# How do you target a button? is it even possible?

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-do-you-target-a-button-is-it-even-possible/3776>\
**Category:** programming\
**Created:** [September 21, 2001, 5:45am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-do-you-target-a-button-is-it-even-possible/3776 "2001-09-21T05:45:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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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:** [September 21, 2001, 5:45am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-do-you-target-a-button-is-it-even-possible/3776/1 "2001-09-21T05:45:58Z")

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Goodday yall,  
I’ve been trying to target my buttons to hide in the duration when i load another movie. But it simply isn’t workin… since last week. Is it even possible? I tried exporting the symbol, scripting it like this

on (release) {  
setProperty (this, \_visible, False);  
}

but it just hides my entire movie (don’t think it should have a global effect and i have no idea why it happens in my movie) and there’s no way to recall and unhide the button thereafter it seems. So simply, is there a way? Appreciate all replies.

Many Thanks,  
Wes

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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:** [September 21, 2001, 5:47am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-do-you-target-a-button-is-it-even-possible/3776/2 "2001-09-21T05:47:57Z")

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Simply put, you cannot target a button. I would suggest as an alternative, that you place the button inside a movie clip, name the movie clip instance, and then target that instead… should accomplish what you’re after. 🙂

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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:** [September 21, 2001, 8:24am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-do-you-target-a-button-is-it-even-possible/3776/3 "2001-09-21T08:24:45Z")

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Yo upuaut8, thank you pal!  
That got it to work alright, though the hierachy’s abit messy now 😕 but I’m keeping this sweet advice for my next movie, thanks again! 😃

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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:** [September 21, 2001, 9:18am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-do-you-target-a-button-is-it-even-possible/3776/4 "2001-09-21T09:18:15Z")

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A less messy way would be to create the button and lay it out on your stage. Then select the button and press the F8 key. Select Movie clip from the dialog box that appears. Your button is now a movie clip. You can view the button by right clicking on the movie clip and selecting Edit in Place.

I find that method much easier than creating a new movie clip, dragging and dropping the button into the center of the clip, and then placing the movie clip containing the button to the stage. Just a different approach to the same thing upuaut said 😉

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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:** [September 21, 2001, 10:49am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-do-you-target-a-button-is-it-even-possible/3776/5 "2001-09-21T10:49:42Z")

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Me too. F8 is da bomb…

learn your short cut keys Flashers. it will save you time, and in the long run, save your wrists from cps

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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:** [September 21, 2001, 2:10pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-do-you-target-a-button-is-it-even-possible/3776/6 "2001-09-21T14:10:11Z")

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I have this same dilema that I posted in the ActionScript forum. Thoriphes is working on my code and Suprabeener gave some really cool insite as to how to accomplish this…check it out on the ActionScript forum under tellTarget/with title.

good luck.

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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:** [September 22, 2001, 5:58am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-do-you-target-a-button-is-it-even-possible/3776/7 "2001-09-22T05:58:44Z")

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yeah I saw that… it’s kind of like tageting a button from the back end. Interesting concept. I have to play with that a little.