# Turn a string into a movieClipInstanceName that exists within a known movieclip

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/turn-a-string-into-a-movieclipinstancename-that-exists-within-a-known-movieclip/289818>\
**Category:** flash\
**Created:** [June 5, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/turn-a-string-into-a-movieclipinstancename-that-exists-within-a-known-movieclip/289818 "2009-06-05T02:32:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bsyapril88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bsyapril88](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/bsyapril88)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/turn-a-string-into-a-movieclipinstancename-that-exists-within-a-known-movieclip/289818/1 "2009-06-05T02:32:28Z")

</div>

I found this code to turn strings into a movieClipInstanceName.

```auto

// CREATE THE STRING 
var newString:String = "movieClipInstanceName"; 

//CHANGE THE ALPHA OF THE MOVIECLIP TO 0 
this[newString].alpha = 0;

```

However, when using this code for a movieclip within a known movieclip…

```auto

mc1.this[newString].alpha = 0;

```

…or…

```auto

this["mc1"].this[newString].alpha = 0;

```

…I get this error…

1084: Syntax error: expecting identifier before this.

This…

```auto

this["mc1." + newString].alpha = 0;

```

…throws this error…

Error #1010: A term is undefined and has no properties.

Is there a workaround that I am missing?

Thanks.