It’s very easy:
import flash.external.ExternalInterface; ... ExternalInterface.call("your_javascript_function()");
You can even get a return value:
var x:int = ExternalInterface.call("get_x()");
To pass an argument try:
var retval:int = ExternalInterface.call("some_js_function()", "the-argument");
56 Comments 
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I'm the co-founder of
Nice Man.. Thanks
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Cheers awsome man, thanks!
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Good to know, thanks.
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hi man ,
i think this is wrong syntax !!!!!!!!!!
ExternalInterface.call(“your_javascript_function()”);
because here you passed 0 arguments to the function , and when we want to pass arguments to external interface function we are using
ExternalInterface.call(“your_javascript_function”,”red”);
not
ExternalInterface.call(“your_javascript_function(red)”);
——————————
so i think if you would not to pass any aruments to function you should write
ExternalInterface.call(“your_javascript_function”);
without ===> “()”
————————–
cheers
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Well, it’s not “wrong syntax”, () works fine, traditionally it’s associated with functions, even in JavaScript when you use setTimeOut if you include () it will work just fine…
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Pro. Very helpful for my API for my site/flash games..!
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Thanks man!
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Thanks a lot for this useful article. But I had difficult time navigating past your web site because I kept getting 502 bad gateway error. Just thought to let you know.
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Your great tip might lead to me getting a full night’s sleep! Thank you! I have a question, just to make sure I’m getting this right.
If I put the following AC3 code on the very last frame of my Flash movie will it call my JS function correctly?
import flash.external.ExternalInterface;
ExternalInterface.call(“javascript:parent.splashpage.closeit()”);
Thank you in advance for your assistance
-RR
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Ruth, honestly I don’t know, the best way to find out is to try it I guess
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Whoa, that was way easier than what I’ve been trying to do
Now…
What if I wanted to call that Javascript from a click or mouse over from the Action Script?
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Hello,
Stumbled across this post searching for another solution and it helped me a lot.
I was trying to apply it to a separate issue that involved a jquery script and was wondering if this solution would work for that.
The as3 needs to pass an anchor tag string to the jquery to initiate a smooth scroll script.
This is the script that controls the scroll:
$(document).ready(function(){
$.smoothAnchors(3500, “swing”, true);
});
Would this solution work?
–
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You can always wrap the jQuery script in a function and call that function from Actionscript…
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Hi People!
I have some problem: my flash get a variable (Link) from html and use it for a url, i get by example: Link=”www.site.com” and then i use
goToURL(Link, “_blank”);
function goToURL(URL, sType:String) {
var request:URLRequest = new URLRequest(URL);
try {
navigateToURL(request, sType);
}
}
that works fine for “simples” url or “.php” but i cannot execute a function in javascript like:
Link=”ExternalInterface.call (‘alert’,'Esta info!’)”
Any suggestion?
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ExternalInterface.call (’alert’,’Esta info!’) is not a URL that you can pass as a string, you must execute/call ExternalInterface.call (’alert’,’Esta info!’)
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Well, i finally found the way to pass a variable from html to flash to execute some function in javascript, this is sLink=”javascript:alert(‘Info!’)”;
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HI,
I’m just learning AS3 and am working on a project that uses flash to change the contents of iFrames using JavaScript. I tried using your code to call the script but it goves the error
1084: Syntax error: expecting identifier before tripledot.
What am I doing wrong?
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OK I take that back works without the tripledot. Thanks man great tut.
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Hi there.
When u say:
var x:int = ExternalInterface.call(“get_x()”);
U mean get_x() being a function returning some value? Is it possible to recover multiple variables from a single function?
Thanks in advance.
Marcone
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Marcone, I honestly didn’t ever try this but if I wanted to do this I would start experimenting with returning an array from the JS function instead of a single value…
Does that make sense?
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Greetings, Hamid!
How to receive “url” a hosting from which start SWFfile (itself SWFfile to be on other host)…
More in detail:
- Is “host.com” on which it is stored SWF…
- There is an unknown person second_host_name.com which starts it (SWF)
- How to learn second_host_name? (AS3 tools)
If it is possible more in detail!
