# So simple in as2, next to impossible in as3....targeting external swf

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/so-simple-in-as2-next-to-impossible-in-as3-targeting-external-swf/307888>\
**Category:** flash\
**Created:** [April 12, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/so-simple-in-as2-next-to-impossible-in-as3-targeting-external-swf/307888 "2010-04-12T22:55:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dtrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@dtrace](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/dtrace)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/so-simple-in-as2-next-to-impossible-in-as3-targeting-external-swf/307888/1 "2010-04-12T22:55:08Z")

</div>

So I’m trying to do something VERY basic.

I want to load an external swf called ‘signs.swf’ into an empty mc called ‘signholder’.

var loadit2 = new Loader();  
loadit2.load(new URLRequest(“signs.swf”));  
signholder.addChild(loadit2);

Everything works. Cool. But, I now want to target something within the signs.swf. How do I do it though? What is the path? Do I have to give the child of signholder an instance name? Everything I try fails.

If I wanted the root timeline of the external swf to gotoAndPlay(2) for example,…would i say…

signholder.loadit2.gotoAndPlay(2) ???

var wow:MovieClip = loadit2.content as MovieClip;

wow.gotoAndPlay(2) ???

I am at a loss and this is something that shouldn’t be this hard.