.hittest not finding target

Question

i have a game in which the character shoots bullets and kills enemies and whatnot. Now, i am trying to get the bullet to disappear when it collides with a wall. here is the concerned script:
_root['B'+bulletID].onEnterFrame = function() {
  this._x += this.xvel;
  this._y += this.yvel;
  if (this._x<0 || this._y<0 || this._x>550 || this._y>400) {            when it goes out of bounds
   this.removeMovieClip(this);
  if(this.hitTest(_root.wall_mc)) {                                  when it hits the wall ( i am using a trace to test a collision)
  trace("HIT");
  if(this.hitTest(_root.BAD)) {                                 when it hits the enemy
   trace("HIT");
when the bullet goes out of bounds, the bullet disappears, but when it hits the enemy or wall, it seems that the collision is not detected. I have checked each instance name and linkage, but have so far come up with nothing. any help is appreciated!

Answer 1

here is the whole code i am working with (on an actions frame on the timeline)
onMouseDown = function () {
var bulletID:Number = Math.random();
_root.attachMovie('B', 'B'+bulletID, _root.getNextHighestDepth());
_root['B'+bulletID]._x = Hero_mc._x;
_root['B'+bulletID]._y = Hero_mc._y;
_root['B'+bulletID].xvel = 30*(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].yvel = 30*(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].onEnterFrame = function() {
  this._x += this.xvel;
  this._y += this.yvel;
  if (this._x<0 || this._y<0 || this._x>550 || this._y>400) {
   this.removeMovieClip();
  if(this.hitTest._root.wall_mc+" "+_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" : "+_root.BAD+" "+_root.BAD._width+" "+_root.BAD._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel);
     trace("HIT");                                             this is messing up
if (this.hitTest(_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
if (this.hitTest(_root.BAD)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
}onMouseDown = function () {
var bulletID:Number = Math.random();
_root.attachMovie('B', 'B'+bulletID, _root.getNextHighestDepth());
_root['B'+bulletID]._x = Hero_mc._x;
_root['B'+bulletID]._y = Hero_mc._y;
_root['B'+bulletID].xvel = 30*(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].yvel = 30*(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].onEnterFrame = function() {
  this._x += this.xvel;
  this._y += this.yvel;
  if (this._x<0 || this._y<0 || this._x>550 || this._y>400) {
   this.removeMovieClip();
  if(this.hitTest._root.wall_mc+" "+_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" : "+_root.BAD+" "+_root.BAD._width+" "+_root.BAD._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel);
     trace("HIT");
if (this.hitTest(_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
if (this.hitTest(_root.BAD)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
};onMouseDown = function () {
var bulletID:Number = Math.random();
_root.attachMovie('B', 'B'+bulletID, _root.getNextHighestDepth());
_root['B'+bulletID]._x = Hero_mc._x;
_root['B'+bulletID]._y = Hero_mc._y;
_root['B'+bulletID].xvel = 30*(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].yvel = 30*(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].onEnterFrame = function() {
  this._x += this.xvel;
  this._y += this.yvel;
  if (this._x<0 || this._y<0 || this._x>550 || this._y>400) {
   this.removeMovieClip();
  if(this.hitTest._root.wall_mc+" "+_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" : "+_root.BAD+" "+_root.BAD._width+" "+_root.BAD._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel);
     trace("HIT");
if (this.hitTest(_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
if (this.hitTest(_root.BAD)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
};onMouseDown = function () {
var bulletID:Number = Math.random();
_root.attachMovie('B', 'B'+bulletID, _root.getNextHighestDepth());
_root['B'+bulletID]._x = Hero_mc._x;
_root['B'+bulletID]._y = Hero_mc._y;
_root['B'+bulletID].xvel = 30*(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].yvel = 30*(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].onEnterFrame = function() {
  this._x += this.xvel;
  this._y += this.yvel;
  if (this._x<0 || this._y<0 || this._x>550 || this._y>400) {
   this.removeMovieClip();
  if(this.hitTest._root.wall_mc+" "+_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" : "+_root.BAD+" "+_root.BAD._width+" "+_root.BAD._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel);
     trace("HIT");
if (this.hitTest(_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
if (this.hitTest(_root.BAD)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
};onMouseDown = function () {
var bulletID:Number = Math.random();
_root.attachMovie('B', 'B'+bulletID, _root.getNextHighestDepth());
_root['B'+bulletID]._x = Hero_mc._x;
_root['B'+bulletID]._y = Hero_mc._y;
_root['B'+bulletID].xvel = 30*(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].yvel = 30*(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].onEnterFrame = function() {
  this._x += this.xvel;
  this._y += this.yvel;
  if (this._x<0 || this._y<0 || this._x>550 || this._y>400) {
   this.removeMovieClip();
  if(this.hitTest._root.wall_mc+" "+_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" : "+_root.BAD+" "+_root.BAD._width+" "+_root.BAD._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel);
     trace("HIT");
if (this.hitTest(_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
if (this.hitTest(_root.BAD)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
};onMouseDown = function () {