Thanks, yours faithfully!
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Max, there is an easy way to do this, you go to your hosting package’s logs > Recent Visitors (or similar) and find the SWF file, then look at the ‘HTTP Referer’ and you will see the page in which this file is used.
(I’m not sure about this one) The other thing is you probably could check for the HTTP Referer header inside the SWF file and send it to a PHP script…
Sorry I don’t have a lot of time to explain now but use the first method or Google the second one.
Good Luck
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Thx CodeHead!
With PHP there is no possibility to connect, eat only loaded SWF unfortunately, and all…
It is a pity that there is no time…
Your help would help Me!
If there will be time, I ask you, give some minutes…
Your logic is clear, the only thing that not absolutely it turns out to carry out it
//
if (flash.external.available)
try {
var win:* = flash.external.call (“window.location”);
}
//
Does not return (URL)… Do not know why?
Thanks, yours faithfully!
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The problem is that window.location is not a function and the URL is actually in window.location.href so try:
Or:
Again, sadly I don’t have time to try these…
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Thx, Hamid! I try!
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Thanks for the info, very helpful. But I was getting “undefined” errors when the argument was passed to the function in JavaScript. You say that having parenthesis after the function name is okay, but it’s not if an argument is added (it’s okay if no argument is present). Removing the () cured the undefined errors I was getting.
So instead of
ExternalInterface.call(“some_js_function()”, “the-argument”);
It should be
ExternalInterface.call(“some_js_function”, “the-argument”);
The Adobe ref set me straight:
http://livedocs.adobe.com/flash/9.0/ActionScriptLangRefV3/flash/external/ExternalInterface.html
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where will be that javascript function?
wether in seperate file?
reply please i need dat
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The function should be in the same page that includes the Flash (I think), it should be in the same page or one of the included JavaScript files using:
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Javascript is as permisive as AS1, it would have been nice that browsers implemented ECMA Script 4, strict typing rocks! then javascript would trully replace flash. Still prefer flash
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hi, this is a great help to my project!
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This is exactly what I need to hide my Flash movie once it finishes! Thanks!
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@Codehead and @ruchira:
The js stuff has to be in the same page anyway. What you really mean ‘the same page’? I’m pretty sure the flash object cannot perform that action before document.onready function is fired so your js function can be on very bottom on the page, can be in the frame(s) but this is the same rule to call. If you wish a new js code can be passed trough ajax and then evaluated so you can use it with the flash even this way(needs a precognitive abilities). You can even store your js code in the flash movie, append to DOM after swf is loaded and then use it or just use the lambda functions all the time as Codehead said before. Cheers
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hey guys, a tip for all who use JQuery like me:
if you define functions inside the: $(document).ready(); in your javascript file, it’s don’t work with the External of Flash.
Define your functions in other file, without the $(document).ready(), only with the function.
=)
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I NEED TO AD
window.addEvent(‘domready’, function(){
var overlay = new overlay();
var box = new multiBox(‘mb’, {
overlay: overlay
});
});
but i get 1120: Access of undefined property window.
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thanks, will be using this to implement the like button in flash.
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Thanks a lot, saved a lot of time for my project!
Works great.
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Thanks for your recipe, Hamid!
Please, correct one mistake in code:
ExternalInterface.call(“some_js_function()”, “the-argument”);
to:
ExternalInterface.call(“some_js_function”, “the-argument”);
—————-
Single functions call can be with or without “()”, but if you need to send any parameters you’ll get “undefined” in javascript with this.
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Regarding the use of “()” in the first argument, Hamid is correct to say that it is *not* incorrect syntax, but if you want to send arguments then do not use () after the function call. In essence this calls the function alone without sending any arguments.
As for passing multiple arguments, you can! In fact you are not limited to the number of arguments you are allowed to send. Here’s an example:
AS:
ExternalInterface.call(“sayHello”,”Hamid”,”Benjamin”,”awesome site”);
JS:
function sayHello(nameTo,nameFrom,forWhat){
var strng=’Hello ‘+nameTo+’. My name is ‘+nameFrom+’.';
strng+=’ Thank you for the ‘+forWhat+’.';
alert(strng);
}
In the above example I sent 3 arguments to the function called sayHello which uses the javascript alert function to give a greeting using all 3 arguments.
