localToGlobal (MovieClip.localToGlobal method) -- Flash CS3

Converts the pt object from the movie clip's (local) coordinates to the Stage (global) coordinates.

The MovieClip.localToGlobal() method allows you to convert any given x and y coordinates from values that are relative to the top-left corner of a specific movie clip to values that are relative to the top-left corner of the Stage.

You must first create a generic object that has two properties, x and y. These x and y values (and they must be called x and y) are called the local coordinates because they relate to the top-left corner of the movie clip. The x property represents the horizontal offset from the top-left corner of the movie clip. In other words, it represents how far to the right the point lies. For example, if x = 50, the point lies 50 pixels to the right of the top-left corner. The y property represents the vertical offset from the top-left corner of the movie clip. In other words, it represents how far down the point lies. For example, if y = 20, the point lies 20 pixels below the top-left corner. The following code creates a generic object with these coordinates.

var myPoint:Object = new Object();
myPoint.x = 50;
myPoint.y = 20;

Alternatively, you can create the object and assign the values at the same time with a literal Object value.

var myPoint:Object = {x:50, y:20};

After you create a point object with local coordinates, you can convert the coordinates to global coordinates. The localToGlobal() method doesn't return a value because it changes the values of x and y in the generic object that you send as the parameter. It changes them from values relative to a specific movie clip (local coordinates) to values relative to the Stage (global coordinates).

For example, if you create a movie clip that is positioned at the point (_x:100, _y:100), and you pass a local point representing a point near the top-left corner of the movie clip (x:10, y:10) to the localToGlobal() method, the method should convert the x and y values to global coordinates, which in this case is (x:110, y:110). This conversion occurs because the x and y coordinates are now expressed relative to the top-left corner of the Stage rather than the top-left corner of your movie clip.

The movie clip coordinates were expressed using _x and _y, because those are the MovieClip properties that you use to set the x and y values for MovieClips. However, your generic object uses x and y without the underscore. The following code converts the x and y coordinates to global coordinates:

var myPoint:Object = {x:10, y:10}; // create your generic point object
this.createEmptyMovieClip("myMovieClip", this.getNextHighestDepth());
myMovieClip._x = 100; // _x for movieclip x position
myMovieClip._y = 100; // _y for movieclip y position

myMovieClip.localToGlobal(myPoint);
trace ("x: " + myPoint.x); // 110
trace ("y: " + myPoint.y); // 110

You can extend the methods and event handlers of the MovieClip class by creating a subclass.

Parameters

pt:Object - The name or identifier of an object created with the Object class, specifying the x and y coordinates as properties.

Example

The following example converts x and y coordinates of the my_mc object, from the movie clip's (local) coordinates to the Stage (global) coordinates. The center point of the movie clip is reflected after you click and drag the instance.

this.createTextField("point_txt", this.getNextHighestDepth(), 0, 0, 100, 22);
var mouseListener:Object = new Object();
mouseListener.onMouseMove = function() {
 var point:Object = {x:my_mc._width/2, y:my_mc._height/2};
 my_mc.localToGlobal(point);
 point_txt.text = "x:"+point.x+", y:"+point.y;
};
Mouse.addListener(mouseListener);
my_mc.onPress = function() {
 this.startDrag();
};
my_mc.onRelease = function() {
 this.stopDrag();
};

The MovieClip.getNextHighestDepth() method used in this example requires Flash Player 7 or later. If your SWF file includes a version 2 component, use the version 2 components' DepthManager class instead of the MovieClip.getNextHighestDepth() method.

localToGlobal (MovieClip.localToGlobal method)

Parameters

Example

See also