public _parent : MovieClip

A reference to the movie clip or object that contains the current text field or object. The current object is the one containing the ActionScript code that references _parent.

Use _parent to specify a relative path to movie clips or objects that are above the current text field. You can use _parent to climb up multiple levels in the display list as in the following:

_parent._parent._alpha = 20;

Example

The following ActionScript creates two text fields and outputs information about the _parent of each object. The first text field, first_txt, is created on the main Timeline. The second text field, second_txt, is created inside the movie clip called holder_mc.

this.createTextField("first_txt", this.getNextHighestDepth(), 10, 10, 160, 22);
first_txt.border = true;
trace(first_txt._name+"'s _parent is: "+first_txt._parent);

this.createEmptyMovieClip("holder_mc", this.getNextHighestDepth());
holder_mc.createTextField("second_txt", holder_mc.getNextHighestDepth(), 10, 40, 160, 22);
holder_mc.second_txt.border = true;
trace(holder_mc.second_txt._name+"'s _parent is: "+holder_mc.second_txt._parent);

The following information is displayed in the Output panel:The following information writes to the log file:

first_txt'( _parent is: _level0
second_txt's _parent is: _level0.holder_mc

See also

_parent (Button._parent property), _parent (MovieClip._parent property), _root property