules of an application.

To detect when the SWF file is finished loading, you can use the events of the LoaderInfo object associated with the contentLoaderInfo property of the Loader object. At that point, the code in the module SWF file can be executed to initialize and start the module. In the offlist mode, a Loader instance might also be used to load a SWF file that contains components or media assets. Again, you can use the LoaderInfo object event notifications to detect when the components are finished loading. At that point, the application can start using the components and media assets in the library of the SWF file by instantiating the ActionScript 3.0 classes that represent those components and assets.

To determine the status of a Loader object, monitor the following events that the LoaderInfo object associated with the contentLoaderInfo property of the Loader object:

  • The open event is dispatched when loading begins.
  • The ioError or securityError event is dispatched if the file cannot be loaded or if an error occured during the load process.
  • The progress event fires continuously while the file is being loaded.
  • The complete event is dispatched when a file completes downloading, but before the loaded movie clip's methods and properties are available.
  • The init event is dispatched after the properties and methods of the loaded SWF file are accessible, so you can begin manipulating the loaded SWF file. This event is dispatched before the complete handler. In streaming SWF files, the init event can occur significantly earlier than the complete event. For most purposes, use the init handler.

See also

Method Detail

close

()method
public function close():void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Runtime Versions: AIR 1.0 Flash Player 9

Cancels a load() method operation that is currently in progress for the Loader instance.

See also

load

()method 
public function load(request:URLRequest, context:LoaderContext = null):void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Runtime Versions: AIR 1.0 Flash Player 9

Loads a SWF, JPEG, progressive JPEG, unanimated GIF, or PNG file into an object that is a child of this Loader object. If you load an animated GIF file, only the first frame is displayed. As the Loader object can contain only a single child, issuing a subsequent load() request terminates the previous request, if still pending, and commences a new load.

Note: In AIR 1.5 and Flash Player 10, the maximum size for a loaded image is 8,191 pixels in width or height, and the total number of pixels cannot exceed 16,777,215 pixels. (So, if an loaded image is 8,191 pixels wide, it can only be 2,048 pixels high.) In Flash Player 9 and earlier and AIR 1.1 and earlier, the limitation is 2,880 pixels in height and 2,880 pixels in width.

A SWF file or image loaded into a Loader object inherits the position, rotation, and scale properties of the parent display objects of the Loader object.

Use the unload() method to remove movies or images loaded with this method, or to cancel a load operation that is in progress.

You can prevent a SWF file from using this method by setting the allowNetworking parameter of the the object and embed tags in the HTML page that contains the SWF content.

When you use this method, consider the Flash Player security model, which is described in the Loader class description.

In Flash Player 10 and later, if you use a multipart Content-Type (for example "multipart/form-data") that contains an upload (indicated by a "filename" parameter in a "content-disposition" header within the POST body), the POST operation is subject to the security rules applied to uploads:

  • The POST operation must be performed in response to a user-initiated action, such as a mouse click or key press.
  • If the POST operation is cross-domain (the POST target is not on the same server as the SWF file that is sending the POST request), the target server must provide a URL policy file that permits cross-domain access.

Also, for any multipart Content-Type, the syntax must be valid (according to the RFC2046 standard). If the syntax appears to be invalid, the POST operation is subject to the security rules applied to uploads.

For more information related to security, see the following:

  • The security chapter in the Programming ActionScript 3.0 book and the latest comments on LiveDocs
  • The security chapter in the Programming ActionScript 3.0 book and the latest comments on LiveDocs
  • The Flash Player Developer Center Topic: Security

Parameters

request:URLRequest — The absolute or relative URL of the SWF, JPEG, GIF, or PNG file to be loaded. A relative path must be relative to the main SWF file. Absolute URLs must include the protocol reference, such as http:// or file:///. Filenames cannot include disk drive specifications.
 
context:LoaderContext (default = null) — A LoaderContext object, which has properties that define the following:
  • Whether or not to check for the existence of a policy file upon loading the object
  • The ApplicationDomain for the loaded object
  • The SecurityDomain for the loaded object

If the context parameter is not specified or refers to a null object, the loaded content remains in its own security domain.

For complete details, see the description of the properties in the LoaderContext class.


