# Movieclip needs to loop but only on prompt
**URL:** https://forum.kirupa.com/t/movieclip-needs-to-loop-but-only-on-prompt/5113
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Created:** [September 1, 2002, 5:37pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/movieclip-needs-to-loop-but-only-on-prompt/5113 "2002-09-01T17:37:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@linque](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/linque)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2002, 5:37pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/movieclip-needs-to-loop-but-only-on-prompt/5113/1 "2002-09-01T17:37:46Z")
I have an .fla with multiple movieclips. For most of these, as one finishes, it calls the next with code like
```
_parent.nextmovieclip_mc.play();
```
on that next movieclip (the one to be played), the first frame is blank with actionscript stop(); so that it won’t begin at the start of the movie.
nearly every movieclip plays just once and this has worked fine.
I have run into a snag because I want _one_ of these to loop 20 times, and I’m trying to do a loop, but either it plays once and stops or never plays.
this clip should not begin at the outset of the movie, and so like the others above, it has a blank keyframe with a stop(); for frame 1
the loop I was using has in the actions layer in the second frame
i++
and in the last frame of the action layer of the movieclip I had
if (i ==20) {
stop();
}
something is wrong.
I’ve tried the code on a clip that has no first frame stop, and then the code works. But I can’t have this clip playing as the movie begins.
Please help, and PLEASE, since I’m new, tell me whether to put your answer in the main timeline or in the movieclip.
---
### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2002, 7:26pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/movieclip-needs-to-loop-but-only-on-prompt/5113/2 "2002-09-01T19:26:24Z")
If it loops, means it goes back to FIRST frame where your stop is; you might have understood the problem from your test.
So the solution is really very simple:
in the last frame:
if (i \<20) {
gotoAndPlay(2); //2nd frame, so no stop here!
}else{
stop();
}
---
### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2002, 7:43pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/movieclip-needs-to-loop-but-only-on-prompt/5113/3 "2002-09-01T19:43:14Z")
wouldnt you need to put:
i= ++i and not just ++i ??? :-\ just wondering.
Peace
---
### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2002, 7:46pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/movieclip-needs-to-loop-but-only-on-prompt/5113/4 "2002-09-01T19:46:42Z")
doh!!!
oh my… thanks for making me see straight! :-\
fixed it in 2 seconds with your help…