mx.core

# IContainer - AS3 Flex

Package | mx.core
Interface | public interface IContainer extends IUIComponent , IFlexDisplayObject , IBitmapDrawable , IEventDispatcher
Implementors | Container, Legend

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

IContainer is a interface that indicates a component extends or mimics mx.core.Container

Related API Elements

mx.core.Container

Public Properties
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| Property | Defined By
--- | --- | ---
|  | accessibilityProperties : AccessibilityProperties The current accessibility options for this display object. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | alpha : Number Indicates the alpha transparency value of the object specified. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | baselinePosition : Number [read-only] The y-coordinate of the baseline of the first line of text of the component. | IUIComponent
|  | blendMode : String A value from the BlendMode class that specifies which blend mode to use. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | buttonMode : Boolean Specifies the button mode of this sprite. | IContainer
|  | cacheAsBitmap : Boolean If set to true, Flash runtimes cache an internal bitmap representation of the display object. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | creatingContentPane : Boolean Containers use an internal content pane to control scrolling. | IContainer
|  | defaultButton : IFlexDisplayObject The Button control designated as the default button for the container. | IContainer
|  | document : Object A reference to the document object associated with this component. | IUIComponent
|  | doubleClickEnabled : Boolean Specifies whether the object receives doubleClick events. | IContainer
|  | dropTarget : DisplayObject [read-only] Specifies the display object over which the sprite is being dragged, or on which the sprite was dropped. | IContainer
|  | enabled : Boolean Whether the component can accept user interaction. | IUIComponent
|  | explicitHeight : Number The explicitly specified height for the component, in pixels, as the component's coordinates. | IUIComponent
|  | explicitMaxHeight : Number [read-only] Number that specifies the maximum height of the component, in pixels, as the component's coordinates. | IUIComponent
|  | explicitMaxWidth : Number [read-only] Number that specifies the maximum width of the component, in pixels, as the component's coordinates. | IUIComponent
|  | explicitMinHeight : Number [read-only] Number that specifies the minimum height of the component, in pixels, as the component's coordinates. | IUIComponent
|  | explicitMinWidth : Number [read-only] Number that specifies the minimum width of the component, in pixels, as the component's coordinates. | IUIComponent
|  | explicitWidth : Number The explicitly specified width for the component, in pixels, as the component's coordinates. | IUIComponent
|  | filters : Array An indexed array that contains each filter object currently associated with the display object. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | focusManager : IFocusManager [read-only] Gets the FocusManager that controls focus for this component and its peers. | IContainer
|  | focusPane : Sprite A single Sprite object that is shared among components and used as an overlay for drawing the focus indicator. | IUIComponent
|  | focusRect : Object Specifies whether this object displays a focus rectangle. | IContainer
|  | graphics : Graphics [read-only] Specifies the Graphics object that belongs to this sprite where vector drawing commands can occur. | IContainer
|  | height : Number Indicates the height of the display object, in pixels. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | hitArea : Sprite Designates another sprite to serve as the hit area for a sprite. | IContainer
|  | horizontalScrollPosition : Number The current position of the horizontal scroll bar. | IContainer
|  | includeInLayout : Boolean Specifies whether this component is included in the layout of the parent container. | IUIComponent
|  | isPopUp : Boolean Set to true by the PopUpManager to indicate that component has been popped up. | IUIComponent
|  | loaderInfo : LoaderInfo [read-only] Returns a LoaderInfo object containing information about loading the file to which this display object belongs. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | mask : DisplayObject The calling display object is masked by the specified mask object. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | maxHeight : Number [read-only] Number that specifies the maximum height of the component, in pixels, as the component's coordinates. | IUIComponent
|  | maxWidth : Number [read-only] Number that specifies the maximum width of the component, in pixels, as the component's coordinates. | IUIComponent
|  | measuredHeight : Number [read-only] The measured height of this object. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | measuredMinHeight : Number The default minimum height of the component, in pixels. | IUIComponent
