Flash / Flex / ActionScript/String/Escape

A complete listing of all the escape sequences available to you

   <source lang="java">

Escape Sequence Resulting String \b Backspace character. \f Form feed character. This character advances one page and is rarely used. \n Newline character. Also known as line feed. \r Carriage return character. \t Tab character. \unnnn Inserts a character with the four-digit hexadecimal Unicode code. \xnn Inserts a character with the two-digit hexadecimal ASCII code. \" Single quote (") character. \" Double quote (") character. \\ Backslash (\) character.

       </source>
   
  

An example of the newline character used in a string

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       trace("line one\nline two");
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

Display \n literally, instead of a newline, you can add an additional backslash just before it

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       trace("\\n");  // Displays: \\n
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

Escaping Characters

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var sPhrase:String = "Ain"t ain"t a word."; // correct
       
       var sQuote:String = ""hello"";
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

Inserting Special Whitespace Characters: Backspace \b

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var example:String = "these\bwords\bare\nseparated\nby\nnewlines";
       
       trace(example);
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

Inserting Special Whitespace Characters: Carriage return \r

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var example:String = "these\rwords\rare\rseparated\nby\nnewlines";
       
       trace(example);
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

Inserting Special Whitespace Characters: Form feed \f

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var example:String = "these\fwords\fare\fseparated\nby\nnewlines";
       trace(example);
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

Inserting Special Whitespace Characters: Newline \n

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var example:String = "these\nwords\nare\nseparated\nby\nnewlines";
       
       trace(example);
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

Inserting Special Whitespace Characters: Tab \t

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var example:String = "these\twords\tare\tseparated\tby\ttabs";
       trace(example);
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

Passing String Values to and from Applications (escape)

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var sTitle:String = new String("ActionScript Bible");
       trace(escape(sTitle));  // Displays: ActionScript%20Bible
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

The backslash character has a special function when used in a string literal

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       trace("\\");  // displays: \
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

unescape() function does not modify the existing string, but returns a new string

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var sTitle:String = new String("ActionScript%20Demo");
       trace(unescape(sTitle));  // Displays: ActionScript Demo
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

Using Quotes and Apostrophes in Strings

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var exampleA:String = "He said, "Yes."";
       
       var exampleB:String = "He said, "Yes."";
       
       var exampleC:String = "He said, \"Yes.\"";
       
       trace(exampleA);
       trace(exampleB);
       trace(exampleC);
   }
 }

}

       </source>