# Combining vars not working...mc.mask

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/combining-vars-not-working-mc-mask/192016>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [June 25, 2006, 3:11am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/combining-vars-not-working-mc-mask/192016 "2006-06-25T03:11:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DHDesign](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b19c9b/32.png) [@DHDesign](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/DHDesign)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2006, 3:11am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/combining-vars-not-working-mc-mask/192016/1 "2006-06-25T03:11:06Z")

</div>

can anyone help me figure out why the following doesnt work:

```auto

for (var i = 1; i < 6; i++) {
   var mc = "mc"+i;
   var mask = "mask"+i;
   mc.mask._xscale = 50;
 }

```

BUT, if i change the line mc.mask.\_xscale to mc1.mask1.\_xscale, it will work.

i also put a trace(mc) and trace(mask) and it spits out mc1, mc2…mc5 and mask1 to mask5.

wat am i doing wrong?  
thanks.