|  | measuredMinWidth : Number The default minimum width of the component, in pixels. | IUIComponent
|  | measuredWidth : Number [read-only] The measured width of this object. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | minHeight : Number [read-only] Number that specifies the minimum height of the component, in pixels, as the component's coordinates. | IUIComponent
|  | minWidth : Number [read-only] Number that specifies the minimum width of the component, in pixels, as the component's coordinates. | IUIComponent
|  | mouseChildren : Boolean Determines whether or not the children of the object are mouse, or user input device, enabled. | IContainer
|  | mouseEnabled : Boolean Specifies whether this object receives mouse, or other user input, messages. | IContainer
|  | mouseX : Number [read-only] Indicates the x coordinate of the mouse or user input device position, in pixels. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | mouseY : Number [read-only] Indicates the y coordinate of the mouse or user input device position, in pixels. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | name : String Indicates the instance name of the DisplayObject. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | numChildren : int [read-only] Returns the number of children of this object. | IContainer
|  | opaqueBackground : Object Specifies whether the display object is opaque with a certain background color. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | owner : DisplayObjectContainer The owner of this IVisualElement object. | IUIComponent
|  | parent : DisplayObjectContainer [read-only] Indicates the DisplayObjectContainer object that contains this display object. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | percentHeight : Number Number that specifies the height of a component as a percentage of its parent's size. | IUIComponent
|  | percentWidth : Number Number that specifies the width of a component as a percentage of its parent's size. | IUIComponent
|  | root : 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. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | rotation : Number Indicates the rotation of the DisplayObject instance, in degrees, from its original orientation. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | scale9Grid : Rectangle The current scaling grid that is in effect. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | scaleX : Number Indicates the horizontal scale (percentage) of the object as applied from the registration point. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | scaleY : Number Indicates the vertical scale (percentage) of an object as applied from the registration point of the object. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | scrollRect : Rectangle The scroll rectangle bounds of the display object. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | soundTransform : flash.media:SoundTransform Controls sound within this sprite. | IContainer
|  | stage : Stage [read-only] The Stage of the display object. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | systemManager : ISystemManager A reference to the SystemManager object for this component. | IUIComponent
|  | tabChildren : Boolean Determines whether the children of the object are tab enabled. | IContainer
|  | tabEnabled : Boolean Specifies whether this object is in the tab order. | IContainer
|  | tabIndex : int Specifies the tab ordering of objects in a SWF file. | IContainer
|  | textSnapshot : flash.text:TextSnapshot [read-only] Returns a TextSnapshot object for this DisplayObjectContainer instance. | IContainer
|  | transform : flash.geom:Transform An object with properties pertaining to a display object's matrix, color transform, and pixel bounds. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | tweeningProperties : Array Used by EffectManager. | IUIComponent
|  | useHandCursor : Boolean A Boolean value that indicates whether the pointing hand (hand cursor) appears when the pointer rolls over a sprite in which the buttonMode property is set to true. | IContainer
|  | verticalScrollPosition : Number The current position of the vertical scroll bar. | IContainer
|  | viewMetrics : EdgeMetrics [read-only] Returns an object that has four properties: left, top, right, and bottom. | IContainer
|  | visible : Boolean Whether or not the display object is visible. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | width : Number Indicates the width of the display object, in pixels. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | x : Number Indicates the x coordinate of the DisplayObject instance relative to the local coordinates of the parent DisplayObjectContainer. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | y : Number Indicates the y coordinate of the DisplayObject instance relative to the local coordinates of the parent DisplayObjectContainer. | IFlexDisplayObject

