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the as3 code for the frame still runs even after I delete the child it is in...

I'm making a game where after you shoot a bullet, the bullet destroys itself at the end of its timeline. There is also an event on the main stage that resets the game by deleting all the objects, but if the game gets reset while a bullet is on the self destruct frame, it produces an error, because apparently even after the bullet has been destroyed, the code telling it to destory itself still runs, but it can't destroy itself because it no longer exists!! How can I fix this!

Below I have created a simplified version of my problem as an example so you can see it in action for yourself.

//This Code is in the first frame of the stage root.
while (numChildren!=0)
{
trace(this.numChildren+ " stage children.")
removeChildAt(this.numChildren-1);
      }
      trace(this.numChildren+ " stage children after deleting them all.")
      stop();

------------------------------------------

//On the stage are 4 MovieClip instances of "TestBox", "TestBox" has this code in the second frame.
MovieClip(parent).removeChild(this);
stop();

WHEN I RUN IT, THIS IS THE OUTPUT.
4 stage children.
3 stage children.
2 stage children.
1 stage children.
0 stage children after deleting them all.
TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.
      at test_fla::TestBox_1/test_fla::frame2()
TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.
      at test_fla::TestBox_1/test_fla::frame2()
TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.
      at test_fla::TestBox_1/test_fla::frame2()
TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.
      at test_fla::TestBox_1/test_fla::frame2()

Aneesh Chopra

I recommend to attach your source files for review, this will help to provide the quicker solution

cakepizza

ASKER

ok, I have attached a small fla file that basically is just the example code I posted above. It would not let me attach an fla file though, even in a zip folder, so I changed the file extension to .bmp. Just rename it back to .fla and check it out.

The goal is to get the first frame to REALLY delete the 4 boxes, so that their action script (which references themselves) will not run, because when the action script in the boxes run, it causes an error, since they are referencing themselves, which are supposed to no longer exist.
test.bmp

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Aneesh Chopra

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blue-genie

hello.
just wondering - the fact that on the maintimeline you're removing all the children, then in frame 2 of the children, you're saying remove this, but they're removed so you get a null reference?

cakepizza

ASKER

yes. The action script for the second frame of the children should not be running, because they are children that have been removed already. Looking at the solution, it seems that simply removing children is not enough to actually get rid of them. You also have to stop their timeline and set them to null manually.