Using and storing instance names

Question

I know you can store instance names in an array and call on the array values to reference the instance names in it.
I was wondering if there is any way I can take an instance name, feed it directly into a function and use the name of the function variable/array/whatever to affect the object instance of whatever I name.
if it's an array of instance names, what is it actually an array of?
Also, is there any way to hold and reference an instance name in a single value?
sidenote:
this doesnt have much to do with my question, but can arrays be fed directly into the header of a function?

Answer 1

Look, there is no any ambiguity in what array holds - it is what you make it hold.
If you are talking about instance names as strings, the following can be done (given objects with instance names are instantiated);
var myInstanses:Array = ["instance1", "anotherInstance", "myMovie"];
than you can feed instance name onto a function and do whatever you need to:
function myFunction(instanceName:String):void{
     this[instanceName].x = 200;
myFunction(myInstances[1]);
But if you are talking about instances as instances - not names:
var myInstanses:Array = [instance1, anotherInstance, myMovie];
function myFunction(instance:Sprite):void{
     instance.x = 200;
myFunction(myInstances[1]);