Events
complete:Event — Dispatched by the contentLoaderInfo object when the file has completed loading. The complete event is always dispatched after the init event.
 
httpStatus:HTTPStatusEvent — Dispatched by the contentLoaderInfo object when a network request is made over HTTP and Flash Player can detect the HTTP status code.
 
init:Event — Dispatched by the contentLoaderInfo object when the properties and methods of the loaded SWF file are accessible. The init event always precedes the complete event.
 
ioError:IOErrorEvent — Dispatched by the contentLoaderInfo object when an input or output error occurs that causes a load operation to fail.
 
open:Event — Dispatched by the contentLoaderInfo object when the loading operation starts.
 
progress:ProgressEvent — Dispatched by the contentLoaderInfo object as data is received while load operation progresses.
 
securityError:SecurityErrorEvent — Dispatched by the contentLoaderInfo object if a SWF file in the local-with-filesystem sandbox attempts to load content in the local-with-networking sandbox, or vice versa.
 
unload:Event — Dispatched by the contentLoaderInfo object when a loaded object is removed.

Throws
IOError — The digest property of the request object is not null. You should only set the digest property of a URLRequest object when calling the URLLoader.load() method when loading a SWZ file (an Adobe platform component).
 
SecurityError — The value of LoaderContext.securityDomain must be either null or SecurityDomain.currentDomain. This reflects the fact that you can only place the loaded media in its natural security sandbox or your own (the latter requires a policy file).
 
SecurityError — Local SWF files may not set LoaderContext.securityDomain to anything other than null. It is not permitted to import non-local media into a local sandbox, or to place other local media in anything other than its natural sandbox.
 
SecurityError — If you are trying to connect to a commonly reserved port. For a complete list of blocked ports, see "Restricting Networking APIs" in the security chapter of the Programming ActionScript 3.0 book.
 
SecurityError — If the applicationDomain or securityDomain properties of the context parameter are from a disallowed domain.
 
SecurityError — If a local SWF file is attempting to use the securityDomain property of the context parameter.

See also

loadBytes

()method 
public function loadBytes(bytes:ByteArray, context:LoaderContext = null):void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Runtime Versions: AIR 1.0 Flash Player 9

Loads from binary data stored in a ByteArray object.

When you use this method, consider the Flash Player security model, which is described in the Loader class description.

Parameters

bytes:ByteArray — A ByteArray object. The contents of the ByteArray can be any of the file formats supported by the Loader class: SWF, GIF, JPEG, or PNG.
 
context:LoaderContext (default = null) — A LoaderContext object. Only the applicationDomain property of the LoaderContext object applies; the checkPolicyFile and securityDomain properties of the LoaderContext object do not apply.

If the context parameter is not specified or refers to a null object, the content is loaded into the current security domain— a process referred to as "import loading" in Flash Player security documentation. Specifically, if the loading SWF file trusts the remote SWF by incorporating the remote SWF into its code, then the loading SWF can import it directly into its own security domain.


Throws
ArgumentError — If the length property of the ByteArray object is not greater than 0.
 
IllegalOperationError — If the checkPolicyFile or securityDomain property of the context parameter are non-null.
 
SecurityError — If the provided applicationDomain property of the context property is from a disallowed domain.
 
SecurityError — If you are trying to connect to a commonly reserved port. For a complete list of blocked ports, see "Restricting Networking APIs" in the security chapter of the Programming ActionScript 3.0 book.

See also

unload

()method 
public function unload():void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Runtime Versions: AIR 1.0 Flash Player 9

Removes a child of this Loader object that was loaded by using the load() method. The property of the associated LoaderInfo object is reset to null. The child is not necessarily destroyed because other objects might have references to it; however, it is no longer a child of the Loader object.

As a best practice, before you unload a child SWF file, you should explicitly close any streams in the child SWF file's objects, such as LocalConnection, NetConnection, NetStream, and Sound objects. Otherwise, audio in the child SWF file might continue to play, even though the child SWF file was unloaded. To close streams in the child SWF file, add an event listener to the child that listens for the unload event. When the parent calls Loader.unload(), the unload event is dispatched to the child. The following code shows how you might do this:

function closeAllStreams(evt:Event) { 
    myNetStream.close();
    mySound.close();
    myNetConnection.close();
    myLocalConnection.close();
}

myMovieClip.loaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.UNLOAD, closeAllStreams);

See also

unloadAndStop

()method 
public function unloadAndStop(gc:Boolean = true):void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 10, AIR 1.5

Attempts to unload child SWF file contents and stops the execution of commands from loaded SWF files. This method attempts to unload SWF files that were loaded using Loader.load() or Loader.loadBytes() by removing references to EventDispatcher, NetConnection, Timer, Sound, or Video objects of the child SWF file. As a result, the following occurs for the child SWF file and the child SWF file's display list:

  • Sounds are stopped.
  • Stage event listeners are removed.
  • Event listeners for enterFrame, frameConstructed, exitFrame, activate and deactivate are removed.
  • Timers are stopped.
  • Camera and Microphone instances are detached
  • Movie clips are stopped.

