User Guide

646
switchColorDepth
Syntax
the switchColorDepth
Description
System property; determines whether Director switches the monitor that the Stage occupies to
the color depth of the movie being loaded (TRUE) or leaves the color depth of the monitor
unchanged when a movie is loaded (
FALSE). False is the default value.
When
switchColorDepth is TRUE, nothing happens until a new movie is loaded.
Setting the monitor’s color depth to that of the movie is good practice.
• When the monitor’s color depth is set below that of the movie, resetting it to the color depth of
the movie (assuming that the monitor can provide that color depth) helps maintain the movie’s
original appearance.
• When the monitor’s color depth is higher than that of the movie, reducing the monitor’s color
depth plays the movie using the minimum amount of memory, loads cast members more
efficiently, and causes animation to occur more quickly.
This property can be tested and set. The default value comes from the Reset Monitor to Movie’s
Color Depth option in the General Preferences dialog box.
Examples
This statement sets the variable named switcher to the current setting of switchColorDepth:
switcher = the switchColorDepth
This statement checks whether the current color depth is 8-bit and turns the switchColorDepth
property on if it is:
if the colorDepth = 8 then the switchColorDepth = TRUE
See also
colorDepth
symbol()
Syntax
stringValue.symbol
symbol(stringValue)
Description
Function; takes a string, stringValue, and returns a symbol.
Examples
This statement displays the symbol #hello:
put ("hello").symbol
-- #hello