# Confusion about movieclip.target

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/confusion-about-movieclip-target/243420>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [November 6, 2007, 9:32pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/confusion-about-movieclip-target/243420 "2007-11-06T21:32:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ywenz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/edb3f5/32.png) [@ywenz](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/ywenz)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 9:32pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/confusion-about-movieclip-target/243420/1 "2007-11-06T21:32:09Z")

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I’m going thru the kirupa example of using loading XML data in flash. I came across this example, most of the logic makes sense to me but I don’t understand the syntax

preloadbar\_mc.target = my\_xml; //my\_xml is reference to the loaded XML object.

what does movieclip.target mean? I’ve search for movieclip.target but could not find any documentation… your explanation is appreciated!

\*\*\*For some reason, the forum is stripping out all the newslines in the code I’m pasting below! argghhh \*\*\*\*

preloadbar\_mc.onEnterFrame = function(){if (!this.target) return (0);var loaded = target.getBytesLoaded();var total = target.getBytesTotal(); var scale = 0;if (loaded && total){var percent = loaded/total;scale = 100 \* percent;} this.\_xscale = scale;}  
preloadbar\_mc.target = my\_xml;