Parameters

gc:Boolean (default = true) — Provides a hint to the garbage collector to run on the child SWF objects (true) or not (false). If you are unloading many objects asynchronously, setting the gc paramter to false might improve application performance. However, if the parameter is set to false, media and display objects of the child SWF file might persist in memory after running the unloadAndStop() command.

See also

LoaderExample.as

The following example uses the LoaderExample class to illustrate how various event listeners are used. This task is accomplished by performing the following steps:
  1. A url property is created, which is the location and name of the image file
  2. In the LoaderExample constructor, a new Loader object named loader is created, which is then passed to the configureListeners() method, described in step 3.
  3. The constructor creates a new instance of a URLRequest object, request, with url passed so that the file name and location are known.
  4. The request object is passed to the loader object's load() method, which loads the image onto the display list.
  5. A clickHandler event listener is registered for the click event on the loader. After a mouse click, the loaded image is unloaded.
  6. The configureListeners() method adds seven event listeners by using the following methods:
    • The completeHandler() method executes when the image finishes loading.
    • The httpStatusHandler() method executes if the image is not loaded locally and only if the network request is made available and the Flash Player can detect it.
    • The initHandler() method executes before the completeHandler() method and after the progressHandler() method. Generally, the init event is more useful when loading SWF files.
    • The ioErrorHandler() method executes if the image file is not available or not accessible.
    • The openHandler() method executes when the image file is first opened.
    • The progressHandler() method executes when the image file starts to load and again when the image is finished loading.
    • The unLoadHandler() method executes when the image is unloaded by using the unload() method when the user clicks the image.

Keep in mind the following requirements:

  • This example requires that you place a file named Image.gif in the same directory as the compiled SWF file. Use an image that has an area that fits within the dimensions of the main SWF file.
  • Although this example makes use of all events available to the LoaderInfo object, most situations require only a subset. In particular, when loading only an image file, the complete event (and perhaps the ioError event) are sufficient when loading a local image.
package {
    import flash.display.Loader;
    import flash.display.Sprite;
    import flash.events.*;
    import flash.net.URLRequest;

    public class LoaderExample extends Sprite {
        private var url:String = "Image.gif";

        public function LoaderExample() {
            var loader:Loader = new Loader();
            configureListeners(loader.contentLoaderInfo);
            loader.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, clickHandler);

            var request:URLRequest = new URLRequest(url);
            loader.load(request);

            addChild(loader);
        }

        private function configureListeners(dispatcher:IEventDispatcher):void {
            dispatcher.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, completeHandler);
            dispatcher.addEventListener(HTTPStatusEvent.HTTP_STATUS, httpStatusHandler);
            dispatcher.addEventListener(Event.INIT, initHandler);
            dispatcher.addEventListener(IOErrorEvent.IO_ERROR, ioErrorHandler);
            dispatcher.addEventListener(Event.OPEN, openHandler);
            dispatcher.addEventListener(ProgressEvent.PROGRESS, progressHandler);
            dispatcher.addEventListener(Event.UNLOAD, unLoadHandler);
        }

        private function completeHandler(event:Event):void {
            trace("completeHandler: " + event);
        }

        private function httpStatusHandler(event:HTTPStatusEvent):void {
            trace("httpStatusHandler: " + event);
        }

        private function initHandler(event:Event):void {
            trace("initHandler: " + event);
        }

        private function ioErrorHandler(event:IOErrorEvent):void {
            trace("ioErrorHandler: " + event);
        }

        private function openHandler(event:Event):void {
            trace("openHandler: " + event);
        }

        private function progressHandler(event:ProgressEvent):void {
            trace("progressHandler: bytesLoaded=" + event.bytesLoaded + " bytesTotal=" + event.bytesTotal);
        }

        private function unLoadHandler(event:Event):void {
            trace("unLoadHandler: " + event);
        }

        private function clickHandler(event:MouseEvent):void {
            trace("clickHandler: " + event);
            var loader:Loader = Loader(event.target);
            loader.unload();
        }
    }
}