Remove / unload external swf file(s) from the main flash file and load a new swf file and garbage collection from memory.

Question

I can't seem to remove / unload the external swf files e.g when the carousel.swf (portfolio) is displayed and I press the about button the about content is overlapping the carousel (portfolio) . How can I remove / unload an external swf file from the main flash file and load a new swf file, while at the same time removing garbage collection from memory?
This is the error message(s) I am receiving: "TypeError: Error #2007: Parameter child must be non-null.
at flash.display::DisplayObjectContainer/removeChild()
at index_fla::MainTimeline/Down3()"
import nl.demonsters.debugger.MonsterDebugger;
var d:MonsterDebugger=new MonsterDebugger(this);
stage.scaleMode=StageScaleMode.NO_SCALE;
stage.align=StageAlign.TOP_LEFT;
stage.addEventListener(Event.RESIZE, resizeHandler);
// loader is the loader for portfolio page swf
var loader:Loader;
var loader2:Loader;
var loader3:Loader;
var loader1:Loader;
//  resize content
function resizeHandler(event:Event):void {
    // resizes portfolio page to center
loader.x = (stage.stageWidth - loader.width) * .5;
loader.y = (stage.stageHeight - loader.height) * .5;
// resizes about page to center
loader3.x = (stage.stageWidth - 482) * .5 - 260;
loader3.y = (stage.stageHeight - 492) * .5 - 140;
/*loader2.x = (stage.stageWidth - 658.65) * .5;
loader2.y = (stage.stageHeight - 551.45) * .5;*/
addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, onEnterFrame,false, 0, true);
function onEnterFrame(ev:Event):void {
var requesterb:URLRequest=new URLRequest("carouselLoader.swf");
loader = null;
loader = new Loader();
loader.name ="carousel1"
//adds gallery.swf to stage at begining of movie
loader.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(IOErrorEvent.IO_ERROR, ioError);
function ioError(event:IOErrorEvent):void {
trace(event);
try {
loader.load(requesterb);
} catch (error:SecurityError) {
trace(error);
addChild(loader);
loader.x = (stage.stageWidth - 739) * .5;
loader.y = (stage.stageHeight - 500) * .5;
// stop gallery.swf from duplication over and over again on enter frame
removeEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, onEnterFrame);
//PORTFOLIO BUTTON
//adds eventlistner so that gallery.swf can be loaded
MovieClip(root).nav.portfolio.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down, false, 0, true);
function Down(event:MouseEvent):void {
// re adds listener for contact.swf and about.swf
MovieClip(root).nav.info.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down1, false, 0, true);
MovieClip(root).nav.about.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down3, false, 0, true);
//unloads gallery.swf from enter frame if users presses portfolio button in nav
var requester:URLRequest=new URLRequest("carouselLoader.swf");
    loader = null;
loader = new Loader();
loader.name ="carousel"
loader.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(IOErrorEvent.IO_ERROR, ioError);
function ioError(event:IOErrorEvent):void {
trace(event);
try {
loader.load(requester);
} catch (error:SecurityError) {
trace(error);
addChild(loader);
loader.x = (stage.stageWidth - 739) * .5;
loader.y = (stage.stageHeight - 500) * .5;
removeChild( getChildByName("about") );
removeChild( getChildByName("carousel1") );
// remove eventlistner and prevents duplication of gallery.swf
MovieClip(root).nav.portfolio.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down);
//INFORMATION BUTTON
//adds eventlistner so that info.swf can be loaded
MovieClip(root).nav.info.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down1, false, 0, true);
function Down1(event:MouseEvent):void {
//this re-adds the EventListener for portfolio so that end user can view again if they wish.
MovieClip(root).nav.portfolio.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down, false, 0, true);
MovieClip(root).nav.about.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down3, false, 0, true);
var requester:URLRequest=new URLRequest("contactLoader.swf");
loader2 = null;
loader2 = new Loader();
loader2.name ="contact"
loader2.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(IOErrorEvent.IO_ERROR, ioError);
function ioError(event:IOErrorEvent):void {
trace(event);
try {
loader2.load(requester);
} catch (error:SecurityError) {
trace(error);
addChild(loader2);
loader2.x = (stage.stageWidth - 658.65) * .5;
loader2.y = (stage.stageHeight - 551.45) * .5;
// remove eventlistner and prevents duplication of info.swf
MovieClip(root).nav.info.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down1);
//ABOUT BUTTON
//adds eventlistner so that info.swf can be loaded
MovieClip(root).nav.about.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down3, false, 0, true);
function Down3(event:MouseEvent):void {
//this re-adds the EventListener for portfolio so that end user can view again if they wish.
MovieClip(root).nav.portfolio.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down, false, 0, true);
MovieClip(root).nav.info.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down1, false, 0, true);
var requester:URLRequest=new URLRequest("aboutLoader.swf");
loader3 = null;
loader3 = new Loader();
loader3.name ="about"
loader3.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(IOErrorEvent.IO_ERROR, ioError);
function ioError(event:IOErrorEvent):void {
trace(event);
try {
loader3.load(requester);
} catch (error:SecurityError) {
trace(error);
addChild(loader3);
loader3.x = (stage.stageWidth - 482) * .5 - 260;
loader3.y = (stage.stageHeight - 492) * .5 - 140;
removeChild( getChildByName("carousel") );
removeChild( getChildByName("carousel1") );
// remove eventlistner and prevents duplication of info.swf
MovieClip(root).nav.about.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down3);
stop();

