ActionScript 3.0 Preloader Issues

Question

First off, I greatly appreciate any help, as always....

I have created a preloader from Jarrod's Advanced AS3 Preloader Tutorail. I searched elsewhere and this seemed like my best option as it was the only one I understood that did not require 2 SWF files.

My code is really in 2 classes, my preloader class and my program class. My problem is that the preloader is only loading the graphics that are in my flash and not actually initiating the program class. My question is how do I get my preloading to initiate the program class? The full code for both files are below.

Preloader.as

package {
    import flash.display.*;
    import flash.text.*;
    import flash.events.*;
    import fl.containers.ScrollPane;
    import flash.filters.*;

    public class Preloader extends MovieClip {
     public static  const ENTRY_FRAME:Number=3;
     public static  const DOCUMENT_CLASS:String='Program';
     public var myText:TextField;
     public var myFormat:TextFormat;
     private var progressBar:Sprite;
     private var progressText:TextField;
     public function Preloader() {

      stop();
      progressBar = getChildByName("loadbar_mc") as Sprite;
      progressText = getChildByName("loading_txt") as TextField;

      progressBar.scaleX = 0;

      myFormat = new TextFormat();
      myFormat.font="Helvetica";
      myFormat.color = 0x000000;
      myFormat.size = 24;



      loaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.INIT, initHandler);
      loaderInfo.addEventListener(ProgressEvent.PROGRESS, progressHandler);
      loaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, completeHandler);
      loaderInfo.addEventListener(IOErrorEvent.IO_ERROR, errorHandler);
     }
     private function initHandler(event:Event):void {
      progressBar.scaleX = 0;
      progressText.text = "Loading 0%";

     }
     private function progressHandler(event:ProgressEvent):void {
      var loaded:uint = event.bytesLoaded;
      var total:uint = event.bytesTotal;

      var percentLoaded:Number = Math.round((loaded/total) * 50);
      progressBar.scaleX = loaded/total;
      progressText.text = "Loading " + percentLoaded + "%";

     }
     private function completeHandler(event:Event):void {
      play();
      addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, enterFrameHandler);

     }
     private function enterFrameHandler(event:Event):void {
      if (currentFrame >= Preloader.ENTRY_FRAME) {
       removeEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, enterFrameHandler);
       stop();
       main();

      }


     }
     private function errorHandler(event:IOErrorEvent):void {
      myText.text = ("Sorry, there was an error. " + event);
      myText.setTextFormat(myFormat);


     }
     private function main():void {

      var programClass:Class = loaderInfo.applicationDomain.getDefinition(Preloader.DOCUMENT_CLASS) as Class;
      var program:Sprite = new programClass() as Sprite;

      addChild(program);


     }

    }
}

Program.as

package {
    import flash.display.*;
    import flash.events.*;
    import flash.filters.*;
    import flash.text.*;
    import fl.controls.TextInput;
    import fl.transitions.Tween;
    import fl.transitions.easing.*;
    import fl.containers.ScrollPane;
    import flash.geom.Rectangle;
    import fl.controls.Label;



    public class Program extends Sprite {
     public function Program() {
      //define variable
      var startX:Number;
      var startY:Number;
      var counter:Number = 0;
      var intMessages:Number = 550;
      var limit:Number = 10;
      var intBoardSize:Number = 476*(Math.round(intMessages/15)+1);
      var intMessageMinX:Number = 35;
      var intMessageMaxX:Number = intBoardSize-99;
      var intMessageMinY:Number = 50;
      var intMessageMaxY:Number = 310;
      var activeGloveName:String = ""
      var intDegreeHigh:Number = 45;
      var intDegreeLow:Number = -45;
      var newGlove:mcGlove;

