# Targeting a variable inside a MC?
**URL:** https://forum.kirupa.com/t/targeting-a-variable-inside-a-mc/265296
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Created:** [July 7, 2008, 3:23pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/targeting-a-variable-inside-a-mc/265296 "2008-07-07T15:23:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@bovine](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/bovine)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2008, 3:23pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/targeting-a-variable-inside-a-mc/265296/1 "2008-07-07T15:23:24Z")
I have a movie clip called curtain\_mc with this actionscript inside:
onClipEvent (load) {
stop();
f = false;
}
onClipEvent (enterFrame) {
if (this.f == true) {
this.nextFrame();
} else if (this.f != true) {
this.prevFrame();
}
}
On my first frame I have this:
play\_btn.onPress = function() {
btnHandler();
};
var btnCounter = 1;
function btnHandler() {
if (btnCounter == 1) {
\_parent.curtain\_mc.f = true;
btnCounter++;
trace(btnCounter);
} else if (btnCounter == 2) {
\_parent.curtain\_mc.f = false;
btnCounter = 1;
trace(btnCounter);
}
}
I would like to change the variable ‘f’ from true and false by clicking a button but the actionscript on my keyframe doesn’t recognize the actionscript in my movieclip?? I know its a targeting issue, but not sure how to alter it in order for the two to talk to each other??
---
### Author:  [@nathan99](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/nathan99)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2008, 3:51pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/targeting-a-variable-inside-a-mc/265296/2 "2008-07-07T15:51:59Z")
Take code off curtain\_mc and replace your timeline code with:
```auto
curtain_mc.stop();
// stop curtain_mc
curtain_mc.forward = false;
// set the variable "forward" on curtain_mx to false
function btnHandler():Void {
// btnHandler function
curtain_mc.forward = !curtain_mc.forward;
// alternate the forward variable on curtain_mc
}
curtain_mc.onEnterFrame = function():Void {
// curtain_mc's onEnterFrame functions
this[this.forward ? "nextFrame" : "prevFrame"]()
// if forward is true, go to the next frame, otherwise go to the previous frame
}
play_btn.onPress = btnHandler;
// on press of play_button call btnHandler
```
Is that what you mean?
---
### Author:  [@bovine](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/bovine)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2008, 4:03pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/targeting-a-variable-inside-a-mc/265296/3 "2008-07-07T16:03:07Z")
Wow! awesome! Bravo! Insert: Adjective meaning thank you and i’m impressed!
exactly what i wanted. and much less code.
so this line: thisthis.forward ? “nextFrame” : “prevFrame”
will have a movieclip go forward or backwards based on the ‘forward’ variable? Very Nice.
---
### Author:  [@glosrfc](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/glosrfc)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/targeting-a-variable-inside-a-mc/265296/4 "2008-07-07T16:09:28Z")
? : is a conditional operator.
condition **?** if true do this **:** if false do this
It’s just a shorthand way of writing your if/else statements. The key to making it work is the toggling of the forward variable between false and true using **=!**
---
### Author:  [@bovine](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/bovine)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/targeting-a-variable-inside-a-mc/265296/5 "2008-07-07T17:29:01Z")
One more quick question: now if i export this swf, and load it into another FLA like this:
createEmptyMovieClip(“curtain”,1);
curtain.\_x = 262;
curtain.\_y = 40;
loadMovie(“curtainOpening.swf”, curtain);
and now i want to target that btnHandler function I tried this:
my1\_btn.onRelease = function (){
myPlayer.contentPath = “ski3.flv”;
this.curtain.curtain\_mc.btnHandler;
}
but i got nothing? any suggestions?
thanks again for your help!!
---
### Author:  [@randomagain](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/randomagain)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2008, 7:19pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/targeting-a-variable-inside-a-mc/265296/6 "2008-07-07T19:19:33Z")
loadMovie(“curtainOpening.swf”, **DEPTH of loading in item** );
this.curtain.btnHandler
not
this.curtain.curtain.btnHandler
---
### Author:  [@stringy](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/stringy)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/targeting-a-variable-inside-a-mc/265296/7 "2008-07-07T19:49:25Z")
```auto
this.createEmptyMovieClip("curtain", 1);
curtain._x = 262;
curtain._y = 40;
curtain.loadMovie("curtainOpening.swf");
onEnterFrame = function () {
//check if variable exists
if (curtain.buttonHandler) {
delete this.onEnterFrame;
curtain.buttonHandler();
}
};
```