How can I store info and attach it to a sprite???

package {
   import flash.display.*;
   
   public class ButtonClass extends Sprite {
   
      public var butValue:Sprite = "special value";
      public var toolTipText:String;
      
      public function whatever():void {
 
      }
   }
}
 
//In Flash :
 
var but:Sprite = new ButtonClass();
but.toolTipText = "tooltip text here...";

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package {
		
	import flash.display.*;
	import flash.text.*;
	import flash.events.Event;
	import flash.events.MouseEvent;
	
	public class CustomButton extends Sprite{
		
		private var _index:int = 0;
		
		private var _w:uint = 30; //default/start value
		private var _h:uint = 15; //default/start value
		private var _cornerRadius:uint = 0;//default/start value
		
		//if this is true the button width will expand
		//depending on amount of text
		private var _fixedWidth = true;
		private var _fixedHeight = true;
		
		//default texts for button states:
		private var _butTextArray:Array = ["Out Text", "Over Text", "Down Text"];
		//default colors for background: (out, over, down)
		private var _bgColorArray:Array = ["0x00FF00", "0x0000FF", "0xFF0000"];	
		
		//default styling for textfields:
		var _butTextFormatDef:TextFormat = new TextFormat();
		
		private var _butArray:Array;
		
		private var _butTextOut_txt:TextField;
		private var _butTextOver_txt:TextField;
		private var _butTextDown_txt:TextField;
		private var _butTextFormatArray:Array;
		
		//FIX IT:
		//this class needs a reference to the stage
		//(to listen for mouse ups on stage)
		public var _stage:Object;
		
		//for debug:
		private var _debugTraceEnabled:Boolean = false;
		private var _debugTraceStartText:String = "CLASS: CustomButton.as: ";
		
		public function CustomButton(stageReference:Object):void{
			//constructor			
			forceTrace("running constructor");
			_stage = stageReference;
			init();
			
		}//end constructor
		
		
		private function init():void{
			//set default values:
			forceTrace("method start: init()");
			
			_butArray = new Array();
			
			//set default styling for text labels:
			_butTextFormatDef.color = 0x000000;
			_butTextFormatDef.font = "Arial";
			_butTextFormatDef.size = 10;					
			//_butTextFormatDef.align = "center";
			_butTextFormatDef.align = "center";
		
			//as default, store the default textstyle for all 3 states:
			_butTextFormatArray = [_butTextFormatDef, _butTextFormatDef, _butTextFormatDef];
		}//end init()
		
		public function createButton(w:Number = 10000, h:Number=10000, cornerRadius:Number=10000):Sprite{
			//debug:
			debugTrace("method start: createButton");
			
			//if either of w, h, or cornerRadius come through as 10000
			//there was no value passed, so use default, or latest value passed
			(w == 10000)? w = _w: _w = w;
			(h == 10000)? h = _h: _h = h;
			(cornerRadius == 10000) ? cornerRadius = _cornerRadius : _cornerRadius = cornerRadius;
			
			var _tempButHolder:Sprite = new Sprite();
			//FIX IT:
			//is this index really necessary?
			
			_tempButHolder.name = "button" + String(_index);
			_index++;
			
			//create sprites for button holder and states:
			var butOut:Sprite = new Sprite();
			butOut.name = "butOut_sp";
			var butOver:Sprite = new Sprite();
			butOver.name = "butOver_sp";
			var butDown:Sprite = new Sprite();
			butDown.name = "butDown_sp";
			
			//add text for out state:
			_butTextOut_txt = createTextLabel(_butTextArray[0], _butTextFormatArray[0]);
			_butTextOut_txt.name = "_butTextOut_txt";
			butOut.addChild(_butTextOut_txt);
			
			//get width (either fixed, or adapted to text)
			_w = getWidthForBg(_butTextOut_txt);
			//draw Out (normal) state:
			var gOut:Object = butOut.graphics;				
			gOut.beginFill(_bgColorArray[0], 1);
			gOut.drawRoundRect(0, 0, _w, _h, _cornerRadius)
			gOut.endFill();
			