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Hello Codehead Thanks for sharing nice tutorial.
But unfortunately I can’t make ExternalInterface.call(“functionName”,”param(s)”); work properly, even if I call this function first it stops my other as3 script working.
Any Ideas?
And one more question:
when I use function to communicate with JavaScript or navigateToURL() to link buttons in flash, when displayed in browser it ask whether let or not flash to communicate with ‘this internet-enabled’ location,
I know how to allow or deny it with adobe flash player settings manager is it possible to use this function without depending on users settings?
Thanks
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Hi Codehead, You seem to have a good grasp on calling-a-javascript-function-from-actionscript and hope you may understand the issue I am having!!
Im trying to close a netStream from a html button.
I dont now how to pass the btn function to the ExternalInterface.call(“your_javascript_function()”);
Heres my bad code; hope you may take a look!
Many Thanks Paul
//AS3
ExternalInterface.addCallback(“sendToActionscript”, callFromJavaScript);
function callFromJavaScript():void
{
nsStream.close();
}
//JS
function getFlashMovie(movieName) {
var isIE = navigator.appName.indexOf(“Microsoft”) != -1; return (isIE) ? window[movieName] : document[movieName];
}
function callToActionscript(HD01) {
getFlashMovie(HD01).sendToActionscript();
}
//btn
OnClientClick=”callToActionscript();”
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In my case, the javascript calling wont function if i added “()” in the function name. so i think the “()” is not needed. Thanks anyway.
var x:int = ExternalInterface.call(“get_x()”);
To pass an argument try:
var retval:int = ExternalInterface.call(“some_js_function()”, “the-argument”);
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The last example of this I saw didn’t include a return statement. You made it very simple, thank you very much!
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I mean an import statement, not a return statement.
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Hey
Thanks alot for this great and simple explanation, really helped me alot
-Kim
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hi, this is a great help to my project!
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Thanks a lot!
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To pick up on an earlier comment posted by Farid…
‘…so i think if you would not to pass any arguments to function you should write
ExternalInterface.call(“your_javascript_function”);
without ===> “()”.’
I have found that passing a js function in this manner, ie. without parentheses, is the only way to make things work if you want return values to actionscript (3.0). When things don’t work, where you can’t seem to get javascript return values, there are no errors.
Otherwise things work with or without empty javascript argument.
This website gave me good guidance and I appreciated it.
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Gracias!!!
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Hi,
Need help. kind of in a pickle.
Someone asked me to create a RSS feed reader and it appears that swf files can not load xml data on a different domain. (Tell me if it is possible to load data cross domain)
so i decided to use XMLHttpRequest to pull XML and then load it in Flash. What is the best way to pass that entire XML to flash movie.
Thanks,
Talha
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Hi
i have try this below code for Call a javescript function.
import flash.external.ExternalInterface;
ExternalInterface.call(“alertB()”);
But When i check this on brower, Browser is displayed a error.
Flash player eneble security . Something ok setting
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Thank you. Very helpul !
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I thought I should let you guys know that I was trying to get a js variable into Flash. I was getting NUlls and had no idea why , it was because of the syntax:
X:String = ExternalInterface.call(“get_X”);
don’t add the paren to get_X, so don’t do:
ExternalInterface.call(“get_X()”);
that will return null, you need it WITHOUT the paren. Hope that helps!
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hello there
well i find it by googling & seams ok for all but it doesnt work for me. im new & not a Adobe developer.
this is my scenario :
i have a pic in my stage & code below as my code. I publish it in a HTML & add a btnClick function in it. none of 2 ways of calling works.
stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, ClickFunc);
function ClickFunc(evt:MouseEvent):void
{
ExternalInterface.call(“btnClick()”);
ExternalInterface.call(“btnClick”);
}
any help will be appreciated
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hello again
well Im sorry its working, but there is a TIP!
u have to use it in IIS mode & also function without ()
ExternalInterface.call(“btnClick”, “param”);
tnx again
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wow Thx man. Nice Job
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