Why do I get "Null" in MySQL database? Flash pro cs6 - php

Question

I'm trying to update a flash movie quiz that records names and question answers - I did not write the original application. The quiz works, except that it replaces the name with null when recording data. All the other records work fine. I have deleted out the res2 - res12 just to shorten it up, they all work well.
Im using Flash Pro CS6
The code is in AS3
Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on this.
From Name input page of the quiz. participname is the text field input:
stop();
btn1.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP,function():void {
var Name:String=participname.text.toString();
gotoAndPlay(3);
});
From the last page of the quiz
sendData();
function sendData(){
var messages:URLRequest = new URLRequest("./insertresult.php")
messages.method = URLRequestMethod.POST
var posts:URLVariables = new URLVariables()
posts.Name = Name
posts.DateCurrent = dtFormatted
posts.Res01 = res01
messages.data = posts
trace(posts);
var loader:URLLoader = new URLLoader()
loader.dataFormat = URLLoaderDataFormat.TEXT
// loader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, dataOnLoad)
loader.load(messages)
trace(messages);
From the insertresult.php:
<?php
//Capture data from $_POST array
$name = $_POST['Name'];
$date = $_POST['DateCurrent'];
$res1 = $_POST['Res01'];
/* if(!$name ) {
echo "no input using default values <br>";
$name = 'deleteme';
}*/
$connect = mysql_connect("mydatabase");
mysql_select_db ("PAlogindatabase", $connect);
$result = mysql_query("INSERT into rhymeoddity1 (name,date,res1) values ('$name','$date','$res1')");
if($result) echo "writing=Ok&";
else echo "writing=Error";
?>

Answer 1

Can you check that the actionscript is actually reading and setting the Name properly before posting the data?

Answer 2

I sorted out the problem, i believe that this bit of the code was hiding away the var myname
stop();
btn1.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP,function():void {
var myname:String=participname.text.toString();
gotoAndPlay(3);
}
);
i have replaced this with this and it is working fine now.
stop();
var myname:String = "";
btn1.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP,function():void {
myname = participname.text;
gotoAndPlay(3);
}
);
If someone can explain what the difference is so i can understand