How do I assign images to grid cells based on their random number value?

Question

Hello everyone!
     I need a good point (or shove) in the correct direction.
Background
     I've created (with previous help from this forum) a 12 x 9 random number grid which cycles through the numbers 1 to 9 a total of twelve times each. I've then created a button which shuffles the current grid's cells each time it is clicked. I now want to use 9 images that I have imported as individual symbols into the library (I have given them each their own class titled "skin1," "skin2," ... "skin9") as cell labels or the equivalent. I have also set the images up as individual movie clips (using the .Sprite class as the extended base class but keeping the actual image class names in line with their object name, i.e. the "skin1" image is the "skin1.as" class).
Question
     How do I assign these images to the grid cells based on their respective values (ranging from 1 to 9) and have them populate the grid each time I click the "shuffle" button? So for example, in my grid the numbers 1 through 9 randomly appear 12 times each. Every time the number 4 appears in a cell, I want it to be assigned to the image "skin4" (which is just a graphic that looks like a button and has a fancy number "4" printed on it). Below is a chunk of the code I am using to draw the grid cells with:
// Creates a grid cell when called by generateGrid().
private funciton drawCell(_numeral:int):Sprite
          This is the code I am currently implementing to populate the grids with (although I
          don't want to use text labels as I want to fill each grid with an image according
          to its numerical value (1 to 9).
     var _label:TextField = new TextField();
     _label.multiline = _label.wordWrap = false;
     _label.autoSize = "center";
     _label.text = String(_numeral);
     // Add numerical label to cell array.
     cellLabels.push(_label);
     var _s:Sprite = new Sprite();
     _s.graphics.lineStyle(2, 0x019000);
     _s.graphics.drawRect(30, 0, cellW, CellH);
     _s.addChild(_label);
     return _s;
     While the following isn't working code, it will hopefully demonstrate what I want to achieve inside this function so I don't have to use the above snippet for text labels:
     //This will "hopefully" create an array of all 9 images by calling their classes.      var _imageArray:Array = [skin1, skin2, skin3, skin4, skin5 , skin6, skin7, skin8, skin9];      // This is what I want to happen for each cell using the above image array:      for (i = 0; i < cells; i++)      {           if (_numeral == 1)           {                // Insert skin1 image for each instance of #1 in the grid.           }           if (_numeral == 2)           {                // Insert skin2 image for each instance of #2 in the grid.           }           ...           if (_numeral == 9)           {                // Insert skin9 image for each instance of #9 in the grid.           }      } 
     Again, I don't want to use text labels. I have a custom skin graphic that I want to go over each number on the grid based on its numerical value (1 to 9). Any help with this is much appreciated!

Answer 1

kglad,
     Thank you for your help with this one. Using the code below, I have successfully populated my grid cells with the desired corresponding graphics. I noticed one thing though regarding my use of the shuffle button with this particular implementation: even though the numerical values residing in each cell get shuffled, the original images remain in the grid rather than being replaced by new ones. The first code snippet below is the revised cell drawing function including your help; the second snippet shows you my simple shuffle button function (where the problem lies, I think).
Snippet #1:
     // Creates a grid cell when called by generateGrid().
     private function drawCell(_numeral:int):Sprite
          var _label:TextField = new TextField();
          _label.multiline = _label.wordWrap = false;
          _label.autoSize = "center";
          // Creates a label that represents the numerical value of the cell.
          cellLabels.push(_label);
          var _s:Sprite = new Sprite();
          _s.graphics.lineStyle(2, 0x019000);
          _s.graphics.drawRect(30, 0, cellW, cellH);
          // Physically adds the labels to the grid.
          _s.addChild(_label);
          // Assigns a graphic class to a cell based on its numerical value.
          var _classRef:Class = Class(getDefinitionByName("skin" + _numeral));
          // Undefined variable for holding graphic classes.
          var _image:* = new _classRef();
          // Lines the images up with the grid cells.
          _image.x = 30;
          // Physically adds a graphic on top of a cell label.
          _s.addChild(_image);
          return _s;
     So far so good (although I question needing text labels at all if they are just going to remain invisible underneath the images, but enough about that for now). This next part is the reason that the images won't shuffle with the cell values, I think.
Snippet #2:
     // When shuffleButton is clicked, this event shuffles
     // the number array and fills the cellLabels with the new values.
     private function onButtonShuffleClick(e:MouseEvent):void
          // Shuffles the number array.
          shuffle(numbers);
          // Verifies the array has been shuffled.
          trace("After shuffle:", numbers);
          // Loop replaces old cellLabels with new number array values.
          for (var i:int = 0; i < cells; i++)
               cellLabels[i].text = String(numbers[i]);
     As you can see, it never replaces the original images that populate the grid. I tried using the _s.removeChild(image) function but that didn't work, nor would copying/pasting some of the code from snippet #1 directly into this function as it would cause another instance of the images to be placed over top of the existing ones rather than actually swapping them out. Any continued help here is greatly appreciated!
     PS Is there a quicker method for posting code into these forums without having to type it all out by hand again (i.e. copy/paste or drag/drop from my .fla or Notepad file directly into this thread)?