Problem: while working on an AS3 document you uncover an unusual situation in which you have a string class name that corresponds to something in the library. How does one do it?
I’ve come across this a number of times and found myself dropboxing this snippet so I would always have it with me …
import flash.utils.*;
/**
* Takes a string classname, returns an instance of that class, if it exists.
*/
private function newInstanceFromString(className:String):*{
try{
var classRef:Class = getDefinitionByName(className) as Class;
return new classRef();
} catch( e:ReferenceError ){
trace('Error: there was a problem creating an instance of the "'+className+'" class. Check your library and linkage to ensure it\'s there.');
trace(e+"\n");
}
}
/**
* Takes a string classname, returns an instance of that class, if it exists.
*/
private function newInstanceFromString(className:String):*{
try{
var classRef:Class = getDefinitionByName(className) as Class;
return new classRef();
} catch( e:ReferenceError ){
trace('Error: there was a problem creating an instance of the "'+className+'" class. Check your library and linkage to ensure it\'s there.');
trace(e+"\n");
}
}
See the AS3 livedocs for more information about getDefinitionByName, the super helpful method that makes it all work.