# Changing what is returned by typeof

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/changing-what-is-returned-by-typeof/188096>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [May 4, 2006, 2:40pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/changing-what-is-returned-by-typeof/188096 "2006-05-04T14:40:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![voxecho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@voxecho](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/voxecho)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 2:40pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/changing-what-is-returned-by-typeof/188096/1 "2006-05-04T14:40:50Z")

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most of my controls have a property $typeof which is accessable by using the instance.\_typeof property call. however; i am curious if i can change the actual return value of typeof()

so instead of typeof(obj) == “movieclip” it would be typeof(obj)==“com.echo.something”;

also, is there any programatic way of asking a MC what it’s “Export Indentifier” is? if i could to that then the $typeof property could update itself, that would be nice.

-E

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**Author:** ![TheCanadian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@TheCanadian](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/TheCanadian)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2006, 10:22pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/changing-what-is-returned-by-typeof/188096/2 "2006-05-11T22:22:11Z")

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_typeof_ is an operator so you can’t change what it returns as far as I know. Look into the _instanceof_ operator.