A control player is a type of sprite that the user can move along a path or curve or inside a designated area. In response to the user's mouse drag, the control player moves, continuously changing value. The value of a control can affect a property of another player or be posted to the server.
Along a path, the control player's value is an integer; the set of possible values is a range, starting with a minimum at one side and increasing to a maximum at the other side. Within an area, the control player's value is a set of X,Y coordinates.
A control player is visible, playable, and postable.
To let the user specify a numeric value and optionally, to affect the running mbedlet.
To create a control player, go to the Players toolbar and click on Control. A new control player appears in the Players window, already selected. You will now:
A control is a type of sprite and has images as its data. Attach images in the same way that you choose sprite images.
To set the properties for the control player, select the control and right-click, then choose Properties...
Under the Control tab, set the properties as follows:
| Property | Purpose |
| TYPE | Creates a 2D or slider control player.
A 2D control player is a rectangular area whose dimensions are set as X,Y coordinates. A slider is a one dimensional path whose end points are integers. Under the Curve tab, the STARTPOINT and ENDPOINT values specify the dimensions of a 2D player or the endpoints of a slider. |
| MIN | Indicates the start value of the control. The value is a set of coordinates for a 2D player or an integer for a slider. |
| MAX | Indicates the end value of the control. The value is a set of coordinates for a 2D player or an integer for a slider. |
| VALUE | Specifies the current value of the control, at or between the MIN and MAX values. As the value of the control changes, it can change properties of another player. |
| PLAYER | Associates the control player with another player. A property of the the other player changes as the control's value changes. For example, as the control's value moves from 100 to 200, a sprite's FLIPINTERVAL property can change from 100 to 200. |
| PROPERTY | Associates the control player's value with another player's property. For example, a picture's BLEND property could change from 50 to 100 as the control's value moves from 50 to 100. |
| CONTINUOUS | Changes the value as the mouse moves. By default, the player's property changes when the user releases the mouse. |
| STEPSIZE | Allows only a certain set of values. For instance a STEPSIZE value of 5 restricts the values to those divisible by 5. |
| AUTOHIDE | Hides the control player if the value for MIN and MAX are the same.
For example, when a text player reloads, it might set the MAX value of a scrollbar to the maximum allowed scroll. If the loaded text fits completely on the screen, the MAX value is 0 and the scrollbar hides. |
| SNAPTOVALUE | Snaps the control to the step values, rather than having it glide smoothly. |
Under the Curve tab, set the properties as follows:
| CURVETYPE | Controls the style of path: straight, circular, or Bezier. |
| STARTPOINT ENDPOINT |
Specifies the values at each end of the control. The values for these properties are a set of X,Y coordinates. |
| STARTSIZE ENDSIZE |
Changes the control's size from the value of STARTSIZE to the value of ENDSIZE. To use these properties, you must also set SCALETOFIT under the Sprite tab. |
| CONTROLPOINT1 CONTROLPOINT2 |
For Bezier only, controls the shape of the curve. |
| CLOCKWISE | For circular only, moves the player clockwise on the path. You control the size of the curve's radius with the RADIUS property. |
| CONCAVE | For circular only, enables an arc greater than 180 degrees. |
| RADIUS | For circular only, controls the size of the curve's radius. |
Many of these operations are much more easily accomplished in the Layout window.
Under the Postable tab:
Because a control is also a sprite, you can set Sprite properties. If you include multiple images for the control's data, it flips between them either along the path or over time.
Playable and draggable properties are not generally relevant for a control. However, control players have visible properties.
Skeleton animated gif courtesy of In2 Inc.