Removing a Child within the Timer Class

I want to add a child to the stage for 5 seconds and then remove it. When I use the following code I get a "1120: Access of undefined property WordoScreen." error.

In particular the problem only occurs when I use the "removeChild(WordonScreen);" using the TIMER_COMPLETE. If I remove that statement I don't have a problem.

Here's the code:

import flash.utils.Timer;

stop();

//Adding a child to the screen
var myTestTimer:Timer = new Timer(300, 1);
myTestTimer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER, addaGraphic);

function addaGraphic (e:TimerEvent):void{
var WordonScreen:tapWords = new tapWords
addChild(WordonScreen);
WordonScreen.x = 117;
WordonScreen.y = 78;

}

myTestTimer.start();

//When timer is finished... it should go away.
myTestTimer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER_COMP LETE,timerCompleted;
function timerCompleted (e:TimerEvent):void {
removeChild(WordonScreen);

}
What am I doing wrong?

The WordonScreen instance is currently a local variable and only has scope inside the addaGraphic function. Make sure the WordonScreen instance is outside the function.

Thanks for your response. I have two questions:

1) I understand your recommendation for keeping the variable outside of the function. However, in the coding scenario in question how do I create a global variable when I have already defined it with the function (var WordonScreen:tapWords = new tapWords)? Isn't that where the variable is defined? Do simple move the statement "var WordonScreen:tapWords = new tapWords" above the function?


2) I have decided to actually do it another way. I'm starting out with an instance on the screen and then removing it after 4 seconds. However, I was wondering would there be any optimization issues (i.e. the timer still running etc.) with the following code?


//Removes instance already on screen after 4 seconds
var myTestTimer:Timer = new Timer(4000, 1);
myTestTimer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER, RemoveGraphic);

function RemoveGraphic (e:TimerEvent):void{
getChildByName("TextonScreen")
removeChild(getChildByName("TextonScreen"))

}

myTestTimer.start();

//When timer is finished... does something.
myTestTimer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER_COMP LETE, timerCompleted);
function timerCompleted (e:TimerEvent):void {
myTestTimer.stop();

}

Outside like this

PHP Code:

---

var WordonScreen:tapWords;

function addaGraphic (e:TimerEvent):void{
WordonScreen = new tapWords()
addChild(WordonScreen);
WordonScreen.x = 117;
WordonScreen.y = 78;

} 


---

Thanks!

http://help.adobe.com/en_US/ActionSc...0204-7f9d.html

Take a look at 'Understanding variable scope' section for more information on local and global variables.