Cannot call functions with this[]

Question

Hello,
I'm in trouble because I need to call functions from MCs with
a variable
name.
I tried to use this[] that should do the trick, but it
doesn't.
Here's what I did in code to try to debug :
- trace what's inside the this[]
- the actual this[]
- a cut and paste of the above trace() with the function call
Of course, both "hardcoded" calls work..; what am I doing
wrong ?
Here's the code :
trace(_parent + "." + buttonName);
trace("_parent." + buttonName);
this[_parent + "." + buttonName].setBtnState("test1");
this["_parent." + buttonName].setBtnState("test2");
_parent.mcBtn1.setBtnState("test3");
_level0.mcInt.mcBtn1.setBtnState("test4");
What am I supposed to feed this[] with ? Path as a string ?
Thanks in advance.
PJ

Answer 1

What you need to feed the array operator is a string or a
variable that can be resolved to a string. And that string needs to
be the sole name of an instance or property of something that can
be found in that object.
So the reason the ones with the "_parent.mcMe" didn't work is
because there is no object with the name "_parent.mcMe" inside of
this. There is a _parent object and inside the parent object there
is an mcMe, but that isn't the same thing.So you need to pick out
the path one item at a time.
this["_parent"]["mcMe"]["testMe"]();
Should also work. And any of those string litterals could be
replaced by a variable which held a string as well. Also notice
that the function at the end can also be referenced since you are
looking inside the mcMe object for some object with a name of
testMe. But the parens which call the function need to be outside
the array access because they aren't part of the name of the
object.