Linking to External Files, Websites and Emails in Flash

Learn how to link to web pages, external websites, frames and email addresses in Flash using text links or buttons using the GetURL function in actionscript.

Please Note : The tutorial is explained using Flash 8.0.

There are different ways that you can link to websites and emails in Flash

1. Text Links
   
   The first way is very simple. You can link to a website via a simple text link.
   Type in the text using the A tool and in the properties inspector you can enter the full http path of the website or you can enter a web page name if you want to link to a page within the same folder. You can also set the target as _blank if you want the website to open in a new browser window (as seen below).
   
   
   
   To link to an email address, all you need to do is enter mailto: followed by the email address (See below)
   
   
   
   
   You can also link to content in a frame, by specifying the html file and frame name (See below).
   
   
   
   You can also link to an image or a pdf file by entering the file name and specifying "_blank" to open the file in a new browser window.
   
   
   
2. Button Links
   
   You can also link to websites, web pages and emails from buttons using the GetURL function in actionscript.
   All you need to do is choose the button and in the actionscript panel, enter the following script :
   
   

   on (release) { getURL("http://www.entheosweb.com", "_blank"); }

   
   
   
   You can link to an email address the same way, prefixing it with mailto: (see below).
   
   
   
   You can also link to particular frame by giving the content.html file and frame name. Flash will open the content file in the frame name you specify. See example given below.
   
   
   
   You can also link to an image or a pdf file by entering the name of the image or pdf file and opening it in a new browser window by specifying "_blank".