AS3: Using string as variable

Question

Is there a possibility to extract variable name from string and using it as variable

var myvar:String = "flash";
var flash:Number = 10;
trace( myvar as variable );

something like that

Answer 1

Variable name as Strings can be done like so:

this["myvar"] = "flash";

Notes:

• This will throw a ReferenceError if the property has not been previously defined AND the this refers to an object which is not dynamic.
• You can of course replace this with the instance name of an object you want to use a property from, e.g. mySprite["x"].
• You can also use this approach to call methods: this["addChild"](mySprite);

Answer 2

You can use it as a property of an object.

public dynamic class MyClass {
    function MyClass(propName:String, propValue:*) {
        this[propName] = propValue;
    }
}

or

var myvar:String = "flash";
var o : Object = {};
o[myvar] = 10;
trace(o.flash); //10

If you don't know what property name is going to be, then you should use dynamic class (Object is dynamic by default)