_root

Availability

Flash Player 5.

Usage

_root.movieClip
_root.action
_root.property

Parameters

movieClip The instance name of a movie clip.

action An action or method.

property A property of the MovieClip object.

Description

Property; specifies or returns a reference to the root movie Timeline. If a movie has multiple levels, the root movie Timeline is on the level containing the currently executing script. For example, if a script in level 1 evaluates _root, _level1 is returned.

Specifying _root is the same as using the slash notation (/) to specify an absolute path within the current level.

Note: If a movie that contains _root is loaded into another movie, _root refers to the Timeline of the loading movie, not to the Timeline that contains _root. If you want to ensure that _root refers to the Timeline of the loaded movie even if it is loaded into another movie, use MovieClip._lockroot.

Example

The following example stops the Timeline of the level containing the currently executing script:

_root.stop();

The following example sends the Timeline in the current level to Frame 3:

_root.gotoAndStop(3);

See also

MovieClip._lockroot, _parent, targetPath