Contains the root display object of the SWF file or image (JPG, PNG, or GIF) file that was loaded by using the load() or loadBytes() methods.

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Returns a LoaderInfo object corresponding to the object being loaded. LoaderInfo objects are shared between the Loader object and the loaded content object. The LoaderInfo object supplies loading progress information and statistics about the loaded file.

Events related to the load are dispatched by the LoaderInfo object referenced by the contentLoaderInfo property of the Loader object. The contentLoaderInfo property is set to a valid LoaderInfo object, even before the content is loaded, so that you can add event listeners to the object prior to the load.

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Creates a Loader object that you can use to load files, such as SWF, JPEG, GIF, or PNG files. Call the load() method to load the asset as a child of the Loader instance. You can then add the Loader object to the display list (for instance, by using the addChild() method of a DisplayObjectContainer instance). The asset appears on the Stage as it loads.

You can also use a Loader instance "offlist," that is without adding it to a display object container on the display list. In this mode, the Loader instance might be used to load a SWF file that contains additional modules of an application.

To detect when the SWF file is finished loading, you can use the events of the LoaderInfo object associated with the contentLoaderInfo property of the Loader object. At that point, the code in the module SWF file can be executed to initialize and start the module. In the offlist mode, a Loader instance might also be used to load a SWF file that contains components or media assets. Again, you can use the LoaderInfo object event notifications to detect when the components are finished loading. At that point, the application can start using the components and media assets in the library of the SWF file by instantiating the ActionScript 3.0 classes that represent those components and assets.

To determine the status of a Loader object, monitor the following events that the LoaderInfo object associated with the contentLoaderInfo property of the Loader object:

• The open event is dispatched when loading begins.
• The ioError or securityError event is dispatched if the file cannot be loaded or if an error occured during the load process.
• The progress event fires continuously while the file is being loaded.
• The complete event is dispatched when a file completes downloading, but before the loaded movie clip's methods and properties are available.
• The init event is dispatched after the properties and methods of the loaded SWF file are accessible, so you can begin manipulating the loaded SWF file. This event is dispatched before the complete handler. In streaming SWF files, the init event can occur significantly earlier than the complete event. For most purposes, use the init handler.

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Cancels a load() method operation that is currently in progress for the Loader instance.

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Loads a SWF, JPEG, progressive JPEG, unanimated GIF, or PNG file into an object that is a child of this Loader object. If you load an animated GIF file, only the first frame is displayed. As the Loader object can contain only a single child, issuing a subsequent load() request terminates the previous request, if still pending, and commences a new load.

A SWF file or image loaded into a Loader object inherits the position, rotation, and scale properties of the parent display objects of the Loader object.

Use the unload() method to remove movies or images loaded with this method, or to cancel a load operation that is in progress.

When you use the load() method, consider the Flash Player or Adobe AIR security model:

• You can load content from any accessible source.
• Loading is not allowed if the calling SWF file is in a network sandbox and the file to be loaded is local.
• If the loaded content is a SWF file, it cannot be scripted by a SWF file in another security sandbox unless that cross-scripting arrangement was approved through a call to the Security.allowDomain() method in the loaded content file.
• SWF files written in ActionScript 1.0 or 2.0, which are loaded as AVM1Movie objects, cannot cross-script SWF files written in ActionScript 3.0, which are loaded as Sprite or MovieClip objects. You can use the LocalConnection class to have these files communicate with each other.
• If the loaded content is an image, its data cannot be accessed by a SWF file outside of the security sandbox, unless the domain of that SWF file was included a cross-domain policy file at the origin domain of the image.
• Movie clips in the local-with-file-system sandbox cannot cross-script movie clips in the local-with-networking sandbox, and the reverse is also prevented.
• You can prevent a SWF file from using this method by setting the allowNetworking parameter of the the object and embed tags in the HTML page that contains the SWF content.

However, in the Apollo runtime, content in the application security sandbox (content installed with the Apollo application) are not restricted by these security limitations.

For more information, see the following:

• The security chapter in the Programming ActionScript 3.0 book and the latest comments on LiveDocs
• The Flash Player 9 Security white paper

Parameters

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Loads from binary data stored in a ByteArray object.

Parameters

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Removes a child of this Loader object that was loaded by using the load() method. The property of the associated LoaderInfo object is reset to null. The child is not necessarily destroyed because other objects might have references to it; however, it is no longer a child of the Loader object.