Public Methods
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| Method | Defined By
--- | --- | ---
|  | addChild(child:DisplayObject):DisplayObject Adds a child DisplayObject instance to this DisplayObjectContainer instance. | IContainer
|  | addChildAt(child:DisplayObject, index:int):DisplayObject Adds a child DisplayObject instance to this DisplayObjectContainer instance. | IContainer
|  | 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. | IEventDispatcher
|  | areInaccessibleObjectsUnderPoint(point:Point):Boolean 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. | IContainer
|  | contains(child:DisplayObject):Boolean Determines whether the specified display object is a child of the DisplayObjectContainer instance or the instance itself. | IContainer
|  | dispatchEvent(event:Event):Boolean Dispatches an event into the event flow. | IEventDispatcher
|  | getBounds(targetCoordinateSpace:DisplayObject):Rectangle Returns a rectangle that defines the area of the display object relative to the coordinate system of the targetCoordinateSpace object. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | getChildAt(index:int):DisplayObject Returns the child display object instance that exists at the specified index. | IContainer
|  | getChildByName(name:String):DisplayObject Returns the child display object that exists with the specified name. | IContainer
|  | getChildIndex(child:DisplayObject):int Returns the index position of a child DisplayObject instance. | IContainer
|  | getExplicitOrMeasuredHeight():Number A convenience method for determining whether to use the explicit or measured height | IUIComponent
|  | getExplicitOrMeasuredWidth():Number A convenience method for determining whether to use the explicit or measured width | IUIComponent
|  | getObjectsUnderPoint(point:Point):Array Returns an array of objects that lie under the specified point and are children (or grandchildren, and so on) of this DisplayObjectContainer instance. | IContainer
|  | 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. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | globalToLocal(point:Point):Point Converts the point object from the Stage (global) coordinates to the display object's (local) coordinates. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | hasEventListener(type:String):Boolean Checks whether the EventDispatcher object has any listeners registered for a specific type of event. | IEventDispatcher
|  | hitTestObject(obj:DisplayObject):Boolean Evaluates the bounding box of the display object to see if it overlaps or intersects with the bounding box of the obj display object. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | 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. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | initialize():void Initialize the object. | IUIComponent
|  | localToGlobal(point:Point):Point Converts the point object from the display object's (local) coordinates to the Stage (global) coordinates. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | move(x:Number, y:Number):void Moves this object to the specified x and y coordinates. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | owns(displayObject:DisplayObject):Boolean Returns true if the chain of owner properties points from child to this UIComponent. | IUIComponent
|  | parentChanged(p:DisplayObjectContainer):void Called by Flex when a UIComponent object is added to or removed from a parent. | IUIComponent
|  | removeChild(child:DisplayObject):DisplayObject Removes the specified child DisplayObject instance from the child list of the DisplayObjectContainer instance. | IContainer
|  | removeChildAt(index:int):DisplayObject Removes a child DisplayObject from the specified index position in the child list of the DisplayObjectContainer. | IContainer
|  | removeEventListener(type:String, listener:Function, useCapture:Boolean = false):void Removes a listener from the EventDispatcher object. | IEventDispatcher
|  | setActualSize(newWidth:Number, newHeight:Number):void Sets the actual size of this object. | IFlexDisplayObject
|  | setChildIndex(child:DisplayObject, index:int):void Changes the position of an existing child in the display object container. | IContainer
|  | setVisible(value:Boolean, noEvent:Boolean = false):void Called when the visible property changes. | IUIComponent
|  | startDrag(lockCenter:Boolean = false, bounds:Rectangle = null):void Lets the user drag the specified sprite. | IContainer
|  | stopDrag():void Ends the startDrag() method. | IContainer
|  | swapChildren(child1:DisplayObject, child2:DisplayObject):void Swaps the z-order (front-to-back order) of the two specified child objects. | IContainer
|  | 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. | IContainer
|  | willTrigger(type:String):Boolean Checks whether an event listener is registered with this EventDispatcher object or any of its ancestors for the specified event type. | IEventDispatcher