var bulletID:Number = Math.random();
_root.attachMovie('B', 'B'+bulletID, _root.getNextHighestDepth());
_root['B'+bulletID]._x = Hero_mc._x;
_root['B'+bulletID]._y = Hero_mc._y;
_root['B'+bulletID].xvel = 30*(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].yvel = 30*(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].onEnterFrame = function() {
  this._x += this.xvel;
  this._y += this.yvel;
  if (this._x<0 || this._y<0 || this._x>550 || this._y>400) {
   this.removeMovieClip();
  if(this.hitTest._root.wall_mc+" "+_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" : "+_root.BAD+" "+_root.BAD._width+" "+_root.BAD._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel);
     trace("HIT");
if (this.hitTest(_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
if (this.hitTest(_root.BAD)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
};onMouseDown = function () {
var bulletID:Number = Math.random();
_root.attachMovie('B', 'B'+bulletID, _root.getNextHighestDepth());
_root['B'+bulletID]._x = Hero_mc._x;
_root['B'+bulletID]._y = Hero_mc._y;
_root['B'+bulletID].xvel = 30*(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].yvel = 30*(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].onEnterFrame = function() {
  this._x += this.xvel;
  this._y += this.yvel;
  if (this._x<0 || this._y<0 || this._x>550 || this._y>400) {
   this.removeMovieClip();
  if(this.hitTest._root.wall_mc+" "+_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" : "+_root.BAD+" "+_root.BAD._width+" "+_root.BAD._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel);
     trace("HIT");
if (this.hitTest(_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
if (this.hitTest(_root.BAD)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
};onMouseDown = function () {
var bulletID:Number = Math.random();
_root.attachMovie('B', 'B'+bulletID, _root.getNextHighestDepth());
_root['B'+bulletID]._x = Hero_mc._x;
_root['B'+bulletID]._y = Hero_mc._y;
_root['B'+bulletID].xvel = 30*(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].yvel = 30*(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].onEnterFrame = function() {
  this._x += this.xvel;
  this._y += this.yvel;
  if (this._x<0 || this._y<0 || this._x>550 || this._y>400) {
   this.removeMovieClip();
  if(this.hitTest._root.wall_mc+" "+_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" : "+_root.BAD+" "+_root.BAD._width+" "+_root.BAD._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel);
     trace("HIT");
if (this.hitTest(_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
if (this.hitTest(_root.BAD)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
};onMouseDown = function () {
var bulletID:Number = Math.random();
_root.attachMovie('B', 'B'+bulletID, _root.getNextHighestDepth());
_root['B'+bulletID]._x = Hero_mc._x;
_root['B'+bulletID]._y = Hero_mc._y;
_root['B'+bulletID].xvel = 30*(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].yvel = 30*(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].onEnterFrame = function() {
  this._x += this.xvel;
  this._y += this.yvel;
  if (this._x<0 || this._y<0 || this._x>550 || this._y>400) {
   this.removeMovieClip();
  if(this.hitTest._root.wall_mc+" "+_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" : "+_root.BAD+" "+_root.BAD._width+" "+_root.BAD._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel);
     trace("HIT");
if (this.hitTest(_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
if (this.hitTest(_root.BAD)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
};onMouseDown = function () {
var bulletID:Number = Math.random();
_root.attachMovie('B', 'B'+bulletID, _root.getNextHighestDepth());
_root['B'+bulletID]._x = Hero_mc._x;
_root['B'+bulletID]._y = Hero_mc._y;
_root['B'+bulletID].xvel = 30*(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].yvel = 30*(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].onEnterFrame = function() {
  this._x += this.xvel;
  this._y += this.yvel;
  if (this._x<0 || this._y<0 || this._x>550 || this._y>400) {
   this.removeMovieClip();
  if(this.hitTest._root.wall_mc+" "+_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" : "+_root.BAD+" "+_root.BAD._width+" "+_root.BAD._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel);
     trace("HIT");
if (this.hitTest(_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
if (this.hitTest(_root.BAD)) {
  this.removeMovieClip();
};onMouseDown = function () {
var bulletID:Number = Math.random();
_root.attachMovie('B', 'B'+bulletID, _root.getNextHighestDepth());
_root['B'+bulletID]._x = Hero_mc._x;
_root['B'+bulletID]._y = Hero_mc._y;
_root['B'+bulletID].xvel = 30*(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].yvel = 30*(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y)/(Math.abs(_xmouse-Hero_mc._x)+Math.abs(_ymouse-Hero_mc._y));
_root['B'+bulletID].onEnterFrame = function() {
  this._x += this.xvel;
  this._y += this.yvel;
  if (this._x<0 || this._y<0 || this._x>550 || this._y>400) {
   this.removeMovieClip();
  if(this.hitTest._root.wall_mc+" "+_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" : "+_root.BAD+" "+_root.BAD._width+" "+_root.BAD._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel);
     trace("HIT");
if (this.hitTest(_root.wall_mc._width+" "+_root.wall_mc._height+" "+this.xvel+" "+this.yvel)) {                    Trying to get this to work
  this.removeMovieClip();
if (this.hitTest(_root.BAD)) {                             and this
  this.removeMovieClip();
For some reason, a "HIT" is now being detected no matter where i shoot the bullet. I need to limit that "HIT" area to the wall/enemy.