AS3 array indexOF - arrays

Question

I am working on a game and have trouble with this array. There is all fruits on the stage which is generated from the array fruit. When the appel will hit the basket, we will count them. The melon is not to be counted. How do i find out if the current fruit is an appel or a melon?
var array_fruit:Array = new Array(appel1_mc, appel2_mc, melon_mc);
var appelsOnstage:Array = new Array();
var appelsCollected:Number = 0;
for (var i:int = 0; i<10; i++) {
var pickappels = array_fruit[int(Math.random()* array_fruit.length)];
var spel_appels:MovieClip = new pickappels();
addChild(spel_appels);
spel_appels.x = (Math.random() * 800) + 100;
spel_appels.y = Math.random() * -500;
spel_appels.speed = Math.random() * 10 + 2;
appelsOnstage.push(spel_appels);
}
stage.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, catchappels);
function catchappels(e:Event):void {
for (var i:int = appelsOnstage.length-1; i > -1; i--) {
var currentfruit:MovieClip = appelsOnstage[i];
if (currentfruit.hitTestObject(basket_mc)) {
if(array_fruit.indexOf(currentfruit) == melon_mc ){
trace("melon");
} else {
trace("no melon");
appelsCollected++;
}
}
}
}

Answer 1

a_fruit.indexOf(currentfruit) = -1 all the time
The problem here is the confusion between classes and objects.
a_fruit holds classes, which are to be instantiated by this code
var pickappels = array_fruit[int(Math.random()* array_fruit.length)];
var spel_appels:MovieClip = new pickappels();
appelsOnstage holds objects of those classes and is filled here
appelsOnstage.push(spel_appels);
Classes and objects are - excuse the pun! - apples and oranges, very different things.
A class is like a blueprint for a building or a recipe for a meal. You cannot compare objects with classes and expect them to be the same.
Instead, you should find the class of an object, and then compare this class to another class. For this, you use the is operator. Something like
if(currentfruit is melon_mc)
should do the trick to tell you if you have a melon or not.

Answer 2

indexOf is going to return an int value. See my edit to your code below.
if (currentfruit.hitTestObject(basket_mc)) {
if(array_fruit.indexOf(currentfruit) == 2 ){
trace("melon");
} else {
trace("no melon");
appelsCollected++;
}
}
indexOf takes two arguments. The first is the exact element you are searching for. The second argument is the index position to start the search from. The default is position 0.
See the API documentation here. (Always good to give these a quick read first).

Answer 3

You should use is operator here, for better coding. What if you'd change the positions of classes in your arrays?
if ((currentfruit is appel1_mc) || (currentfruit is appel2_mc)) {
// apple
}

Answer 4

Just in pseudo code to figure a possible way to deal with this issue.
On the timeline :
import com.fruits.Fruit;
import com.fruits.Melon;
import com.fruits.Apple
var fruit_1:Melon = new Melon();
var fruit_2:Apple = new Apple();
if(fruit_1 is Melon){
trace("anyway my SuperclassName is : " + fruit_1.getType());
trace (fruit_1.getMyType());
trace("");
}
if(fruit_2 is Apple){
trace("anyway my SuperclassName is : " + fruit_2.getType());
trace (fruit_2.getMyType());
trace("");
}
in com.Fruit.as :
package com.fruits {
public class Fruit {
import flash.utils.getDefinitionByName;
import flash.utils.getQualifiedClassName;
import flash.utils.getQualifiedSuperclassName;
public function Fruit() {
trace ("I'm a Fruit");
}
public function getType():String{
var type:String = getQualifiedSuperclassName(this)
var str:String = (type);
return str;
}
}
}
In com.Melon :
package com.fruits {
public class Melon extends Fruit {
import flash.utils.getDefinitionByName;
import flash.utils.getQualifiedClassName;
import flash.utils.getQualifiedSuperclassName;
public function Melon() {
super();
trace ("Melon says : ");
trace (" because I'm Fruit and not happy to be a Melon");
trace("");
}
public function getMyType():String{
var type:String = getQualifiedClassName(this)
var str:String = ("Im a " + type);
trace("Class said : I worth nothing because I'm an Fruit and not proud to be an Melon");
str += "\n" + "but in fact I'm a " + getQualifiedSuperclassName(this)
return str;
}
}
}
In com.Apple :
package com.fruits {
public class Melon extends Fruit {
import flash.utils.getDefinitionByName;
import flash.utils.getQualifiedClassName;
import flash.utils.getQualifiedSuperclassName;
public function Melon() {
super();
trace ("Melon says : ");
trace (" because I'm Fruit and not happy to be a Melon");
trace("");
}
public function getMyType():String{
var type:String = getQualifiedClassName(this)
var str:String = ("Im a " + type);
trace("Class said : I worth nothing because I'm an Fruit and not proud to be an Melon");
str += "\n" + "but in fact I'm a " + getQualifiedSuperclassName(this)
return str;
}
}
}
This is just an idea, tell me more about your target and if this may help You...
Best regards Nicolas.
PS : I'm sorry but my English is really bad. so I tried to figure me the issue...
You may perhaps forget about indexOf and use addChild anytime You want to set an object/instance over another one....
So You don't have to check about the indexes.
addChild(some old Child) will make the "old Child" be on the the last index (over the other instances).
Sorry I didn't wrote your code but the title said that you want to check if the fruit is a Melon or an Apple...
Sorry if I misunderstood. :(