Property Detail

### buttonMode

property

`buttonMode:Boolean`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Specifies the button mode of this sprite. If `true`, this sprite behaves as a button, which means that it triggers the display of the hand cursor when the pointer passes over the sprite and can receive a `click` event if the enter or space keys are pressed when the sprite has focus. You can suppress the display of the hand cursor by setting the `useHandCursor` property to `false`, in which case the pointer is displayed.

Although it is better to use the SimpleButton class to create buttons, you can use the `buttonMode` property to give a sprite some button-like functionality. To include a sprite in the tab order, set the `tabEnabled` property (inherited from the InteractiveObject class and `false` by default) to `true`. Additionally, consider whether you want the children of your sprite to be user input enabled. Most buttons do not enable user input interactivity for their child objects because it confuses the event flow. To disable user input interactivity for all child objects, you must set the `mouseChildren` property (inherited from the DisplayObjectContainer class) to `false`.

If you use the `buttonMode` property with the MovieClip class (which is a subclass of the Sprite class), your button might have some added functionality. If you include frames labeled _up, _over, and _down, Flash Player provides automatic state changes (functionality similar to that provided in previous versions of ActionScript for movie clips used as buttons). These automatic state changes are not available for sprites, which have no timeline, and thus no frames to label.

Implementation
`public function get buttonMode():Boolean`
`public function set buttonMode(value:Boolean):void`

### creatingContentPane

property

`creatingContentPane:Boolean`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Containers use an internal content pane to control scrolling. The `creatingContentPane` is `true` while the container is creating the content pane so that some events can be ignored or blocked.

Implementation
`public function get creatingContentPane():Boolean`
`public function set creatingContentPane(value:Boolean):void`

### defaultButton

property

`defaultButton:IFlexDisplayObject`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The Button control designated as the default button for the container. When controls in the container have focus, pressing the Enter key is the same as clicking this Button control.

Implementation
`public function get defaultButton():IFlexDisplayObject`
`public function set defaultButton(value:IFlexDisplayObject):void`

### doubleClickEnabled

property

`doubleClickEnabled:Boolean`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Specifies whether the object receives `doubleClick` events. The default value is `false`, which means that by default an InteractiveObject instance does not receive `doubleClick` events. If the `doubleClickEnabled` property is set to `true`, the instance receives `doubleClick` events within its bounds. The `mouseEnabled` property of the InteractiveObject instance must also be set to `true` for the object to receive `doubleClick` events.

No event is dispatched by setting this property. You must use the `addEventListener()` method to add an event listener for the `doubleClick` event.

Implementation
`public function get doubleClickEnabled():Boolean`
`public function set doubleClickEnabled(value:Boolean):void`

### dropTarget

property

`dropTarget:DisplayObject` [read-only]

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Specifies the display object over which the sprite is being dragged, or on which the sprite was dropped.

Implementation
`public function get dropTarget():DisplayObject`

### focusManager

property

`focusManager:IFocusManager` [read-only]

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Gets the FocusManager that controls focus for this component and its peers. Each popup has its own focus loop and therefore its own instance of a FocusManager. To make sure you're talking to the right one, use this method.

Implementation
`public function get focusManager():IFocusManager`

### focusRect

property

`focusRect:Object`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Specifies whether this object displays a focus rectangle. It can take one of three values: `true`, `false`, or `null`. Values of `true` and `false` work as expected, specifying whether or not the focus rectangle appears. A value of `null` indicates that this object obeys the `stageFocusRect` property of the Stage.

Implementation
`public function get focusRect():Object`
`public function set focusRect(value:Object):void`

### graphics

property

`graphics:Graphics` [read-only]

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Specifies the Graphics object that belongs to this sprite where vector drawing commands can occur.

Implementation
`public function get graphics():Graphics`

### hitArea

property

`hitArea:Sprite`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Designates another sprite to serve as the hit area for a sprite. If the `hitArea` property does not exist or the value is `null` or `undefined`, the sprite itself is used as the hit area. The value of the `hitArea` property can be a reference to a Sprite object.

You can change the `hitArea` property at any time; the modified sprite immediately uses the new hit area behavior. The sprite designated as the hit area does not need to be visible; its graphical shape, although not visible, is still detected as the hit area.

Note: You must set to `false` the `mouseEnabled` property of the sprite designated as the hit area. Otherwise, your sprite button might not work because the sprite designated as the hit area receives the user input events instead of your sprite button.

Implementation
`public function get hitArea():Sprite`
`public function set hitArea(value:Sprite):void`

### horizontalScrollPosition

property

`horizontalScrollPosition:Number`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The current position of the horizontal scroll bar. This is equal to the distance in pixels between the left edge of the scrollable surface and the leftmost piece of the surface that is currently visible.