			//over:
			_butTextOver_txt = createTextLabel(_butTextArray[1], _butTextFormatArray[1]);
			_butTextOver_txt.name = "_butTextOver_txt";
			butOver.addChild(_butTextOver_txt);
			
			//get width (either fixed, or adapted to text)
			_w = getWidthForBg(_butTextOver_txt);
			
			//draw Over state:
			var gOver:Object = butOver.graphics;				
			gOver.beginFill(_bgColorArray[1], 1);
			gOver.drawRoundRect(0, 0, _w, _h, _cornerRadius);
			gOver.endFill();
			
			//down state
			_butTextDown_txt = createTextLabel(_butTextArray[2], _butTextFormatArray[2]);
			_butTextDown_txt.name = "_butTextDown_txt";
			butDown.addChild(_butTextDown_txt);
			
			//get width (either fixed, or adapted to text)
			_w = getWidthForBg(_butTextDown_txt);
			//draw Down state:
			var gDown:Object = butDown.graphics;				
			gDown.beginFill(_bgColorArray[2], 1);
			gDown.drawRoundRect(0, 0, _w, _h, _cornerRadius);
			gDown.endFill();
 
			_tempButHolder.addChild(butOut);
			_tempButHolder.addChild(butOver);
			_tempButHolder.addChild(butDown);
			
			//add event listeners to container:
			_tempButHolder.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OVER, mouseOverHandler, false, 0, true);
			_tempButHolder.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OUT, mouseOutHandler, false, 0, true);
			//we will add mouse up listener to stage, dont add to button holder
			//_butHolder.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, mouseUpHandler, false, 0, true);
			_tempButHolder.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, mouseDownHandler, false, 0, true);
			
			//hide all but the out (normal) state:
			changeButtonState(_tempButHolder, "start");
			
			//disable mouse-events for all children of container:
			_tempButHolder.mouseChildren = false;
			//this will make the hand cursor show etc:
			_tempButHolder.buttonMode = true;
			
			// HERE is where I want to store the info
			//and attach it to the _tempButHolder Sprite
			// HOW?
			
			_butArray.push(_tempButHolder);
			
			return _tempButHolder;
			
		}//end
		
		private function getVertCenterPos(itemToCenter){
			//get width of object:
			var newPos:Number = (_h/2) - (itemToCenter.height/2);
			return newPos;
			
		}//end
		
		private function createTextLabel(label_text:String, format_object:TextFormat = null):TextField{
			debugTrace("start: function createTextLabel()");
			
			var _tempTextField = new TextField();
			
			_tempTextField.defaultTextFormat = format_object;
			_tempTextField.autoSize = TextFieldAutoSize.LEFT;
			_tempTextField.selectable = false;
			
			_tempTextField.height = 1;
			_tempTextField.width = 1;
			_tempTextField.text = label_text;
			
			if (_fixedWidth){
				if (_tempTextField.width > _w){
					//the texfield width is bigger than button, 
					//let user know clipping may occur:
					debugTrace("textfield width too wide for button, some clipping may occur");
				}
				_tempTextField.width = _w;
				_tempTextField.wordWrap = true;
				_tempTextField.multiline = true;
			}
			if (_fixedHeight){
				if (_tempTextField.height > _h){
				//the texfield has become bigger than the button size,
				//let user know clipping will occur:
				debugTrace("textfield height too high for button, some clipping may occur");
				//turn off autosize:
				_tempTextField.autoSize = TextFieldAutoSize.NONE;
				}
				//cut the textfield down to size:
				_tempTextField.height = _h;
			}
			//position correctly vertically in middle:
			_tempTextField.y = getVertCenterPos(_tempTextField);
						
			return _tempTextField;
		}
		
		private function mouseOutHandler(evt:MouseEvent):void{
			debugTrace("mouseOutHandler: " + evt.target.name + ", mouse out");			
			changeButtonState(evt.target, "out");
			_stage.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, mouseUpHandler);
		}//end
		
		private function mouseOverHandler(evt:MouseEvent):void{
			debugTrace("mouseOverHandler: " + evt.target.name + ", mouse over");	
			changeButtonState(evt.target, "over");
			
		}//end
		
		private function mouseDownHandler(evt:MouseEvent):void{
			debugTrace("mouseDownHandler: " + evt.target.name + ", mouse down");	
			//evt.target.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OVER, mouseOverHandler);
			changeButtonState( evt.target, "down" );
			