      //create objects
      var myGlove:mcGlove = new mcGlove();
      var showGlove:mcGlove = new mcGlove
      var mcglovetarget:mcGloveTarget = new mcGloveTarget();
      var myDropShadowFilterSmall = new DropShadowFilter (2,45,0x000000,0.65,3,3,2,3,false,false,false);
      var myDropShadowFilterDown = new DropShadowFilter (3,45,0x000000,0.65,5,5,2,3,false,false,false);
      var myDropShadowFilterUp = new DropShadowFilter (5,45,0x000000,0.65,7,7,2,3,false,false,false);
      var topShadow = new DropShadowFilter (3,90,0x000000,0.35,8,8,2,3,false,false,false);
      var pinkline:Sprite = new Sprite();
      var searchBox:Sprite = new Sprite();
      var txtSearchBox:TextInput = new TextInput();
      var sSearchBox_Label:String = "Go to glove #";
      var messageFormat:TextFormat = new TextFormat();
      var messageTextField:Label = new Label();
      var searchBoxLFormat:TextFormat = new TextFormat();
      var txtSearchBox_Label:TextField = new TextField();
      var SearchBoxBg:Sprite = new Sprite();
      var topShadowBox:Sprite = new Sprite();
      var searchButton:searchBtn = new searchBtn();
      var alertRect:Rectangle = new Rectangle(0,0,848,393);
      var errorMessage:AlertBox = new AlertBox(alertRect);
      var holder:MovieClip = new MovieClip();
      var aMessages:Array = new Array();

      //Create a glove for each message
      for (var gloveCount = 0; gloveCount < intMessages; gloveCount++){
       aMessages[gloveCount] = new mcGlove();
       aMessages[gloveCount] = createMessage(aMessages[gloveCount], gloveCount, gloveCount);
      }


      var scrollPane:ScrollPane = new ScrollPane();
      scrollPane.verticalScrollPolicy = "false";
            scrollPane.move(374, 0);
            scrollPane.setSize(476, 370);
      scrollPane.horizontalLineScrollSize = 120;

      topShadowBox.graphics.beginFill(0x333333);
      topShadowBox.graphics.drawRect(0,0,870,5);
      topShadowBox.x = -10;
      topShadowBox.y = -5;
      topShadowBox.filters = [topShadow];

      pinkline.graphics.beginFill(0xDB9195);
      pinkline.graphics.drawRect(0,0,476,2);
      pinkline.x = 374;
      pinkline.y = 353;

      searchBox.graphics.beginFill(0xDB9195);
      searchBox.graphics.drawRect(0,0,476,25);
      searchBox.x = 374;
      searchBox.y = 370;

      SearchBoxBg.graphics.beginFill(0xffffff);
      SearchBoxBg.graphics.drawRect(0,0,35,17);
      SearchBoxBg.x = 475;
      SearchBoxBg.y = 374;

      txtSearchBox.width = 35;
      txtSearchBox.height = 15;
      txtSearchBox.move(475,375);
      txtSearchBox.restrict = "0-9";
      txtSearchBox.maxChars = 4;
      //txtSearchBox.background = "0xffffff";
      //txtSearchBox.border = "0x0xDB9195";

      searchBoxLFormat.font="Helvetica";
      searchBoxLFormat.color = 0xffffff;
      searchBoxLFormat.bold = true;
      searchBoxLFormat.size = 10;

      txtSearchBox_Label.x = 400;
      txtSearchBox_Label.y = 374;
      txtSearchBox_Label.width = 70;
      txtSearchBox_Label.height = 17;
      txtSearchBox_Label.text = sSearchBox_Label;
      txtSearchBox_Label.setTextFormat(searchBoxLFormat);

      searchButton.x = 534;
      searchButton.y = 382;

      //add to frame
      sortObjects();

      scrollPane.source = holder;   

      //create instance names for referancing/compairing objects
      myGlove.name = "mcglove";
      myGlove.setGloveMessage("My Sister Suzy, I pray that she will be ok. I love here so much, she is the best sister ever.  I miss you RIP");
      mcglovetarget.name = "mcglovetarget";

      messageFormat.font="Helvetica";
      messageFormat.color = 0xffffff;
      messageFormat.bold = true;
      messageFormat.size = 17;
      messageFormat.align = "center";

      messageTextField.x = -85;
      messageTextField.y = -40;
      messageTextField.width = 135;
      messageTextField.height = 140;
      messageTextField.text = myGlove.getGloveMessage();
      messageTextField.wordWrap = true;
      messageTextField.mouseEnabled = false;
      messageTextField.buttonMode = true;
      messageTextField.setStyle("textFormat", messageFormat);
      //messageTextField.hitArea = 0;
      myGlove.addChild(messageTextField);   

