# Newbie Function problem
**URL:** https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-function-problem/56317
**Category:** flash
**Created:** [July 2, 2004, 4:38pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-function-problem/56317 "2004-07-02T16:38:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@keljnr](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/keljnr)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 4:38pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-function-problem/56317/1 "2004-07-02T16:38:38Z")
I am quite new too all this flash stuff, and just got a book on Flash Actionscripting.
When i type in the following source code, the book says that the message “Hi there!” should appear in my output box, which it doesnt.
function sayHi () {
trace(“Hi there!”);
}
What is it im doing wrong??
Cheers
---
### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 4:52pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-function-problem/56317/2 "2004-07-02T16:52:03Z")
sowry got another one here:
I have created a movie clip with a round ball and on the main timeline i have inserted this:
\_global.mainTimeline = this;
function moveBall () {
mainTimeline.ball.\_x += 10;
mainTimeline.ball.\_y += 10;
}
moveBall();
the ball is apperently supposed ta move, but it aint.
please help,
cheers
---
### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 4:54pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-function-problem/56317/3 "2004-07-02T16:54:59Z")
I think you’re going to need to define the main timeline in the function, but then again, I don’t see any reason to use that instead of a this, it’s more that trible the length
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 4:56pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-function-problem/56317/4 "2004-07-02T16:56:00Z")
try:
function moveBall () {
\_global.mainTimeline.ball.\_x += 10;
\_global.mainTimeline.ball.\_y += 10;
}
Adam
---
### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 4:56pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-function-problem/56317/5 "2004-07-02T16:56:09Z")
to get motion, you have to call the function from the mc, so add this code to your mc:
moveBall();
and take off moveBall() after the function definition on the frame.
cheers
---
### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 4:57pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-function-problem/56317/6 "2004-07-02T16:57:01Z")
First you should use _\_global_ whenever accesing that global variable.
And the ball will move but will move only once since the function is called only one time.
---
### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 4:57pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-function-problem/56317/7 "2004-07-02T16:57:07Z")
ah, one more thing: on your mc, add:
onClipEvent(enterFrame) {
moveBall();
}
b/c you have to have a clipevent for mc… sorry i forgot
---
### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 4:57pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-function-problem/56317/8 "2004-07-02T16:57:48Z")
> [@claudio](#):
>
> First you should use _\_global_ whenever accesing that global variable.
> And the ball will move but will move only once since the function is called only one time.
which is why it’s good to have that on the mc, b/c it calls that function at whatever frame rate your movie is, over and over until you stop it.
---
### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 4:59pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-function-problem/56317/9 "2004-07-02T16:59:24Z")
I’d recommend using dynamic event handlers so you can erase it whenver it is not needed anymore.
Something like:
```auto
_global.mainTimeline = this;
function moveBall() {
_global.mainTimeline.ball._x += 10;
_global.mainTimeline.ball._y += 10;
}
onEnterFrame = moveBall;//will execute the function at the frame rate of the movie
```
---
### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 5:04pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-function-problem/56317/10 "2004-07-02T17:04:56Z")
really? i didnt know that you could attach onEnterFrame to a frame w/ the same effect… _tries_
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 5:07pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-function-problem/56317/11 "2004-07-02T17:07:29Z")
wow… i didn’t know that! thanks for enlightening me, claudio 😃
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-function-problem/56317/12 "2004-07-02T17:08:18Z")
well, that pretty much sums it up pretty well, I was trying to make it easy and give a short answer, oh well
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 5:09pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-function-problem/56317/13 "2004-07-02T17:09:32Z")
Anytime bodyvisual 🙂
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 5:10pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-function-problem/56317/14 "2004-07-02T17:10:15Z")
i can get claudios last post ta work, but none of the others.
I have posted up my .fla if someone can please have a look at it, alltho claudios worked…i want to follow the book.
cheers