# Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/cannot-access-a-property-or-method-of-a-null-object-reference/276018>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [November 21, 2008, 11:11am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/cannot-access-a-property-or-method-of-a-null-object-reference/276018 "2008-11-21T11:11:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![IanCremona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/65b543/32.png) [@IanCremona](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/IanCremona)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 11:11am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/cannot-access-a-property-or-method-of-a-null-object-reference/276018/1 "2008-11-21T11:11:24Z")

</div>

Why is it that ActionScript Code:  
[LEFT]getChildByNameCOLOR=#000000[/COLOR].[COLOR=#0000FF]visible[/COLOR]=[COLOR=#000000] **false** [/COLOR];  
[/LEFT]

works and ActionScript Code:  
[LEFT]getChildByNameCOLOR=#000000[/COLOR].[COLOR=#0000FF]visible[/COLOR]=[COLOR=#000000] **false** [/COLOR];  
[/LEFT]

give this error:

```
ActionScript Code:
[LEFT]TypeError: [COLOR=#0000FF]Error[/COLOR] [COLOR=#808080]*#1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.*[/COLOR]
at MethodInfo-[COLOR=#000080]98[/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]([/COLOR][COLOR=#000000])[/COLOR]

```

[/LEFT]

```
ActionScript Code:
[LEFT]getChildByName[COLOR=#000000]([/COLOR][COLOR=#FF0000]"Promotion1"[/COLOR][COLOR=#000000])[/COLOR].[COLOR=#0000FF]visible[/COLOR]=[COLOR=#000000] **false** [/COLOR];

```

[/LEFT]

works well in the FLA timeline. But not in the class. It’s parent is the main timeline

Fla:  
ActionScript Code:  
[LEFT][COLOR=#0000FF]import[/COLOR] image.[COLOR=#000080]imageContainer[/COLOR];  
[COLOR=#000000] **var** [/COLOR] promoHolder:[COLOR=#0000FF]Array[/COLOR] = [COLOR=#000000] **new** [/COLOR] [COLOR=#0000FF]Array[/COLOR]COLOR=#000000[/COLOR];  
[COLOR=#0000FF]for[/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000]([/COLOR][COLOR=#000000] **var** [/COLOR] i:[COLOR=#0000FF]int[/COLOR] = [COLOR=#000080]1[/COLOR]; i \< [COLOR=#000080]5[/COLOR]; i++[COLOR=#000000])[/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000]{[/COLOR]  
[COLOR=#0000FF]this[/COLOR][COLOR=#000000][[/COLOR][COLOR=#FF0000]‘Promotion’[/COLOR]+i[COLOR=#000000]][/COLOR] = [COLOR=#000000] **new** [/COLOR] imageContainerCOLOR=#000000[/COLOR];  
promoHolder[COLOR=#000000][[/COLOR]i[COLOR=#000000]][/COLOR] = [COLOR=#0000FF]this[/COLOR][COLOR=#000000][[/COLOR][COLOR=#FF0000]‘Promotion’[/COLOR]+i[COLOR=#000000]][/COLOR];  
promoHolder.[COLOR=#0000FF]push[/COLOR]COLOR=#000000[/COLOR];  
addChildCOLOR=#000000[/COLOR];  
promoHolder[COLOR=#000000][[/COLOR]i[COLOR=#000000]][/COLOR].[COLOR=#0000FF]name[/COLOR] = [COLOR=#FF0000]“Promotion”[/COLOR] +i;

[COLOR=#000000]}[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#000000] **function** [/COLOR] testCOLOR=#000000[/COLOR]:[COLOR=#0000FF]void[/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]{[/COLOR]  
[COLOR=#000000]}[/COLOR]

```
[COLOR=#000000] **var** [/COLOR] Promotion1:[COLOR=#0000FF]MovieClip[/COLOR] = [COLOR=#0000FF]MovieClip[/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]([/COLOR]getChildByName[COLOR=#000000]([/COLOR][COLOR=#FF0000]"Promotion1"[/COLOR][COLOR=#000000])[/COLOR][COLOR=#000000])[/COLOR];
[COLOR=#000000] **var** [/COLOR] Promotion2:[COLOR=#0000FF]MovieClip[/COLOR] = [COLOR=#0000FF]MovieClip[/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]([/COLOR]getChildByName[COLOR=#000000]([/COLOR][COLOR=#FF0000]"Promotion2"[/COLOR][COLOR=#000000])[/COLOR][COLOR=#000000])[/COLOR];
[COLOR=#000000] **var** [/COLOR] Promotion3:[COLOR=#0000FF]MovieClip[/COLOR] = [COLOR=#0000FF]MovieClip[/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]([/COLOR]getChildByName[COLOR=#000000]([/COLOR][COLOR=#FF0000]"Promotion3"[/COLOR][COLOR=#000000])[/COLOR][COLOR=#000000])[/COLOR];
[COLOR=#000000] **var** [/COLOR] Promotion4:[COLOR=#0000FF]MovieClip[/COLOR] = [COLOR=#0000FF]MovieClip[/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]([/COLOR]getChildByName[COLOR=#000000]([/COLOR][COLOR=#FF0000]"Promotion4"[/COLOR][COLOR=#000000])[/COLOR][COLOR=#000000])[/COLOR];

[COLOR=#808080]*//Promotion1.visible=false;*[/COLOR]
Promotion2.[COLOR=#0000FF]visible[/COLOR]=[COLOR=#000000] **false** [/COLOR];
Promotion3.[COLOR=#0000FF]visible[/COLOR]=[COLOR=#000000] **false** [/COLOR];
Promotion4.[COLOR=#0000FF]visible[/COLOR]=[COLOR=#000000] **false** [/COLOR];

```

[/LEFT]

Class:  
ActionScript Code:  
[LEFT]…  
[COLOR=#000000] **function** [/COLOR] handleClickCOLOR=#000000[/COLOR]:[COLOR=#0000FF]void[/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000]{[/COLOR]  
[COLOR=#0000FF]trace[/COLOR]COLOR=#000000[/COLOR];

getChildByNameCOLOR=#000000[/COLOR].[COLOR=#0000FF]visible[/COLOR]=[COLOR=#000000] **false** [/COLOR];  
getChildByNameCOLOR=#000000[/COLOR].[COLOR=#0000FF]visible[/COLOR]=[COLOR=#000000] **false** [/COLOR];  
[COLOR=#000000]}[/COLOR]  
…  
[/LEFT]