      //position the glove and modify apperiance
      myGlove.x = 163;
      myGlove.y = 211;
      myGlove.filters = [myDropShadowFilterDown];
      //myGlove.addChild(messageTextField);
      showGlove.x = 163;
      showGlove.y = 211;
      showGlove.filters = [myDropShadowFilterDown];
      mcglovetarget.x = 615;
      mcglovetarget.y = 211;
      mcglovetarget.alpha = 0

      //action listeners
      myGlove.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, selectGlove);
      myGlove.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, releaseGlove);
      searchButton.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, searchMessages);
      txtSearchBox.addEventListener(KeyboardEvent.KEY_UP, checkForEnter);


      function selectGlove(event:MouseEvent):void {
       event.currentTarget.startDrag(true);
       var myTargetName:String = event.currentTarget.name + "target";
       var myTarget:DisplayObject = getChildByName(myTargetName);
       myGlove.filters = [myDropShadowFilterUp];
       addChild(myTarget);
       event.currentTarget.parent.addChild(event.currentTarget);
       addChild(topShadowBox);
       myTarget.alpha = .5;
       startX = event.currentTarget.x;
       startY = event.currentTarget.y;
      }

      function releaseGlove(event:MouseEvent):void {
       event.currentTarget.stopDrag();
       var myTargetName:String = event.currentTarget.name + "target";
       var myTarget:DisplayObject = getChildByName(myTargetName);
       event.currentTarget.filters = [myDropShadowFilterDown];
       myTarget.alpha = 0;

       if (event.currentTarget.dropTarget != null && event.currentTarget.dropTarget.parent == myTarget){
        event.currentTarget.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, selectGlove);
        event.currentTarget.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, releaseGlove);
        event.currentTarget.x = myTarget.x;
        event.currentTarget.y = myTarget.y;
        var myTween:Tween = new Tween(getChildByName(event.currentTarget.name), "scaleX",Strong.easeOut,getChildByName(event.currentTarget.name).scaleX,.28,2,true);
        var myTween2:Tween = new Tween(getChildByName(event.currentTarget.name), "scaleY",Strong.easeOut,getChildByName(event.currentTarget.name).scaleY,.28,2,true);
        holder.addChild(getChildByName(event.currentTarget.name));
        event.currentTarget.removeChild(messageTextField);
        scrollPane.source = holder;
        holder.getChildByName(event.currentTarget.name).x=Math.round(Math.random() * (470+Math.round(scrollPane.horizontalScrollPosition) - Math.round(scrollPane.horizontalScrollPosition))) + Math.round(scrollPane.horizontalScrollPosition);
        holder.getChildByName(event.currentTarget.name).y=Math.round(Math.random() * (intMessageMaxY - intMessageMinY)) + intMessageMinY;
        holder.getChildByName(event.currentTarget.name).addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, clickMessage);
        holder.getChildByName(event.currentTarget.name).addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, releaseMessage);
        event.currentTarget.name = "" + intMessages;
        addChild(showGlove);
        messageTextField.text = "Select a glove to view its message here.";
        showGlove.addChild(messageTextField);
       } else {
        event.currentTarget.x = startX;
        event.currentTarget.y = startY;
       }

