User Guide

intrinsic 337
intrinsic
Availability
Flash Player 6.
Usage
intrinsic class className [ extends superClass ]
[ implements interfaceName [, interfaceName... ] ]
{
// class definition here
}
Note: To use this keyword, you must specify ActionScript 2.0 and Flash Player 6 or later in the Flash
tab of your FLA file’s Publish Settings dialog box. This keyword is supported only when used in
external script files, not in scripts written in the Actions panel.
Description
Keyword; allows compile-time type checking of previously defined classes. Flash uses intrinsic
class declarations to enable compile-time type checking of built-in classes such as Array, Object,
and String. This keyword indicates to the compiler that no function implementation is required,
and that no bytecode should be generated for it.
The intrinsic keyword can also be used with variable and function declarations. Flash uses this
keyword in the topLevel.as file to enable compile-time type checking for global functions and
properties.
The
intrinsic keyword was created specifically to enable compile-time type checking for
built-in classes and objects, and global variables and functions. This keyword was not meant for
general purpose use, but may be of some value to developers seeking to enable compile-time type
checking with previously defined classes, especially if the classes are defined using
ActionScript 1.0.
Example
The following example shows how to enable compile-time file checking for a previously defined
ActionScript 1.0 class. The code will generate a compile-time error because the call
myCircle.setRadius() sends a String value as a parameter instead of a Number value. You can
avoid the error by changing the parameter to a Number value (for example, by changing
"10"
to
10).
// The following code must be placed in a file named Circle.as
// that resides within your classpath:
intrinsic class Circle {
var radius:Number;
function Circle(radius:Number);
function getArea():Number;
function getDiameter():Number;
function setRadius(param_radius:Number):Number;
}
// This ActionScript 1.0 class definition may be placed in your FLA file.
// Circle class is defined using ActionScript 1.0
function Circle(radius) {
CHAPTER 2
ActionScript Language Reference