Implementation
`public function get horizontalScrollPosition():Number`
`public function set horizontalScrollPosition(value:Number):void`

### mouseChildren

property

`mouseChildren:Boolean`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Determines whether or not the children of the object are mouse, or user input device, enabled. If an object is enabled, a user can interact with it by using a mouse or user input device. The default is `true`.

This property is useful when you create a button with an instance of the Sprite class (instead of using the SimpleButton class). When you use a Sprite instance to create a button, you can choose to decorate the button by using the `addChild()` method to add additional Sprite instances. This process can cause unexpected behavior with mouse events because the Sprite instances you add as children can become the target object of a mouse event when you expect the parent instance to be the target object. To ensure that the parent instance serves as the target objects for mouse events, you can set the `mouseChildren` property of the parent instance to `false`.

No event is dispatched by setting this property. You must use the `addEventListener()` method to create interactive functionality.

Implementation
`public function get mouseChildren():Boolean`
`public function set mouseChildren(value:Boolean):void`

### mouseEnabled

property

`mouseEnabled:Boolean`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Specifies whether this object receives mouse, or other user input, messages. The default value is `true`, which means that by default any InteractiveObject instance that is on the display list receives mouse events or other user input events. If `mouseEnabled` is set to `false`, the instance does not receive any mouse events (or other user input events like keyboard events). Any children of this instance on the display list are not affected. To change the `mouseEnabled` behavior for all children of an object on the display list, use `flash.display.DisplayObjectContainer.mouseChildren`.

No event is dispatched by setting this property. You must use the `addEventListener()` method to create interactive functionality.

Implementation
`public function get mouseEnabled():Boolean`
`public function set mouseEnabled(value:Boolean):void`

### numChildren

property

`numChildren:int` [read-only]

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Returns the number of children of this object.

Implementation
`public function get numChildren():int`

### soundTransform

property

`soundTransform:flash.media:SoundTransform`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Controls sound within this sprite.

Note: This property does not affect HTML content in an HTMLControl object (in Adobe AIR).

Implementation
`public function get soundTransform():flash.media:SoundTransform`
`public function set soundTransform(value:flash.media:SoundTransform):void`

### tabChildren

property

`tabChildren:Boolean`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Determines whether the children of the object are tab enabled.

Note: Do not use this property with Flex. Instead, use the `UIComponent.hasFocusableChildren` property.

Implementation
`public function get tabChildren():Boolean`
`public function set tabChildren(value:Boolean):void`

Related API Elements

mx.core.UIComponent.hasFocusableChildren

### tabEnabled

property

`tabEnabled:Boolean`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Specifies whether this object is in the tab order. If this object is in the tab order, the value is `true`; otherwise, the value is `false`. By default, the value is `false`, except for the following:

- For a SimpleButton object, the value is `true`.
- For a TextField object with `type = "input"`, the value is `true`.
- For a Sprite object or MovieClip object with `buttonMode = true`, the value is `true`.

Implementation
`public function get tabEnabled():Boolean`
`public function set tabEnabled(value:Boolean):void`

### tabIndex

property

`tabIndex:int`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Specifies the tab ordering of objects in a SWF file. The `tabIndex` property is -1 by default, meaning no tab index is set for the object.

If any currently displayed object in the SWF file contains a `tabIndex` property, automatic tab ordering is disabled, and the tab ordering is calculated from the `tabIndex` properties of objects in the SWF file. The custom tab ordering includes only objects that have `tabIndex` properties.

The `tabIndex` property can be a non-negative integer. The objects are ordered according to their `tabIndex` properties, in ascending order. An object with a `tabIndex` value of 1 precedes an object with a `tabIndex` value of 2. Do not use the same `tabIndex` value for multiple objects.

The custom tab ordering that the `tabIndex` property defines is flat. This means that no attention is paid to the hierarchical relationships of objects in the SWF file. All objects in the SWF file with `tabIndex` properties are placed in the tab order, and the tab order is determined by the order of the `tabIndex` values.

