Skip to main content
A
Anonymous
January 6, 2012
Answered

converting XML into random String for text fields

  • January 6, 2012
  • 1 reply
  • 870 views

Hi,

I am now trying tolearn XML as a way to solve a word game project and I can see why it was suggested as a good direction to go in.

Currently I have sketched out this small code just to see how it might work.

Each text box receives a seperate word one is the game word/the other is a hint.

I was hoping to have a new one appear each time I tested the Movie but I cannot seem to get it.

Any suggestions to get me going in the right direction?

Thanks

import flash.net.URLLoader;

import flash.events.Event;

var allWords:Array;

var thisWord:String;

var gameWordsXML:XML;

var xmlLoader:URLLoader = new URLLoader();

xmlLoader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, xmlLoaded);

xmlLoader.load(new URLRequest("words.xml"));

function xmlLoaded(event:Event):void

{

    gameWordsXML = new XML(event.target.data);

    /*gameWordsXML:String = event.target.data;

    allWords = gameWordsXML.split(",");*/

    gameWordsXML[Math.floor(Math.random() * gameWordsXML.length())];

    for (var i:int; i < gameWordsXML.length(); i++)

    {

        text_boxA.text = gameWordsXML.word. @ val;

        text_boxB.text = gameWordsXML.word. @ hint;

       

    }

}

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer _spoboyle

using

<words>
    <word val="car" hint="blue" />
    <word val="house" hint="roof" />
    <word val="cloud" hint="rain" />
    <word val="beach" hint="sand" />
    <word val="man" hint="girl" />
    <word val="sound" hint="music" />
</words>

use

private function xmlLoaded(event:Event):void
{
    gameWordsXML = new XML(event.target.data);
    
    var words:XMLList = gameWordsXML.elements("word");
    var randomIndex:int = Math.random() * words.length();
    
    text_boxA.text = gameWordsXML.word[randomIndex].@ val;
    text_boxB.text = gameWordsXML.word[randomIndex].@ hint;
}

the length() method of an XML object always returns 1

you must get the XMLList of the nodes you are interested in and then call length() on that

1 reply

Ned Murphy
Ned Murphy
Legend
January 6, 2012

Don't use a for loop, that will end up only displaying the last elements all of the time.  Instead, calculate a random value for i from the gameWordsXML.length and use that...

function xmlLoaded(event:Event):void

{

    gameWordsXML = new XML(event.target.data);

    /*gameWordsXML:String = event.target.data;

    allWords = gameWordsXML.split(",");*/

   

      var i:uint = Math.floor(Math.random()*gameWordsXML.length());

        text_boxA.text = gameWordsXML.word. @ val;

        text_boxB.text = gameWordsXML.word. @ hint;

}

I am not sure about your parsing, but if you were getting vakues in the textfields with what you had, the above changes should work.

A
Anonymous
January 6, 2012

Hi,

Yes that makes sense I get it!.

However, I'm not generating anything random. It gets stuck on the two first words val/hint.

I looked up correct parsing and, based on that reading, came up with these two versions:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

this is my first try(I would prefer this opition)

<words>

    <word val="car" hint="blue" />

    <word val="house" hint="roof" />

    <word val="cloud" hint="rain" />

    <word val="beach" hint="sand" />

   

    <word val="man" hint="girl" />

   

    <word val="sound" hint="music" />

</words>

this is the new code:

import flash.net.URLLoader;

import flash.events.Event;

var allWords:Array;

var thisWord:String;

var gameWordsXML:XML;

var xmlLoader:URLLoader = new URLLoader();

xmlLoader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, xmlLoaded);

xmlLoader.load(new URLRequest("words.xml"));

function xmlLoaded(event:Event):void

{

gameWordsXML = new XML(event.target.data);

gameWordsXML:String = event.target.data;

allWords = gameWordsXML.split(",");

gameWordsXML[Math.floor(Math.random() * gameWordsXML.length())];

for (var i:int; i < gameWordsXML.length(); i++)

var i:uint = Math.floor(Math.random() * gameWordsXML.length());

text_boxA.text = gameWordsXML.word. @ val;

text_boxB.text = gameWordsXML.word. @ hint;

This is my recent try:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<words>

    <word>

        <val>"car"</val>

        <hint>"blue"</hint>

        <val>"house"</val>

        <hint>"roof"</hint>

        <val>"beach"</val>

        <hint>"sand"</hint>

        <val>"man"</val>

        <hint>"girl"</hint>

        <val>"music"</val>

        <hint>"sound"</hint>

    </word>

</words>

Here is the code for this version:

function xmlLoaded(event:Event):void

{

    gameWordsXML = new XML(event.target.data);

    var i:uint = Math.floor(Math.random() * gameWordsXML.length());

    text_boxA.text = gameWordsXML.word.val;

    text_boxB.text = gameWordsXML.word.hint;

}

_spoboyle
_spoboyleCorrect answer
Inspiring
January 6, 2012

using

<words>
    <word val="car" hint="blue" />
    <word val="house" hint="roof" />
    <word val="cloud" hint="rain" />
    <word val="beach" hint="sand" />
    <word val="man" hint="girl" />
    <word val="sound" hint="music" />
</words>

use

private function xmlLoaded(event:Event):void
{
    gameWordsXML = new XML(event.target.data);
    
    var words:XMLList = gameWordsXML.elements("word");
    var randomIndex:int = Math.random() * words.length();
    
    text_boxA.text = gameWordsXML.word[randomIndex].@ val;
    text_boxB.text = gameWordsXML.word[randomIndex].@ hint;
}

the length() method of an XML object always returns 1

you must get the XMLList of the nodes you are interested in and then call length() on that

Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices