Here’s another old bit of script most likely missed by most folks. Mainly reposting here as I’m still excited by the novelty of this WordPress thing. But for anyone who hasn’t seen it, it may come in handy. I know I’ve used it myself quite a few times..

OBO_ToolTip.as

/** * Singleton Tool Tip class AS3 Style * @author Devon O. Wolfgang */ package com.onebyonedesign.utils { import flash.display.DisplayObjectContainer; import flash.display.Sprite; import flash.events.*; import flash.filters.DropShadowFilter; import flash.text.AntiAliasType; import flash.text.Font; import flash.text.TextField; import flash.text.TextFieldAutoSize; import flash.text.TextFormat; public class OBO_ToolTip extends Sprite { public static const ROUND_TIP:String = "roundTip"; public static const SQUARE_TIP:String = "squareTip"; private static var OBO_TT:OBO_ToolTip; private var _adv:Boolean; private var _tipText:TextField; private var _tipColor:uint; private var _tipAlpha:Number; private var _format:TextFormat; private var _ds:DropShadowFilter; private var _root:DisplayObjectContainer; private var _userTip:String; private var _orgX:int; private var _orgY:int; /** * singleton class - use static createToolTip() method for instantiation * @private */ public function OBO_ToolTip(func:Function, myRoot:DisplayObjectContainer, font:Font, tipColor:uint = 0xFFFFFF, tipAlpha:Number = 1, tipShape:String = "roundTip", fontColor:uint = 0x000000, fontSize:int = 11, advRendering:Boolean = true) { if (!(func == makeInstance)) throw new Error("OBO_ToolTip class must be instantiated with static method OBO_ToolTip.createToolTip() method."); _root = myRoot; _tipColor = tipColor; _tipAlpha = tipAlpha; _userTip = tipShape; _adv = advRendering; _format = new TextFormat(font.fontName, fontSize, fontColor); _ds = new DropShadowFilter(3, 45, 0x000000, .7, 2, 2, 1, 3); this.mouseEnabled = false; } /** * The OBO_ToolTip is a Singleton class which is instantiated using the the static method createToolTip(). It allows you to easily add tool tip items to DisplayObject instances. * * @example The following example creates a simple red square Sprite instance then instantiates a tool tip instance which displays when the mouse rolls over the square: *  * package { * * import flash.display.Sprite; * import com.onebyonedesign.utils.OBO_ToolTip; * import flash.events.MouseEvent; * * public class ToolTipExample extends Sprite { * * private var _toolTip:OBO_ToolTip; * private var _mySprite:Sprite; * * public function ToolTipExample() { * _mySprite = drawSprite(); * _mySprite.x = 100; * _mySprite.y = 100; * addChild(_mySprite); * * _toolTip = OBO_ToolTip.createToolTip(this, new LibraryFont(), 0x000000, .8, OBO_ToolTip.ROUND_TIP, 0xFFFFFF, 8, false); * * _mySprite.addEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OVER, displayToolTip); * _mySprite.addEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OUT, removeToolTip); * } * * private function displayToolTip(me:MouseEvent):void { * _toolTip.addTip("This is a tool tip example."); * } * * private function removeToolTip(me:MouseEvent):void { * _toolTip.removeTip(); * } * * private function drawSprite():Sprite { * var s:Sprite = new Sprite(); * s.graphics.beginFill(0xFF0000); * s.graphics.drawRect(0, 0, 50, 50); * s.graphics.endFill(); * return s; * } * } * } * * * * @param myRoot The "root" display object which will parent the tool tip. * @param font An instance of the embedded font class to use for the tool tip text. * @param tipColor The hexadecimal color of the tool tip. * @param tipAlpha The alpha of the tool tip (0 - 1). * @param tipShape The shape of the tool tip. Either OBO_ToolTip.ROUND_TIP or OBO_ToolTip.SQUARE_TIP. * @param fontColor The hexadecimal color of the tool tip's text. * @param fontSize The size of the tool tip text. * @param advRendering Recommend false for pixel fonts and true for others. * @return A single instance of the OBO_ToolTip class. */ public static function createToolTip(myRoot:DisplayObjectContainer, font:Font, tipColor:uint = 0xFFFFFF, tipAlpha:Number = 1, tipShape:String = "roundTip", fontColor:uint = 0x000000, fontSize:int = 11, advRendering:Boolean = true):OBO_ToolTip { if (OBO_TT == null) OBO_TT = OBO_ToolTip.makeInstance(myRoot, font, tipColor, tipAlpha, tipShape, fontColor, fontSize, advRendering); return OBO_TT; } /** * private static method used to enforce singleton instantiation. */ private static function makeInstance(myRoot:DisplayObjectContainer, font:Font, tipColor:uint = 0xFFFFFF, tipAlpha:Number = 1, tipShape:String = "roundTip", fontColor:uint = 0x000000, fontSize:int = 11, advRendering:Boolean = true):OBO_ToolTip { return new OBO_ToolTip(arguments.callee, myRoot, font, tipColor, tipAlpha, tipShape, fontColor, fontSize, advRendering); } /** * Use this method to display the tool tip. * * @param words The message the tool tip should display. * @return */ public function addTip(words:String):void { _root.addChild(this); _tipText = new TextField(); _tipText.mouseEnabled = false; _tipText.selectable = false; _tipText.defaultTextFormat = _format; _tipText.antiAliasType = _adv ? AntiAliasType.ADVANCED : AntiAliasType.NORMAL; _tipText.width = 1; _tipText.height = 1; _tipText.autoSize = TextFieldAutoSize.LEFT; _tipText.embedFonts = true; _tipText.multiline = true; _tipText.text = words; var w:Number = _tipText.textWidth; var h:Number = _tipText.textHeight; var tipShape:Array; switch (_userTip) { case ROUND_TIP : tipShape = [[0, -13.42], [0, -2], [10.52, -15.7], [13.02, -18.01, 13.02, -22.65], [13.02, -16-h], [13.23, -25.23-h, 3.1, -25.23-h], [-w , -25.23-h], [-w -7, -25.23-h, -w - 7, -16-h], [-w - 7, -22.65], [-w - 7, -13.42, -w, -13.42]]; break; case SQUARE_TIP : tipShape = [[-((w / 2) + 5), -16], [-((w / 2) + 5), -((18 + h) + 4)], [((w / 2) + 5), -((18 + h) + 4)], [((w / 2) + 5), -16], [6, -16], [0, 0], [-6, -16], [-((w / 2) + 5), -16]]; break; default : throw new Error("Undefined tool tip shape in OBO_ToolTip!"); break; } var len:int = tipShape.length; this.graphics.beginFill(_tipColor, _tipAlpha); for (var i:int = 0; i < len; i++) { if (i == 0) { this.graphics.moveTo(tipShape[i][0], tipShape[i][1]); } else if (tipShape[i].length == 2) { this.graphics.lineTo(tipShape[i][0], tipShape[i][1]); } else if (tipShape[i].length == 4) { this.graphics.curveTo(tipShape[i][0], tipShape[i][1], tipShape[i][2], tipShape[i][3]); } } this.graphics.endFill(); this.x = stage.mouseX; this.y = stage.mouseY; this.filters = [_ds]; _tipText.x = (_userTip == ROUND_TIP) ? Math.round(-w) : Math.round(-(w / 2)) - 2; _orgX = _tipText.x; _tipText.y = Math.round(-21 - h); _orgY = _tipText.y; this.addChild(_tipText); stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_MOVE, onTipMove); } private function onTipMove(me:MouseEvent):void { this.x = Math.round(me.stageX); this.y = Math.round(me.stageY - 2); if (this.y - this.height < 0) { this.scaleY = _tipText.scaleY = - 1; _tipText.y = (_userTip == ROUND_TIP) ? - 18 : -16; this.y = Math.round(me.stageY + 5); } else { this.scaleY = _tipText.scaleY = 1; _tipText.y = _orgY; } if (this.x - (this.width - 18) < 0) { if (_userTip == ROUND_TIP) { this.scaleX = _tipText.scaleX = - 1; _tipText.x = 5; } } else { this.scaleX = _tipText.scaleX = 1; _tipText.x = _orgX; } me.updateAfterEvent(); } /** * Use this method to remove the tool tip. * * @return */ public function removeTip():void { stage.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_MOVE, onTipMove); this.removeChild(_tipText); this.graphics.clear(); _root.removeChild(this); } /** * Sets the shape of the tool tip. Valid arguments are the strings OBO_ToolTip.ROUND_TIP (or "roundTip") and OBO_ToolTip.SQUARE_TIP (or "squareTip"). Anything else will throw an error. * * @return */ public function set tipShape(shape:String):void { if (shape != ROUND_TIP && shape != SQUARE_TIP) throw new Error("Invalid tip shape \""+ shape + "\" specified at OBO_ToolTip.tipShape."); _userTip = shape; } } }

and a document class example:

/** * Example of OBO_ToolTip class usage */package { import com.adobe.crypto.WSSEUsernameToken;  import com.onebyonedesign.utils.OBO_ToolTip;  import flash.display.Sprite;  import flash.events.MouseEvent; public class Main extends Sprite { private var _toolTip:OBO_ToolTip; public function Main():void {   init();   } private function init():void {   createToolTip();   createRollOverItems();   } // "ArialFont" is a font included in the .fla library and given the class name "ArialFont".   private function createToolTip():void {   _toolTip = OBO_ToolTip.createToolTip(this, new ArialFont(), 0xCC3333, .6);   } private function createRollOverItems():void {   var squareItem:Sprite = new Sprite();   squareItem.graphics.beginFill(0x3E3E3E);   squareItem.graphics.drawRect( -50, -50, 100, 100);   squareItem.graphics.endFill();   squareItem.y = stage.stageHeight * .5;   squareItem.x = 100;   squareItem.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OVER, onSquareOver);   squareItem.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OUT, clearTip);   addChild(squareItem); var roundItem:Sprite = new Sprite();   roundItem.graphics.beginFill(0x3E3E3E);   roundItem.graphics.drawCircle(0, 0, 50);   roundItem.graphics.endFill();   roundItem.y = stage.stageHeight * .5;   roundItem.x = stage.stageWidth - 100;   roundItem.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OVER, onRoundOver);   roundItem.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OUT, clearTip);   addChild(roundItem);   } private function onSquareOver(me:MouseEvent):void {   _toolTip.tipShape = OBO_ToolTip.ROUND_TIP;   _toolTip.addTip("This is round.");   } private function onRoundOver(me:MouseEvent):void {   _toolTip.tipShape = OBO_ToolTip.SQUARE_TIP;   _toolTip.addTip("This is square.");   } private function clearTip(me:MouseEvent):void {   _toolTip.removeTip();   }  } }

Which’ll give you this little beaut:

[kml_flashembed movie=”/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/tooltipexample.swf” height=”150″ width=”400″ fversion=”9″ /]