Note: To set the tab order for TLFTextField instances, cast the display object child of the TLFTextField as an InteractiveObject, then set the `tabIndex` property. For example:

    	 InteractiveObject(tlfInstance.getChildAt(1)).tabIndex = 3;

To reverse the tab order from the default setting for three instances of a TLFTextField object (`tlfInstance1`, `tlfInstance2` and `tlfInstance3`), use:

    	 InteractiveObject(tlfInstance1.getChildAt(1)).tabIndex = 3;
    	 InteractiveObject(tlfInstance2.getChildAt(1)).tabIndex = 2;
    	 InteractiveObject(tlfInstance3.getChildAt(1)).tabIndex = 1;

Implementation
`public function get tabIndex():int`
`public function set tabIndex(value:int):void`

### textSnapshot

property

`textSnapshot:flash.text:TextSnapshot` [read-only]

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Returns a TextSnapshot object for this DisplayObjectContainer instance.

Implementation
`public function get textSnapshot():flash.text:TextSnapshot`

### useHandCursor

property

`useHandCursor:Boolean`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

A Boolean value that indicates whether the pointing hand (hand cursor) appears when the pointer rolls over a sprite in which the `buttonMode` property is set to `true`. The default value of the `useHandCursor` property is `true`. If `useHandCursor` is set to `true`, the pointing hand used for buttons appears when the pointer rolls over a button sprite. If `useHandCursor` is `false`, the arrow pointer is used instead.

You can change the `useHandCursor` property at any time; the modified sprite immediately takes on the new cursor appearance.

Note: In Flex or Flash Builder, if your sprite has child sprites, you might want to set the `mouseChildren` property to `false`. For example, if you want a hand cursor to appear over a Flex <mx:Label> control, set the `useHandCursor` and `buttonMode` properties to `true`, and the `mouseChildren` property to `false`.

Implementation
`public function get useHandCursor():Boolean`
`public function set useHandCursor(value:Boolean):void`

### verticalScrollPosition

property

`verticalScrollPosition:Number`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The current position of the vertical scroll bar. This is equal to the distance in pixels between the top edge of the scrollable surface and the topmost piece of the surface that is currently visible.

Implementation
`public function get verticalScrollPosition():Number`
`public function set verticalScrollPosition(value:Number):void`

### viewMetrics

property

`viewMetrics:EdgeMetrics` [read-only]

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Returns an object that has four properties: `left`, `top`, `right`, and `bottom`. The value of each property equals the thickness of the chrome (visual elements) around the edge of the container.

The chrome includes the border thickness. If the `horizontalScrollPolicy` or `verticalScrollPolicy` property value is `ScrollPolicy.ON`, the chrome also includes the thickness of the corresponding scroll bar. If a scroll policy is `ScrollPolicy.AUTO`, the chrome measurement does not include the scroll bar thickness, even if a scroll bar is displayed.

Subclasses of Container should override this method, so that they include other chrome to be taken into account when positioning the Container's children. For example, the `viewMetrics` property for the Panel class should return an object whose `top` property includes the thickness of the Panel container's title bar.

Implementation
`public function get viewMetrics():EdgeMetrics`
Method Detail

### addChild

()
method

`public function addChild(child:DisplayObject):DisplayObject`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Adds a child DisplayObject instance to this DisplayObjectContainer instance. The child is added to the front (top) of all other children in this DisplayObjectContainer instance. (To add a child to a specific index position, use the `addChildAt()` method.)

If you add a child object that already has a different display object container as a parent, the object is removed from the child list of the other display object container.

Note: The command `stage.addChild()` can cause problems with a published SWF file, including security problems and conflicts with other loaded SWF files. There is only one Stage within a Flash runtime instance, no matter how many SWF files you load into the runtime. So, generally, objects should not be added to the Stage, directly, at all. The only object the Stage should contain is the root object. Create a DisplayObjectContainer to contain all of the items on the display list. Then, if necessary, add that DisplayObjectContainer instance to the Stage.

Parameters

| `child:DisplayObject` — The DisplayObject instance to add as a child of this DisplayObjectContainer instance.

Returns

| `DisplayObject` — The DisplayObject instance that you pass in the `child` parameter.

