The function call operator () is one of the most straightforward, well-understood, and universal operators in all of programming. Let’s see how AS3 can butcher it:
Archive for category AS3
When an object is converted to a String, it is first checked for a toString() method. But there are subtleties to this that you may not have considered.
I really want to like Vectors, the new typed array functionality in Flash 10. In fact, I use it as often as I can. But there are some really awkward things about it that make it a pain. Here are some gotchas:
You could probably do this in most languages and it might be hard to spot. See for yourself.
Usually languages just have one way to specify “no value”. Call it null or nil or whatever you’d like, but AS3 and JavaScript have two: null and undefined. Here’s a little bit to help you understand when and why you’ll come across the two as well as some tricky differences between them.
By now you’ve certainly heard of the is operator in AS3. It’s the replacement for instanceof in AS2. But the two are not the same! Don’t make this mistake…
The lowly || operator in the hands of AS3 and JavaScript is not so lowly. Here’s a quick time saver.
Anyone coming from a language like C that doesn’t have a === operator seems shocked when they encounter such a ludicrous operator. For them, and for anyone being a bit careless, simple usage of === can really bite you.
As a sane programmer, you probably wouldn’t ever think to do this. But It’s perfectly legal to do so.