              //sortObjects();
       addChild(mcglovetarget);
       addChild(scrollPane);
       addChild(pinkline);
       addChild(searchBox);
       addChild(SearchBoxBg);
       addChild(txtSearchBox);
       addChild(txtSearchBox_Label);
       addChild(searchButton);
       addChild(topShadowBox);
      }

      function position(target) {
       target.x = Math.round(Math.random() * (intMessageMaxX - intMessageMinX)) + intMessageMinX;
       target.y = Math.round(Math.random() * (intMessageMaxY - intMessageMinY)) + intMessageMinY;
       for (var i:uint=0; i<aMessages.length -1 ; i++) {
        if(target.hitTestObject(aMessages[i]) && counter < limit){
         counter++;
         position(target);
         //return false;
        };
       }
      } 

      function createMessage(newGlove:mcGlove, sName:String, sMessage:String){
       newGlove.scaleX = .28;
       newGlove.scaleY = .28;
       counter = 0;
       position(newGlove);
       newGlove.rotation = (0, 0, 0, Math.round(Math.random() * (intDegreeHigh - intDegreeLow)) + intDegreeLow);
       newGlove.filters = [myDropShadowFilterSmall];
       newGlove.name = sName;
       holder.addChild(newGlove);
       newGlove.setGloveMessage(sMessage);
       newGlove.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, clickMessage);
       newGlove.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, releaseMessage);
       newGlove.buttonMode = true;
       return newGlove;
      }

      function clickMessage(event:MouseEvent):void{
       selectMessage(event.target);
      }

      function checkForEnter(event:KeyboardEvent):void
      {
       if (event.keyCode == 13) // If Keypress is Enter
       {
        searchMessages();
       }
      }


      function searchMessages():void{
       if (showGlove.parent == mcglovetarget.parent){
        if ( txtSearchBox.text != "" ){
         var searchTarget:DisplayObject = holder.getChildByName(txtSearchBox.text);
         if (searchTarget){
          selectMessage(searchTarget);
          scrollPane.horizontalScrollPosition = searchTarget.x - 220;
         }else if(1==1){ //if in file
          gloveCount = aMessages.length;
          aMessages[gloveCount] = new mcGlove();
          aMessages[gloveCount] = createMessage(aMessages[gloveCount], txtSearchBox.text, txtSearchBox.text);
          selectMessage(aMessages[gloveCount]);
          scrollPane.horizontalScrollPosition = aMessages[gloveCount].x - 220;
         }else{
          errorMessage.setAlertText("Sorry, the glove you are searching for does not exist.");
          addChild(errorMessage);
         }
        }
       }else{
        errorMessage.setAlertText("You must post your message first, otherwise your message will be lost.");
        addChild(errorMessage);
       }
      }

      function selectMessage(object:mcGlove):void{
       if (showGlove.parent == mcglovetarget.parent){
        if (activeGloveName != ""){
         var activeGlove:DisplayObject = holder.getChildByName(activeGloveName);
         activeGlove.filters = [myDropShadowFilterSmall];
         activeGlove.scaleX = .28;
         activeGlove.scaleY = .28;
         holder.addChild(activeGlove);
        }
        activeGloveName = object.name;
        //event.target.dragIt();
        holder.addChild(object);
        object.filters = [new GlowFilter(0xABEEFC, .65, 15, 15, 1, 1, false, false)];
        object.scaleX = .35;
        object.scaleY = .35;
        messageTextField.text = object.getGloveMessage();
       }else{
        errorMessage.setAlertText("You must post your message first, otherwise your message will be lost.");
        addChild(errorMessage);
       }
      }

      function releaseMessage(event:MouseEvent):void{
       event.target.dropIt();
      }



      function sortObjects():void{
       addChild(mcglovetarget);
       addChild(scrollPane);
       addChild(pinkline);
       addChild(searchBox);
       addChild(SearchBoxBg);
       addChild(txtSearchBox);
       addChild(txtSearchBox_Label);
       addChild(searchButton);
       addChild(myGlove);
       addChild(topShadowBox);
      }

      myGlove.buttonMode = true;
      searchButton.buttonMode = true;

     }
    }
}

Answer 1

in the preloader main, you istantiate the program like this

var program:Sprite = new programClass() as Sprite;

I think you should do:

var program:Sprite = new Program();

Note that you don't need to cast Program as a Sprite, since it is already a Sprite. ps: are you really writing nested functions in the Program constructor? omg :-/