How do I get Flash to recognize my TextInput from class?

Question

Hi -
I'm trying to write a class for a standard input form. I've
got a movieclip in the library and have linked it to this class.
(class included below.)
This movieclip contains several text inputs which I have
declared in my class file. I can get their ._x and ._y values, but
I can't assign to the .text value of the TextInput. Nor can I read
this value when I set it in the parameters tab in flash. It just
comes up as undefined.
It's as though flash does not recognize the instance that was
placed on the stage in the authoring environement as a TextInput. I
can trace out the instance, but Flash does not treat it as a
TextInput because I can not assign a string to the .text property.
If I instantiate the TextInput in my class file and then
position it on the stage - I can assign to it. But this is not as
practical because I can not lay things out visually in Flash. How
do I get Flash to recognize my TextInput instance on the stage from
a class file?
Thanks in advance!
import mx.controls.TextInput;
import mini.slide.*;
class mini.slide.InfoCollect extends Slide{
var first:TextInput;
var testInput:TextInput;
var last:TextInput;
var email:TextInput;
var address:TextInput;
var city:TextInput;
var zip:TextInput;
var phone:TextInput;
function InfoCollect(){
trace("InfoCollect created");
this.first = new TextInput();
this.first.text = "testing";
trace("this.first = " + this.first.text);
}

Answer 1

Since you are putting the assignment and trace statements in
the Constructor function, it is possible that the textInput boxes
have not all yet loaded. So, when you are trying to assign values
to them, they are not present on the stage.
Put your code in an onLoad function. That way you can insure
that all components have loaded before you assign values to them.
The onLoad function will be called when the "onLoad" event is
triggered after all of your movieclip has loaded.
function onLoad() {
---your code here---
}