Answer 1

Andrei1,
Thank you for the helpful advice. I made the changes as you suggested but I am receiving a #1009 error message even though my site is working the way I wan it to work. I would still like to fix the errors so that my site runs and error free. This is the error I am receiving:
"TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference."
I'm sure this is not the best method to unload loaders and I am guessing this is why I am receiving the following error message.
     loader.unload();
     loader2.unload();
     loader3.unload();
I also tried creating a function to unload the loader but received the same error message and my portfolio swf was not showing at all.
     function killLoad():void{
     try { loader.close(); loader2.close; loader3.close;} catch (e:*) {}
     loader.unload(); loader2.unload(); loader3.unload();
I have a question regarding suggestion you made to set Mouse Event to "null". What does this do setting the MouseEvent do exactly?  Also, since I've set the MouseEvent to null do I also have to set the loader to null? e.g.
---- Here is my updated code ----
// variable for external loaders
var loader:Loader;
var loader1:Loader;
var loader2:Loader;
var loader3:Loader;
// makes borders resize with browser size
function resizeHandler(event:Event):void {
// resizes portfolio page to center
     loader.x = (stage.stageWidth - loader.width) * .5;
     loader.y = (stage.stageHeight - loader.height) * .5;
// resizes about page to center
     loader3.x = (stage.stageWidth - 482) * .5 - 260;
     loader3.y = (stage.stageHeight - 492) * .5 - 140;
//adds gallery.swf to stage at begining of moviie
     Down();
//PORTFOLIO BUTTON
//adds eventlistner so that gallery.swf can be loaded
     MovieClip(root).nav.portfolio.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down, false, 0, true);
function Down(event:MouseEvent = null):void {
// re adds listener for contact.swf and about.swf
     MovieClip(root).nav.info.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down1, false, 0, true);
     MovieClip(root).nav.about.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down3, false, 0, true);
//unloads gallery.swf from enter frame if users presses portfolio button in nav
     var requester:URLRequest=new URLRequest("carouselLoader.swf");
     loader = new Loader();
     loader.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(IOErrorEvent.IO_ERROR, ioError);
     function ioError(event:IOErrorEvent):void {
     trace(event);
     try {
     loader.load(requester);
     } catch (error:SecurityError) {
     trace(error);
     this.addChild(loader);
     loader.x = (stage.stageWidth - 739) * .5;
     loader.y = (stage.stageHeight - 500) * .5;
// sure this is not the best way to do this - but it is unload external swfs
     loader.unload();
     loader2.unload();
     loader3.unload();
// remove eventlistner and prevents duplication of gallery.swf
     MovieClip(root).nav.portfolio.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down);
//INFORMATION BUTTON
     //adds eventlistner so that info.swf can be loaded
     MovieClip(root).nav.info.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down1, false, 0, true);
     function Down1(event:MouseEvent = null):void {
     //this re-adds the EventListener for portfolio so that end user can view again if they wish.
     MovieClip(root).nav.portfolio.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down, false, 0, true);
     MovieClip(root).nav.about.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down3, false, 0, true);
     var requester:URLRequest=new URLRequest("contactLoader.swf");
     loader2 = null;
     loader2 = new Loader();
     loader2.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(IOErrorEvent.IO_ERROR, ioError);    
     function ioError(event:IOErrorEvent):void {
     trace(event);
     try {
     loader2.load(requester);
}      catch (error:SecurityError) {
     trace(error);
     addChild(loader2);
     loader2.x = (stage.stageWidth - 658.65) * .5;
     loader2.y = (stage.stageHeight - 551.45) * .5;
loader.unload();
loader2.unload();
loader3.unload();
     // remove eventlistner and prevents duplication of info.swf
     MovieClip(root).nav.info.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down1);
//ABOUT BUTTON
     //adds eventlistner so that info.swf can be loaded
     MovieClip(root).nav.about.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down3, false, 0, true);
     function Down3(event:MouseEvent = null):void {
     //this re-adds the EventListener for portfolio so that end user can view again if they wish.
     MovieClip(root).nav.portfolio.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down, false, 0, true);
     MovieClip(root).nav.info.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down1, false, 0, true);
     var requester:URLRequest=new URLRequest("aboutLoader.swf");
     loader3 = null;
     loader3 = new Loader();
     loader3.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(IOErrorEvent.IO_ERROR, ioError);
     function ioError(event:IOErrorEvent):void {
     trace(event);
     try {
     loader3.load(requester);
}      catch (error:SecurityError) {
     trace(error);
     addChild(loader3);
     loader3.x = (stage.stageWidth - 482) * .5 - 260;
     loader3.y = (stage.stageHeight - 492) * .5 - 140;
     loader.unload();
     loader2.unload();
     loader3.unload();
     // remove eventlistner and prevents duplication of info.swf
     MovieClip(root).nav.about.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, Down3);
     stop();