Using Matador to open Flash 4 files

Flash 4 ActionScript had only one true data type: string. It used different types of operators in expressions to indicate whether the value should be treated as a string or as a number. In subsequent releases of Flash, you can use one set of operators on all data types.

When you use Flash 5 or later to open a file that was created in Flash 4, Flash automatically converts ActionScript expressions to make them compatible with the new syntax. You'll see the following data type and operator conversions in your ActionScript code:

Note: If you used any Flash 5 or later keywords as variable names in your Flash 4 ActionScript, the syntax returns an error in Matador. To fix this problem, rename your variables in all locations. See Keywords.

About slash syntax

Slash syntax was used in Flash 3 and 4 to indicate the target path of a movie clip or variable. This syntax is still supported by Flash Player 7, but its use is not recommended. However, if you are creating content intended specifically for Flash Player 4, you need to use slash syntax.

In slash syntax, slashes are used instead of dots; also, to indicate a variable, you precede it with a colon:

myMovieClip/childMovieClip:myVariable

To write the same target path in dot syntax, which is supported by Flash 5 and later, you would use the following code:

myMovieClip.childMovieClip.myVariable

Slash syntax was most commonly used with the tellTarget action, whose use is also no longer recommended. The with action is now preferred over tellTarget because it is more compatible with dot syntax. For more information, see tellTarget and with.