Hey,

Ok... I need some help here!! I am attempting to take x amount of objects that have random dimensions and evenly distribute them in a 2d area. I know there has to be some sort of algorithm for this I have been googling for the last 45 minutes and haven't come up with anything yet. The most important part is that there can be a random number of objects that have random dimensions. To bad I can't decompile the flash IDE and look at the code for the align panel



Thanks!

[sims11tz]

I ran across this post volume (space) equation help It seems to be my exact dillema and the poster said he found a solution and posted links to his code... but the links are dead

[spooky]

Here are some AS2 functions I had stashed away in a project.
They can be polished more, but they got the job done for the old task.

/****************************************
Feed all the MovieClips you want aligned as an Array
into each of these functions
****************************************/
function centerHorizontal(objects:Array) {
    alignHorizontal(objects);
    distributeHorizontal(objects);
}
function centerVertical(objects:Array) {
    alignVertical(objects);
    distributeVertical(objects);
}
function alignHorizontal(objects:Array) {
    var topmost;
    var bottommost;
    var midy;
    var mc;
    var n = 0;
    while (n<objects.length) {
        mc = objects[n];
        if (topmost == null) {
            topmost = mc._y;
        }
        if (bottommost == null) {
            bottommost = mc._y;
        }
        if (mc._y<topmost) {
            topmost = mc._y;
        }
        if (mc._y>bottommost) {
            bottommost = mc._y;
        }
        n++;
    }
    midy = topmost+Math.abs(topmost-bottommost)/2;
    n = 0;
    while (n<objects.length) {
        mc = objects[n];
        mc._y = midy;
        n++;
    }
}
function alignVertical(objects:Array) {
    var leftmost;
    var rightmost;
    var midx;
    var mc;
    var n = 0;
    while (n<objects.length) {
        mc = objects[n];
        if (leftmost == null) {
            leftmost = mc._x;
        }
        if (rightmost == null) {
            rightmost = mc._x;
        }
        if (mc._x<leftmost) {
            leftmost = mc._x;
        }
        if (mc._x>rightmost) {
            rightmost = mc._x;
        }
        n++;
    }
    midx = leftmost+Math.abs(leftmost-rightmost)/2;
    n = 0;
    while (n<objects.length) {
        mc = objects[n];
        mc._x = midx;
        n++;
    }
}
function distributeVertical(objects:Array) {
    var topmost;
    var bottommost;
    var midy;
    var mc;
    var n = 0;
    while (n<objects.length) {
        mc = objects[n];
        if (topmost == null) {
            topmost = mc._y;
        }
        if (bottommost == null) {
            bottommost = mc._y;
        }
        if (mc._y<topmost) {
            topmost = mc._y;
        }
        if (mc._y>bottommost) {
            bottommost = mc._y;
        }
        n++;
    }
    var ny = topmost;
    n = 0;
    while (n<objects.length) {
        mc = objects[n];
        mc._y = ny;
        ny += mc._height;
        n++;
    }
}
function distributeHorizontal(objects:Array) {
    var leftmost;
    var rightmost;
    var midx;
    var mc;
    var n = 0;
    while (n<objects.length) {
        mc = objects[n];
        if (leftmost == null) {
            leftmost = mc._x;
        }
        if (rightmost == null) {
            rightmost = mc._x;
        }
        if (mc._x<leftmost) {
            leftmost = mc._x;
        }
        if (mc._x>rightmost) {
            rightmost = mc._x;
        }
        n++;
    }
    var nx = leftmost;
    n = 0;
    while (n<objects.length) {
        mc = objects[n];
        mc._x = nx;
        nx += mc._width;
        n++;
    }
} 

[sims11tz]

Awesome, thanks for the post and CODE Spoooky! Ill respond with my results in implementing this for others that stumble upon this.