Class variables don't exist at initialize() time?

Question

Excerpt of Slam.mxml (default package):
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<s:Application xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009"
                  xmlns:s="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/spark"
                  xmlns:mx="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/mx"
                  xmlns:components="components.*"
                  minWidth="955" minHeight="600" width="1000" height="720"
                  initialize="Initialize()"
                  creationPolicy="auto">
     <fx:Script>
          <![CDATA[
               protected function Initialize():void
                    Global.app = this;
          ]]>
     </fx:Script>
</s:Application>
Excerpt of Global.mxml (default package):
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<fx:Object xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009"
             xmlns:s="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/spark"
             xmlns:mx="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/mx">
     <fx:Script>
          <![CDATA[
               public static var app:Slam = null;
          ]]>
     </fx:Script>
</fx:Object>
When I run the app I get an error in Initialize() because Global is null.  Global is a class name and Global.app is a class variable, a static.  How can they not exist at initialize time?  Suggestions for how to deal with this?  Thanks.

Answer 1

No, running just these files doesn't exhibit the issue for me.  I'm using Flex 4.1.  However, I was able to come up with a minimal set of files that does show the problem.  Slam.mxml is the same as before.  Global.mxml becomes:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<fx:Object xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009"
     xmlns:s="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/spark"
     xmlns:mx="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/mx">
     <fx:Script>
          <![CDATA[
               public static var app:Slam = null;
               public static const WIDGET_COLOR:uint = 0x987654;
               public static var widgets:Widgets = new Widgets();
          ]]>
     </fx:Script>
</fx:Object>
and add an additional file, Widgets.as:
package
     public class Widgets
         public function Widgets()
              wColor = Global.WIDGET_COLOR;
         protected var wColor:int;
This blows up with Global == null at the wColor initialization in Widgets.as.  I suspect there is some sort of chicken-and-egg issue going on here.  That Global isn't fully setup until it has initialized its widgets member, but initializing the widgets member needs Global fully setup.
Moving the initialization of the widgets member to a separate Initialize function in Global, called from Slam.Initialize(), fixes the problem.