# "\_root" is the only thing showing up in the "insert target path" window **URL:** \ **Category:** flash\ **Created:** [August 26, 2003, 7:51pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root-is-the-only-thing-showing-up-in-the-insert-target-path-window/29439 "2003-08-26T19:51:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![artane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c68b51/32.png) [@artane](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/artane)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 7:51pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root-is-the-only-thing-showing-up-in-the-insert-target-path-window/29439/1 "2003-08-26T19:51:10Z")
Hey guys, I’ve got a button in a movieclip that, when pressed, I want to control the timeline of another movieclip (instance name: video). I enter the following code on the button and it does nothing: on(release) { video.gotoAndPlay(2); } Now I suppose the path is wrong but, when I click on the “Insert Target Path” icon in the actions panel, the only thing that shows up in the window is “\_root”. It doesn’t matter which movie clip I am in, when I click the “Insert Target Path” icon, all that shows up is “\_root”. There is a heck of alot more to my movie than that, where are all the movieclips? The “video” instance is nested 3 movieclips deep. I’ve tried entering the path manually too, but it don’t work. What am I doing wrong? Thanks very much! artane ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 8:50pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root-is-the-only-thing-showing-up-in-the-insert-target-path-window/29439/2 "2003-08-26T20:50:52Z")
That usually means you forgot to give instance names. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root-is-the-only-thing-showing-up-in-the-insert-target-path-window/29439/3 "2003-08-26T20:54:14Z")
thanks voets but, I made sure to give each clip an instance name. Still stuck, artane ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 10:04pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root-is-the-only-thing-showing-up-in-the-insert-target-path-window/29439/4 "2003-08-26T22:04:11Z")
Still stuck? Try in the movie clip called video to put on frame 1 onClipEvent(load){ trace(\_parent[this.\_name]); } This will display in the output window the full path to the movie clip and then make sure the path you use is identical. You may find you have a typo in your names or something. Hope this helps Liz ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 6:23am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root-is-the-only-thing-showing-up-in-the-insert-target-path-window/29439/5 "2003-08-27T06:23:30Z")
Still, it’s very weird that there is nothing in his target window but \_root. Can I see the FLA, please ? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root-is-the-only-thing-showing-up-in-the-insert-target-path-window/29439/6 "2003-08-27T15:57:50Z")
Hi Voets! Thanks alot, I’d really appreciate it if you took a look at the .fla file and told me what is going on. You can get it here: http://www.theco\_kpitstore.com/project/loadsite.fla There is no underscore, I had to remove the letter c. Thanks very much! artane ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 4:03pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root-is-the-only-thing-showing-up-in-the-insert-target-path-window/29439/7 "2003-08-27T16:03:44Z")
An 8megs FLA ? Pretty big. Anyways, lemme have a look =) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 4:21pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root-is-the-only-thing-showing-up-in-the-insert-target-path-window/29439/8 "2003-08-27T16:21:52Z")
You forgot to give instance names. Instance names are not the names you give when converting it to a symbol. Instance names can be given to an instance of a symbol, and they are used to be able to let ActionScript recognize the instance you are targetting. You can assign instance names to Movieclips and buttons instances. To do that, select the Movieclip or button, and look on the left in the properties panel. There’s a dropdown box, and right underneath it is a input field that says in light-grey: \<\*\*instance name\>. There, you fill in the instance name you want the movieclip or button to have. If you do that, you’ll see that it appears in the target window. But, of course, if a movieclip or button is inside another movieclip or button, the host movieclip or button has to have an instance name before it can reconize anything inside it. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root-is-the-only-thing-showing-up-in-the-insert-target-path-window/29439/9 "2003-08-27T17:29:59Z")
Hey Voets, You were right about the instance names, I can’t believe I missed that. Now the path shows up when I click “Insert Target Path”. But, I still can’t make this thing do what I want it to do! I’ve got a “contact us” button (instance name: contact") that, when clicked, I want to send the playhead on symbol 33 (instance: screen) to frame 2 and play. If you click on the “contact us” button, you can see the code I entered: on (release) { \_root.tv.screen.gotoAndPlay(2); } Everything should work but, it doesn’t. Maybe I’ve got a stop action in the wrong place or something, I’m lost. Can you check it out Voets? Thanks a million man, I owe you one BIG! http://www.theco\_kpitstore.com/project/artane.fla Underscore = c Artane 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 6:00pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root-is-the-only-thing-showing-up-in-the-insert-target-path-window/29439/10 "2003-08-27T18:00:34Z")
HOORAY! I figured it out. I did a trace path like Liz said and got to the bottom of it. Thanks alot guys! Voets- I still owe you one 😉 artane ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 8:03pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root-is-the-only-thing-showing-up-in-the-insert-target-path-window/29439/11 "2003-08-27T20:03:34Z")
Naaaah :snug: