How to pass a String from a SWF into another SWF

hoping this is an easy enough question :)

Some details: I am using Flash CS5, never touched Flex. Also the SWF that is doing the loading will be a client SWF, so hoping for a solution that could work with a simple couple of lines.

Basically inside the SWF I am working on contains just a simple string:

var theString = "theString";
trace("theString = "+theString);

Now I've been working on a test loader SWF that will load my String SWF and get the variable in the simplest way. Any thoughts? Below is my current broken code:

function loaderComplete(event:Event)
    {
        trace("... in loaderComplete");

        getString = loader.content.toString();

        trace("loader.content = "+loader.content);
        trace("... getString    = "+getString);
    }

This is my output window:

theString = theString
... in loaderComplete
loader.content = [object MainTimeline]
... getString  = [object MainTimeline]

I've searched on Stack and found similar questions, but none are exactly what I need:

tracking video files - embedding flv to swf

^ Basically what I'm trying to do as well, no answers yet

to pass variable from one swf to another swf in as3

^ sounded just like my problem, but answer was a Flex application example

pass var values from one swf to another swf who is loaded inside the firts one in AS3

^ This was close, but am not sure how to implement the chosen answer, also seems a bit more intricate then I need

Please help!

Solution

Let's clarify a bit: 1. The loader swf, we will call the parent. 2. The swf loaded by the parent we will call the child.

The Child contains a string, and you want the parent to be able to read that string> So... The Child must define a public variable for the string. (This means you have to use a Class file for it, since you cannot declare a property public on the timeline.)

Finally, the parent will try and get that property. You may want to wrap that in a try/catch to handle cases where the string will not be present.

Here is an example Child Class.

package  
{
import flash.display.Sprite;

/**
 * ...
 * @author Zach Foley
 */
public class Child extends Sprite 
{
    public var value:String = "This is the child Value";
    public function Child() 
    {
        trace("Child Loaded");
    }

}

}

And here is the parent loader class:

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

/**
 * ...
 * @author Zach Foley
 */
public class Parent extends Sprite 
{
    private var loader:Loader;

    public function Parent() 
    {
        trace("PArent Init");
        loader = new Loader();
        loader.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, onLoaded);
        loader.load(new URLRequest("child.swf"));
    }

    private function onLoaded(e:Event):void 
    {
        trace("Child Loaded");
        trace(loader.content['value']);
    }

}

}

The Output will be: PArent Init Child Loaded Child Loaded This is the child Value