Understanding the ActionScript Language > Writing a target path |  |

Writing a target path

To use an action to control a movie clip or loaded movie, you must specify its name and its address, called a target path.

In ActionScript you identify a movie clip by its instance name. For example, in the following statement, the `_alpha` property of the movie clip named `star` is set to 50% visibility:

    star._alpha = 50;

To give a movie clip an instance name:

1 | Select the movie clip on the Stage.
2 | Enter an instance name in the Property inspector.

To identify a loaded movie:

Use `_level` `X`, where `X` is the level number specified in the `loadMovie` action that loaded the movie.

For example, a movie loaded into level 5 has the target path `_level5`. In the following example, a movie is loaded into level 5 and its visibility is set to `false`:

    onClipEvent(load) {
    	loadMovieNum("myMovie.swf", 5);
    }
    onClipEvent(enterFrame) {
    	_level5._visible = false;
    }

To enter a movie's target path:

In the Actions panel (Window > Actions), click the Insert Target Path button and select a movie clip from the list that appears.

For more information about writing target paths, see Working with Movie Clips and Buttons.