# Quick answer to brief referencing question

**URL:** https://forum.kirupa.com/t/quick-answer-to-brief-referencing-question/185965
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Created:** [April 18, 2006, 3:33am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/quick-answer-to-brief-referencing-question/185965 "2006-04-18T03:33:28Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![matthewjumps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/49beb7/32.png) [@matthewjumps](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/matthewjumps)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2006, 3:33am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/quick-answer-to-brief-referencing-question/185965/1 "2006-04-18T03:33:28Z")

</div>

i have a function called buildLetters, which is in a movie clips timeline. the movie clip has variables in it.

if i do a trace(this[“letter\_”+i]); just in a keyframe in the movie clip, it works fine - but if i try and use “this” insided the buildLetters function it doesnt work…how do i reference stuff while doing the function?

i need to do stuff like

this[“letter\_”+i].\_x = 30;

while inside the buildLetters function. I tried _parent["letter_"+i].\_x = 30; but that dont work. and i cant just do

[“letter\_”+i].\_x = 30;

can i?

please help me reference the \*\*\*\*\*\*es

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![matthewjumps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/49beb7/32.png) [@matthewjumps](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/matthewjumps)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2006, 3:50am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/quick-answer-to-brief-referencing-question/185965/2 "2006-04-18T03:50:04Z")

</div>

never mind i worked it out - just make a var outside the function

here = this;

so in the function i can do

here[“letter\_”+i].\_x = 30;