			//*********************************
			//This is where I want to add the listener to the stage like so for example:
			//FIX IT: this uses a reference to the stage passed into the classe when running constructor
			//remove the need for the reference (somehow...), and instead find the stage from the class
			_stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, mouseUpHandler, false, 0, true);
			
		}//end
		
		private function mouseUpHandler(evt:MouseEvent):void{
			debugTrace("mouseUpHandler: " + evt.target.name + ", mouse up");	
			changeButtonState( evt.target, "up" );
		}//end
		
		private function changeButtonState(target:*, currentState:String){
			
			var debugStart:String = "changeButtonState() ";
			
			switch (currentState){
				case "start":
					debugTrace(debugStart + "start");
					target.getChildByName("butOut_sp").visible = 1;
					target.getChildByName("butOver_sp").visible = 0;
					target.getChildByName("butDown_sp").visible = 0;
					break;
				
				case "out":
					debugTrace(debugStart + "out");
					target.getChildByName("butOut_sp").visible = 1;
					target.getChildByName("butOver_sp").visible = 0;
					target.getChildByName("butDown_sp").visible = 0;
					break;
				
				case "over":
					debugTrace(debugStart + "over");
					target.getChildByName("butOut_sp").visible = 0;
					target.getChildByName("butOver_sp").visible = 1;
					break;
					
				case "down":
					debugTrace(debugStart + "down");
					target.getChildByName("butDown_sp").visible = true;
					target.getChildByName("butOver_sp").visible = false;
					break;
					
				case "up":
					debugTrace(debugStart + "up");
					target.getChildByName("butDown_sp").visible = false;
					target.getChildByName("butOver_sp").visible = true;
					break;
			}//end switch
			
		}//end hideShowStates		
		
		private function getWidthForBg(txtField:TextField):Number{
			
			if (_fixedWidth){
				return _w;
			} else {
				_w = txtField.width;
				return _w;
			}
			
		}//end function
		
		
 
		
		///////////////////////////////////////////////////
		// Setters and Getters
		//////////////////////////////////////////////////
		public function set bgColorArray(bgColorArray:Array){
			//pass an array containing 3 strings into this function
			//sets up the text for the labels to be used
			
			//presume that there might be errors in array:
			var errorArray:Array = new Array();
			
			//check for errors in array, all items must be strings:
			for each (var item in bgColorArray){
				if (item is String){
					//everything is ok, dont do anything
				} else {
					debugTrace("set bgColorArray: rejecting butTextArray, all items have to be String type!");
					debugTrace("set bgColorArray: the faulty item was: "+item);
					errorArray.push(1);
				}
			}
			
			if (errorArray.length == 0) {
				//check length of passed array:
				switch (bgColorArray.length){
					case 1:
						//use the same label for all states:
						_bgColorArray[0] = bgColorArray[0];
						_bgColorArray[1] = bgColorArray[0];
						_bgColorArray[2] = bgColorArray[0];
						break;
					case 2:
						//use the same label for over and down
						_bgColorArray[0] = bgColorArray[0];
						_bgColorArray[1] = bgColorArray[1];
						_bgColorArray[2] = bgColorArray[1];
						break;
					case 3:
						//use different labels for out, over, down:
						//just equate the arrays:
						_bgColorArray = bgColorArray;	
						break;
					default:
						//if no cases above matched, it means array is no good:
						debugTrace("Error: set bgColorArray: Rejecting butTextArray.");
						debugTrace("Error: set bgColorArray: Length of butTextArray was " + bgColorArray.length);
						debugTrace("Error: set bgColorArray: It needs to be betw. 1 and 3");
						break;
				}//end switch
			}//end if
				
		}//end function set
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		public function set butTextArray(butTextArray:Array){
			//pass an array containing 3 strings into this function
			//sets up the text for the labels to be used
			
			//presume that there might be errors in array:
			var errorArray:Array = new Array();
			
			//check for errors in array, all items must be strings:
			for each (var item in butTextArray){
				if (item is String){
					//everything is ok, dont do anything
				} else {
					debugTrace("set butTextArray: rejecting butTextArray, all items have to be String type!");
					debugTrace("set butTextArray: the faulty item was: "+item);
					errorArray.push(1);
				}
			}
			
			if (errorArray.length == 0) {
				//check length of passed array:
				switch (butTextArray.length){
					case 1:
						//use the same label for all states:
						_butTextArray[0] = butTextArray[0];
						_butTextArray[1] = butTextArray[0];
						_butTextArray[2] = butTextArray[0];
						break;
					case 2:
						//use the same label for over and down
						_butTextArray[0] = butTextArray[0];
						_butTextArray[1] = butTextArray[1];
						_butTextArray[2] = butTextArray[1];
						break;
					case 3:
						//use different labels for out, over, down:
						//just equate the arrays:
						_butTextArray = butTextArray;	
						break;
					default:
						//if no cases above matched, it means array is no good:
						debugTrace("Error: set butTextArray: Rejecting butTextArray.");
						debugTrace("Error: set butTextArray: Length of butTextArray was " + butTextArray.length);
						debugTrace("Error: set butTextArray: It needs to be betw. 1 and 3");
						break;
				}//end switch
			}//end if
				
		}//end function set
		
		public function set butTextFormatArray(butTextFormatArray:Array):void{
			//presume that there might be errors in array:
			var errorArray:Array = new Array();
			
			//check for errors in array, all items must be objects:
			for each (var item in butTextFormatArray){
				if (item is TextFormat){
					//everything is ok, do nothing
				} else {
					debugTrace("set butTextFormatArray: rejecting butTextFormatArray, does not contain TextFormat Objects!");
					debugTrace("set butTextFormatArray: the faulty item was: "+item);
					errorArray.push(1);
				}
			}
			
			if (errorArray.length == 0) {
				//check length of passed array:
				switch (butTextFormatArray.length){
					case 1:
						//use the same style for all states:
						_butTextFormatArray[0] = butTextFormatArray[0];
						_butTextFormatArray[1] = butTextFormatArray[0];
						_butTextFormatArray[2] = butTextFormatArray[0];
						break;
					case 2:
						//use the same style for up and over, different for down
						_butTextFormatArray[0] = butTextFormatArray[0];
						_butTextFormatArray[1] = butTextFormatArray[0];
						_butTextFormatArray[2] = butTextFormatArray[1];
						break;
					case 3:
						//use different labels for out, over, down:
						//just equate the arrays:
						_butTextFormatArray = butTextFormatArray;	
						break;
					default:
						//if no cases above matched, it means array is no good:
						debugTrace("Error: set butTextFormatArray: Rejecting butTextFormatArray.");
						debugTrace("Error: set butTextFormatArray: Length of butTextFormatArray was " + butTextFormatArray.length);
						debugTrace("Error: set butTextFormatArray: It needs to be betw. 1 and 3");
						break;
					
				}//end switch
			}//end if errorArray.length
		}//end function
		
		/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
		// For debugging:
		/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
		
		private function debugTrace(textToTrace:String){
			if (_debugTraceEnabled){
				trace(_debugTraceStartText + textToTrace);
			}//end if
		}//end debugtrace
		
		private function forceTrace(textToTrace:String){
			//this function will always trace, 
			//does not consider _debugTraceEnabled
				trace(_debugTraceStartText + textToTrace);
		}//end forcetrace
		
		private function onlyTrace(textToTrace:String){
			if (_debugTraceEnabled){
				_debugTraceEnabled = false;
				forceTrace(_debugTraceStartText +"_debugTraceEnabled = " + _debugTraceEnabled);
			}//end if
				forceTrace(_debugTraceStartText + textToTrace);
		}//end debugtrace
		
		public function set debugTraceEnabled(debugTraceEnabled:Boolean):void{
			_debugTraceEnabled = debugTraceEnabled;
			forceTrace("_debugTraceEnabled = " + _debugTraceEnabled);
			if (!_debugTraceEnabled){
				forceTrace("Tracing of debug messages will now stop.");
			}
		}
		
		public function get debugTraceEnabled():Boolean{
			return _debugTraceEnabled;
		}
		
	}//end class	
	
}//end package

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