Use XML as a component reference

Question

I'm trying to load a series of custom components into an mxml using an XML as my reference. In PHP I would simply eval() the object name and that would be that. Flex doesn't have an eval. I'm wondering if there's a way for me to do something like this:
function readXML(theXML) {
     for each(var x in theXML.children()) {
          var newComp = eval(x.@name);
          myViewStack.addChild(newComp);
Anybody?

Answer 1

Well, almost...
TypeError: Error #1034: Type Coercion failed: cannot convert [myCustomContainerName]$ to mx.containers.Canvas.
The custom containers are created using the Canvas class. I even tried using "as Canvas" after calling the getDefinition. Nothing seems to work. I've been at this for HOURS now and I'm feeling really stupid. I'm going to attach my source this time.
Thx.
I'm not sure the attachment worked so:
public function drawComponents(x:XML):void
                mainViewStack = new ViewStack();
                for each(var y:XML in x.item) {
                    if(ApplicationDomain.currentDomain.hasDefinition(y.@name) == true) {
                        var newChild:Canvas = new Canvas();
                        var newLabel:String = y.@label;
                        newChild = Canvas(ApplicationDomain.currentDomain.getDefinition(y.@name));
                        newChild.label = newLabel;
                    } else {
                        Alert.show("not defined");
                    mainViewStack.addChild(newChild);