# . (dot)

#### Availability

Flash Player 4.

#### Usage

    object.property_or_method
    instancename.variable
    instancename.childinstance.variable

#### Parameters

`object` An instance of an object. The object can be any of the built-in ActionScript objects or a custom object. This parameter is always to the left of the dot (.) operator.

`property_or_method` The name of a property or method associated with an object. All of the valid method and properties for the built-in objects are listed in the method and property summary tables for that object. This parameter is always to the right of the dot (.) operator.

`instancename` The instance name of a movie clip.

`childinstance` A movie clip instance that is a child of, or nested in, another movie clip.

`variable` A variable on the Timeline of the movie clip instance name to the left of the dot (`.`) operator.

#### Returns

Nothing.

#### Description

Operator; used to navigate movie clip hierarchies in order to access nested (child) movie clips, variables, or properties. The dot operator is also used to test or set the properties of an object, execute a method of an object, or create a data structure.

#### Example

The following statement identifies the current value of the variable `hairColor` in the movie clip `person_mc`.

    person_mc.hairColor

This is equivalent to the following Flash 4 syntax:

    /person_mc:hairColor

The following code illustrates how the dot operator can be used to create an array structure.

    account.name = "Gary Smith";
    account.address = "123 Main St";
    account.city = "Any Town";
    account.state = "CA";
    account.zip = "12345";

#### See also

`[] (array access)`