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directToStage

Syntax

    member(whichCastMember).directToStage
    the directToStage of member whichCastMember
    sprite(whichSprite).directToStage
    the directToStage of sprite whichSprite

Description

Sprite property and member property; determines the layer where a digital video, animated GIF, vector shape, 3D model, text, or Flash Asset cast member plays. If this property is `TRUE` (1), the cast member plays in front of all other layers on the Stage, and ink effects have no affect. If this property is `FALSE` (0), the cast member can appear in any layer of the Stage's animation planes, and ink effects affect the appearance of the sprite.

| Use the syntax `member(``whichCastMember``)``.``directToStage` for digital video, animated GIFs, 3D models, or text.
| Use the syntax `sprite(``whichSprite).``directToStage` for Flash or vector shapes.

Using this property may improve the playback performance of supported cast members.

No other cast member can appear in front of a `directToStage` sprite. Also, ink effects do not affect the appearance of a `directToStage` sprite.

When a sprite's `directToStage` property is `TRUE`, Director draws the sprite directly to the screen without first compositing it in Director's offscreen buffer. The result can be similar to the trails ink effect of the Stage.

Explicitly refresh a trailed area by turning the `directToStage` property off and on, using a full-screen transition, or "wiping" another sprite across this area. (In Windows, you can branch to another similar screen, and the video won't completely disappear.)

To see an example of `directToStage` used in a completed movie, see the QT and Flash movie in the Learning\Lingo Examples folder inside the Director application folder.

Example

This statement makes the QuickTime movie The Residents always play in the top layer of the Stage:

    member("The Residents").directToStage = 1