RemoveMovieClip() problems

Question

I'm having trouble with removing a movie clip. This is the
area of code in question:
_root.ContentContainer.swapDepths(0);
removeMovieClip(_root.ContentContainer);
_root.createEmptyMovieClip("ContentContainer",
_root.getNextHighestDepth());
buildQuestion(questionNum);
The "ContentContainer" movie clip conains all of the content
on the stage with exception of the menu. When you click on a menu
button, I want any content cleared and rebuilt. This bit of code
works ever-other click. This means that the first click on a menu
item will not remove the movie clip and cause everything else to
break. By clicking another menu item, the ContentContainer movie
clip is removed normally and everything works nicely. Is there
perhaps a problem with removing and creating a movie clip with the
same name? or does it have to do with waiting for the movie clip to
be removed/created before accessing it? Any insight would be
greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

there are several badly coded components. among other
problems, some place their depth at the highest depth allowed by
flash for a removable movieclip (1,048,575).
then when you use _root.getNextHighestDepth() to assign a
depth to a movieclip that you create (like _root.ContentContainer)
that movieclip is placed beyond the range of a removable movieclip.
hence, your problem.
to remedy, don't use components, don't use
_root.getNextHighestDepth() or both. i prefer both.
in particular, i find it easier (less typing) and less
problematic to use a variable (i use dep) to track the depths i use
in flash. i start my projects with dep=0 and everytime i use a
depth, i increment dep immediately.