Flash Prof. CS5 simple photo album/slideshow template

Question

I am trying to use the "simple photo album" template that comes with Flash Prof. CS5. I have it working except I want it to play by default. The actionscript that came with the template is below (in blue), but if I set var autoStart:Boolean = true; I get the following error and the controls do not work:
TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.
at nt_fla::MainTimeline/fl_startSlideShow()
at nt_fla::MainTimeline/frame1()
// USER CONFIG SETTINGS =====
var autoStart:Boolean = false; //true, false
var secondsDelay:Number = 2; // 1-60
// END USER CONFIG SETTINGS
// EVENTS =====
playPauseToggle_mc.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, fl_togglePlayPause);
function fl_togglePlayPause(evt:MouseEvent):void
if(playPauseToggle_mc.currentLabel == "play")
  fl_startSlideShow();
  playPauseToggle_mc.gotoAndStop("pause");
else if(playPauseToggle_mc.currentLabel == "pause")
  fl_pauseSlideShow();
  playPauseToggle_mc.gotoAndStop("play");
next_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, fl_nextButtonClick);
prev_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, fl_prevButtonClick);
function fl_nextButtonClick(evt:MouseEvent):void
fl_nextSlide();
function fl_prevButtonClick(evt:MouseEvent):void
fl_prevSlide();
var currentImageID:Number;
var slideshowTimer:Timer;
var appInit:Boolean;
function fl_slideShowNext(evt:TimerEvent):void
fl_nextSlide();
// END EVENTS
// FUNCTIONS AND LOGIC =====
function fl_pauseSlideShow():void
slideshowTimer.stop();
function fl_startSlideShow():void
slideshowTimer.start();
function fl_nextSlide():void
currentImageID++;
if(currentImageID >= totalFrames)
  currentImageID = 0;
gotoAndStop(currentImageID+1);
function fl_prevSlide():void
currentImageID--;
if(currentImageID < 0)
  currentImageID = totalFrames+1;
gotoAndStop(currentImageID-1);
if(autoStart == true)
   fl_startSlideShow();
   playPauseToggle_mc.gotoAndStop("pause");
} else {
  gotoAndStop(1);
function initApp(){
currentImageID = 0;
slideshowTimer = new Timer((secondsDelay*1000), 0);
slideshowTimer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER, fl_slideShowNext);
if(appInit != true){
initApp();
appInit = true;
// END FUNCTIONS AND LOGIC
Does anyone have any idea how to fix this so that the slideshow starts automatically and stops when the pause button is clicked?
Thanks,
Lisa

Answer 1

I finally got it to work, but had to edit the action script because it seemed to have a logic error. Here is the action script I finally used; maybe this will help you:
// USER CONFIG SETTINGS =====
var autoStart:Boolean = false; //true, false
var secondsDelay:Number = 3; // 1-60
// END USER CONFIG SETTINGS
// EVENTS =====
playPauseToggle_mc.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, fl_togglePlayPause);
function fl_togglePlayPause(evt:MouseEvent):void
if(playPauseToggle_mc.currentLabel == "play")
  fl_startSlideShow();
  playPauseToggle_mc.gotoAndStop("pause");
else if(playPauseToggle_mc.currentLabel == "pause")
  fl_pauseSlideShow();
  playPauseToggle_mc.gotoAndStop("play");
next_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, fl_nextButtonClick);
prev_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, fl_prevButtonClick);
function fl_nextButtonClick(evt:MouseEvent):void
if(playPauseToggle_mc.currentLabel == "pause")
  fl_pauseSlideShow();
  playPauseToggle_mc.gotoAndStop("play");
fl_nextSlide();
function fl_prevButtonClick(evt:MouseEvent):void
  fl_pauseSlideShow();
  playPauseToggle_mc.gotoAndStop("play");
fl_prevSlide();
var currentImageID:Number;
var slideshowTimer:Timer;
var appInit:Boolean;
function fl_slideShowNext(evt:TimerEvent):void
fl_nextSlide();
// END EVENTS
// FUNCTIONS AND LOGIC =====
function fl_pauseSlideShow():void
slideshowTimer.stop();
function fl_startSlideShow():void
slideshowTimer.start();
function fl_nextSlide():void
currentImageID++;
if(currentImageID > totalFrames)
  currentImageID = 1;
gotoAndStop(currentImageID);
function fl_prevSlide():void
currentImageID--;
if(currentImageID <= 0)
  currentImageID = totalFrames;
gotoAndStop(currentImageID);
if(autoStart == true)
   fl_startSlideShow();
   playPauseToggle_mc.gotoAndStop("pause");
} else {
  gotoAndStop(1);
function initApp(){
currentImageID = 0;
slideshowTimer = new Timer((secondsDelay*1000), 0);
slideshowTimer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER, fl_slideShowNext);
slideshowTimer.start();
    playPauseToggle_mc.gotoAndStop("pause");
if(appInit != true){
initApp();
appInit = true;
// END FUNCTIONS AND LOGIC