# Should be a piece of cake: targeting a variable defined at root

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/should-be-a-piece-of-cake-targeting-a-variable-defined-at-root/292376>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [July 13, 2009, 6:31pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/should-be-a-piece-of-cake-targeting-a-variable-defined-at-root/292376 "2009-07-13T18:31:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![screeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@screeg](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/screeg)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 6:31pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/should-be-a-piece-of-cake-targeting-a-variable-defined-at-root/292376/1 "2009-07-13T18:31:59Z")

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I want to find out the value of an index of an Array defined on the main timeline, from within a MC on the stage.

In AS2.0 this would be as simple as _trace(\_root.mk\_contArray[0])_

In AS3.0, naturally something like _trace(root.mk\_contArray[0])_ just doesn’t work, nor any other variation I’ve tried.

Is it something to do with addChild()? This instance is named, but I haven’t used that method.