### addChildAt

()
method

`public function addChildAt(child:DisplayObject, index:int):DisplayObject`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Adds a child DisplayObject instance to this DisplayObjectContainer instance. The child is added at the index position specified. An index of 0 represents the back (bottom) of the display list for this DisplayObjectContainer object.

For example, the following example shows three display objects, labeled a, b, and c, at index positions 0, 2, and 1, respectively:

If you add a child object that already has a different display object container as a parent, the object is removed from the child list of the other display object container.

Parameters

| `child:DisplayObject` — The DisplayObject instance to add as a child of this DisplayObjectContainer instance.
| `index:int` — The index position to which the child is added. If you specify a currently occupied index position, the child object that exists at that position and all higher positions are moved up one position in the child list.

Returns

| `DisplayObject` — The DisplayObject instance that you pass in the `child` parameter.

### areInaccessibleObjectsUnderPoint

()
method

`public function areInaccessibleObjectsUnderPoint(point:Point):Boolean`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

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. By default, content from one domain cannot access objects from another domain unless they are permitted to do so with a call to the `Security.allowDomain()` method. For more information, related to security, see the Flash Player Developer Center Topic: Security.

The `point` parameter is in the coordinate space of the Stage, which may differ from the coordinate space of the display object container (unless the display object container is the Stage). You can use the `globalToLocal()` and the `localToGlobal()` methods to convert points between these coordinate spaces.

Parameters

| `point:Point` — The point under which to look.

Returns

| `Boolean` — `true` if the point contains child display objects with security restrictions.

### contains

()
method

`public function contains(child:DisplayObject):Boolean`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Determines whether the specified display object is a child of the DisplayObjectContainer instance or the instance itself. The search includes the entire display list including this DisplayObjectContainer instance. Grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and so on each return `true`.

Parameters

| `child:DisplayObject` — The child object to test.

Returns

| `Boolean` — `true` if the `child` object is a child of the DisplayObjectContainer or the container itself; otherwise `false`.

### getChildAt

()
method

`public function getChildAt(index:int):DisplayObject`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Returns the child display object instance that exists at the specified index.

Parameters

| `index:int` — The index position of the child object.

Returns

| `DisplayObject` — The child display object at the specified index position.

### getChildByName

()
method

`public function getChildByName(name:String):DisplayObject`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Returns the child display object that exists with the specified name. If more that one child display object has the specified name, the method returns the first object in the child list.

The `getChildAt()` method is faster than the `getChildByName()` method. The `getChildAt()` method accesses a child from a cached array, whereas the `getChildByName()` method has to traverse a linked list to access a child.

Parameters

| `name:String` — The name of the child to return.

Returns

| `DisplayObject` — The child display object with the specified name.

### getChildIndex

()
method

`public function getChildIndex(child:DisplayObject):int`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Returns the index position of a `child` DisplayObject instance.

Parameters

| `child:DisplayObject` — The DisplayObject instance to identify.

Returns

| `int` — The index position of the child display object to identify.

### getObjectsUnderPoint

()
method

`public function getObjectsUnderPoint(point:Point):Array`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Returns an array of objects that lie under the specified point and are children (or grandchildren, and so on) of this DisplayObjectContainer instance. Any child objects that are inaccessible for security reasons are omitted from the returned array. To determine whether this security restriction affects the returned array, call the `areInaccessibleObjectsUnderPoint()` method.

The `point` parameter is in the coordinate space of the Stage, which may differ from the coordinate space of the display object container (unless the display object container is the Stage). You can use the `globalToLocal()` and the `localToGlobal()` methods to convert points between these coordinate spaces.

Parameters

| `point:Point` — The point under which to look.

Returns

| `Array` — An array of objects that lie under the specified point and are children (or grandchildren, and so on) of this DisplayObjectContainer instance.

### removeChild

()
method

`public function removeChild(child:DisplayObject):DisplayObject`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Removes the specified `child` DisplayObject instance from the child list of the DisplayObjectContainer instance. The `parent` property of the removed child is set to `null` , and the object is garbage collected if no other references to the child exist. The index positions of any display objects above the child in the DisplayObjectContainer are decreased by 1.

