A constructor cannot specify a return type.

[Petros121]

I have a shuffleList.as file with this code...
package {
import flash.display.MovieClip;
public class shuffleList extends MovieClip{
function shuffleList(arr:Array):Array{
var shuffled:Array = arr.slice();
for (var i:int=0; i<arr.length; i++) {
var element:Object = shuffled ;
var rnd:int = Math.floor(arr.length * Math.random());
shuffled = shuffled[rnd];
shuffled[rnd] = element;
}
return shuffled;
}
}
}
In the first frame i put this code...

import shuffleList

var numA:Array = [0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]
var numB:Array = shuffleList(numB);
var myText:String = numB.pop()
fieldA.text = myText
With this code I want to put in random order the numbers from 0 to 10 in the fieldA.

When run this file the compiler report this error: "A constructor cannot specify a return type."
Where I'm wrong;
I'm new in actionscript..
Please help...

[Ned Murphy]

I'm no Class expert, but my first eyeballing of it says to declare that function as public... the class is public, but I don't know what status the function has without being declared as private or public.

[Guest]

Hey Petros,
I had a similar problem and the response I got was:

1) the constructor is used to set up the class but it doesn't really exist until it is instantiated and therefore cannot include any 'interaction' including a return.

2) Therefore, you might try replacing

function.shuffleList ... with

function.shuffleList() { // to enable instantiation
}
public function doit(arr:Array):Array { // to enable interaction

The rest of the code follows this then the call in the first frame replaces

var numB:Array ... with

new shuffleList(); // instantiate the class
var numB:Array = shuffleList.doit(numB) // interact with the class

Let me know how it goes...Daniel

[Petros121]

Daniel,
Thank's for your answer..
I change the code as you said and now the compiler report this error:
1067: Implicit coercion of a value of type shuffleList to an unrelated type Array.

[Petros121]

Daniel,

I didn't replaced the code in the frame...
So the new code as you said is...

18.var numA:Array = [0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]
19.new shuffleList(); // instantiate the class
20.var numB:Array = shuffleList.doit(numA) // interact with the class

and now the compiler report this error:

Line 19:1180: Call to a possibly undefined method shuffleList.
Line 20: 1120: Access of undefined property shuffleList.

[Petros121]

If i put the function in the frame
everything is O.K.