# \_global. help

**URL:** https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-global-help/122366
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Created:** [September 13, 2004, 5:58am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-global-help/122366 "2004-09-13T05:58:37Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![PtrckL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@PtrckL](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/PtrckL)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2004, 5:58am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-global-help/122366/1 "2004-09-13T05:58:37Z")

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Hi,  
I’m new to actionscript and I am having trouble with the \_global command. I have a script within a movie clip that is supposed to define \_global.firstload on release of said movie clip.

```auto
 
on (release) {
_root.gotoAndPlay(39);
_global.firstload = "info";
}

```

For some reason \_global.firstload = “info” does not seem to set the global variable, or atleast in root. The \_root.gotoAndPlay(39) works so I know the on(release) is working. I don’t recieve an error in output about \_global.firstload = “info”, but when I used trace(\_global.firstload), the variable comes out to be undefined. Im trying to use this in conjunction with:

```auto
_root.contents.loadMovie(_global.firstload+".swf");

```

Is there something wrong with the script or does \_global not effect root while used within a movie clip? Thanks.