LastResult Scope in Private Functions?

Question

The code for my app is below. I can access the data in
lastResult fine if I do the HTTPService.send() ourside of my
private function and also access lastResult outside of my private
function, however if I put the HTTPService.send() call inside my
private function I get "cannot access property of null object"
error and traces show lastResult is null. Any idea on what's
happening? My ASP page DOES return data so the null isn't a result
of no data being returned. Thanks.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<mx:Application xmlns:mx="
http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml"
layout="absolute">
<mx:Model id="paramModel">
<root>
<offeringName>Math 101</offeringName>
</root>
</mx:Model>
<mx:Script>
<![CDATA[
private function render():void{
myHTTPData.send(paramModel);
debug.text = myHTTPData.lastResult.offeringName[0];
]]>
</mx:Script>
<mx:HTTPService id="myHTTPData" method="GET"
url="
http://myServer/myASPPage.asp"
//contains actual valid URL in my version
resultFormat="e4x">
</mx:HTTPService>
<mx:Form width="819">
<mx:Button x="178" y="10" label="Button"
click="render();"/>
<mx:TextInput id="offeringName" x="10" y="10"/>
</mx:Form>
<mx:TextArea x="10" y="223" id="debug" width="712"
height="159" fontFamily="Courier New" fontSize="10" color="#4a29b4"
fontWeight="bold"/>
</mx:Application>

Answer 1

You need to listen for the result of your HTTPService call
and assign the returned value to your debug.text in that function.
You cannot call a HTTPService and assign the result in the same
function because Flex only supports asynchronous calls.
<mx:HTTPService id="myHTTPData" method="GET"
url="
http://myServer/myASPPage.asp"
//contains actual valid URL in my version
resultFormat="e4x" result="offeringResult(event)"">
</mx:HTTPService>
private function offeringResult(evt:ResultEvent):void {
debug.text = evt.result.offeringName[0];
Vygo