# \_root

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root/24121>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [June 26, 2003, 8:36am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root/24121 "2003-06-26T08:36:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![p020385](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/p020385/32/230_2.png) [@p020385](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/p020385)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 8:36am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root/24121/1 "2003-06-26T08:36:16Z")

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actually wat does \_root. means and how does it work???

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**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:** [June 26, 2003, 8:51am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root/24121/2 "2003-06-26T08:51:01Z")

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good question i was thinking the same last week!!!:geek:

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**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:** [June 26, 2003, 8:53am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root/24121/3 "2003-06-26T08:53:55Z")

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The easiest way to picture .root is to view a flash movie as a series of layers.

The main movie that everything goes onto is called \_level0 or \_root.

If you want to refer to a mc on this layer then you can say \_root.themovieclip. This is useful when you have a mc in an mc in an mc and you want to do something to the first one…

When you load a swf into a movie the \_root. refers to the main movie not the loaded movie so you have to be careful with variables. I try to avoid using \_rot. in this case and access everything via \_parent. which is the level above where you place it. another is this which refers to the layer your on

so

\_root = top level  
\_parent= level above  
this = current level

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**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:** [June 26, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root/24121/4 "2003-06-26T14:08:47Z")

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OH thanks again I get it now I hope DaisyDee read this too!!! Thanks a lot Dravos. I how your forte as a programmer will come true

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**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:** [June 26, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/-root/24121/5 "2003-06-26T14:09:35Z")

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Thank you:love: