Referring to instances using a variable

1

I want to be able to edit an instances properties using a variable not the instance name, for example:

instead of…
_root.instance_mc._alpha = 100;

I would like to use…
variable_name._alpha = 100; // like in javascript

I tried setting the variable to the instance name…
variable = _root.instance_mc;

…but that didn’t work.

Any ideas? I have a flash book and nowhere did they talk about this being done. It would make my life a whole lot easier.

Thanks,
Trey

2

_root[“variable_name”]._alpha = 100;