# Newbie question: getBytesLoaded() always returns 12

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-question-getbytesloaded-always-returns-12/137034>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [February 10, 2005, 7:56pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-question-getbytesloaded-always-returns-12/137034 "2005-02-10T19:56:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![foodpk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/0ea827/32.png) [@foodpk](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/foodpk)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2005, 7:56pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/newbie-question-getbytesloaded-always-returns-12/137034/1 "2005-02-10T19:56:03Z")

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I’m pretty much a newbie when it comes to Actionscript, but bear with me please. How is it that when I use \_root.getBytestLoaded() it returns the correct loaded size of the whole swf file.  
But when I use MovieClip.getBytesLoaded() (or getBytesTotal()) on a movieclip (for instance one that contains just an image) it always returns the numbers 12. That’s strange.  
For instance, I have a movieclip that has one image inside it.The movieclip’s instance name is hats. And when I use hats.getBytesLoaded() it always returns 12.