As a best practice, before you unload a child SWF file, you should explicitly close any streams in the child SWF file's objects, such as LocalConnection, NetConnection, NetStream, and Sound objects. Otherwise, audio in the child SWF file might continue to play, even though the child SWF file was unloaded. To close streams in the child SWF file, add an event listener to the child that listens for the unload event. When the parent calls Loader.unload(), the unload event is dispatched to the child. The following code shows how you might do this:

function closeAllStreams(evt:Event) { 
    myNetStream.close();
    mySound.close();
    myNetConnection.close();
    myLocalConnection.close();
}

myMovieClip.loaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.UNLOAD, closeAllStreams);

See also

1. A url property is created, which is the location and name of the image file
2. In the LoaderExample constructor, a new Loader object named loader is created, which is then passed to the configureListeners() method, described in step 3.
3. The constructor creates a new instance of a URLRequest object, request, with url passed so that the file name and location are known.
4. The request object is passed to the loader object's load() method, which loads the image onto the display list.
5. A clickHandler event listener is registered for the click event on the loader. After a mouse click, the loaded image is unloaded.
6. The configureListeners() method adds seven event listeners by using the following methods:
   • The completeHandler() method executes when the image finishes loading.
   • The httpStatusHandler() method executes if the image is not loaded locally and only if the network request is made available and the Flash Player can detect it.
   • The initHandler() method executes before the completeHandler() method and after the progressHandler() method. Generally, the init event is more useful when loading SWF files.
   • The ioErrorHandler() method executes if the image file is not available or not accessible.
   • The openHandler() method executes when the image file is first opened.
   • The progressHandler() method executes when the image file starts to load and again when the image is finished loading.
   • The unLoadHandler() method executes when the image is unloaded by using the unload() method when the user clicks the image.

Keep in mind the following requirements:

• This example requires that you place a file named Image.gif in the same directory as the compiled SWF file. Use an image that has an area that fits within the dimensions of the main SWF file.
• Although this example makes use of all events available to the LoaderInfo object, most situations require only a subset. In particular, when loading only an image file, the complete event (and perhaps the ioError event) are sufficient when loading a local image.

package {
    import flash.display.Loader;
    import flash.display.Sprite;
    import flash.events.*;
    import flash.net.URLRequest;

    public class LoaderExample extends Sprite {
        private var url:String = "Image.gif";

        public function LoaderExample() {
            var loader:Loader = new Loader();
            configureListeners(loader.contentLoaderInfo);
            loader.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, clickHandler);

            var request:URLRequest = new URLRequest(url);
            loader.load(request);

            addChild(loader);
        }

        private function configureListeners(dispatcher:IEventDispatcher):void {
            dispatcher.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, completeHandler);
            dispatcher.addEventListener(HTTPStatusEvent.HTTP_STATUS, httpStatusHandler);
            dispatcher.addEventListener(Event.INIT, initHandler);
            dispatcher.addEventListener(IOErrorEvent.IO_ERROR, ioErrorHandler);
            dispatcher.addEventListener(Event.OPEN, openHandler);
            dispatcher.addEventListener(ProgressEvent.PROGRESS, progressHandler);
            dispatcher.addEventListener(Event.UNLOAD, unLoadHandler);
        }

        private function completeHandler(event:Event):void {
            trace("completeHandler: " + event);
        }

        private function httpStatusHandler(event:HTTPStatusEvent):void {
            trace("httpStatusHandler: " + event);
        }

        private function initHandler(event:Event):void {
            trace("initHandler: " + event);
        }

        private function ioErrorHandler(event:IOErrorEvent):void {
            trace("ioErrorHandler: " + event);
        }

        private function openHandler(event:Event):void {
            trace("openHandler: " + event);
        }

        private function progressHandler(event:ProgressEvent):void {
            trace("progressHandler: bytesLoaded=" + event.bytesLoaded + " bytesTotal=" + event.bytesTotal);
        }

        private function unLoadHandler(event:Event):void {
            trace("unLoadHandler: " + event);
        }

        private function clickHandler(event:MouseEvent):void {
            trace("clickHandler: " + event);
            var loader:Loader = Loader(event.target);
            loader.unload();
        }
    }
}