The garbage collector reallocates unused memory space. When a variable or object is no longer actively referenced or stored somewhere, the garbage collector sweeps through and wipes out the memory space it used to occupy if no other references to it exist.

Parameters

| `child:DisplayObject` — The DisplayObject instance to remove.

Returns

| `DisplayObject` — The DisplayObject instance that you pass in the `child` parameter.

### removeChildAt

()
method

`public function removeChildAt(index:int):DisplayObject`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Removes a child DisplayObject from the specified `index` position in the child list of the DisplayObjectContainer. The `parent` property of the removed child is set to `null`, and the object is garbage collected if no other references to the child exist. The index positions of any display objects above the child in the DisplayObjectContainer are decreased by 1.

The garbage collector reallocates unused memory space. When a variable or object is no longer actively referenced or stored somewhere, the garbage collector sweeps through and wipes out the memory space it used to occupy if no other references to it exist.

Parameters

| `index:int` — The child index of the DisplayObject to remove.

Returns

| `DisplayObject` — The DisplayObject instance that was removed.

### setChildIndex

()
method

`public function setChildIndex(child:DisplayObject, index:int):void`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Changes the position of an existing child in the display object container. This affects the layering of child objects. For example, the following example shows three display objects, labeled a, b, and c, at index positions 0, 1, and 2, respectively:

When you use the `setChildIndex()` method and specify an index position that is already occupied, the only positions that change are those in between the display object's former and new position. All others will stay the same. If a child is moved to an index LOWER than its current index, all children in between will INCREASE by 1 for their index reference. If a child is moved to an index HIGHER than its current index, all children in between will DECREASE by 1 for their index reference. For example, if the display object container in the previous example is named `container`, you can swap the position of the display objects labeled a and b by calling the following code:

Copy

    container.setChildIndex(container.getChildAt(1), 0);

This code results in the following arrangement of objects:

Parameters

| `child:DisplayObject` — The child DisplayObject instance for which you want to change the index number.
| `index:int` — The resulting index number for the `child` display object.

### startDrag

()
method

`public function startDrag(lockCenter:Boolean = false, bounds:Rectangle = null):void`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Lets the user drag the specified sprite. The sprite remains draggable until explicitly stopped through a call to the `Sprite.stopDrag()` method, or until another sprite is made draggable. Only one sprite is draggable at a time.

Three-dimensional display objects follow the pointer and `Sprite.startDrag()` moves the object within the three-dimensional plane defined by the display object. Or, if the display object is a two-dimensional object and the child of a three-dimensional object, the two-dimensional object moves within the three dimensional plane defined by the three-dimensional parent object.

Parameters

| `lockCenter:Boolean` (default = `false`)`` — Specifies whether the draggable sprite is locked to the center of the pointer position (`true`), or locked to the point where the user first clicked the sprite (`false`).
| `bounds:Rectangle` (default = `null`)`` — Value relative to the coordinates of the Sprite's parent that specify a constraint rectangle for the Sprite.

### stopDrag

()
method

`public function stopDrag():void`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Ends the `startDrag()` method. A sprite that was made draggable with the `startDrag()` method remains draggable until a `stopDrag()` method is added, or until another sprite becomes draggable. Only one sprite is draggable at a time.

### swapChildren

()
method

`public function swapChildren(child1:DisplayObject, child2:DisplayObject):void`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Swaps the z-order (front-to-back order) of the two specified child objects. All other child objects in the display object container remain in the same index positions.

Parameters

| `child1:DisplayObject` — The first child object.
| `child2:DisplayObject` — The second child object.

### swapChildrenAt

()
method

`public function swapChildrenAt(index1:int, index2:int):void`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flex 3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Swaps the z-order (front-to-back order) of the child objects at the two specified index positions in the child list. All other child objects in the display object container remain in the same index positions.

Parameters

| `index1:int` — The index position of the first child object.
| `index2:int` — The index position of the second child object.

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Mon Apr 10 2017, 12:28 PM -07:00