Accessing PHP variables using AS3 without using OO - php

Question

Really stumped on this one.
I have the following PHP file with a variable I am trying to access to place in a dynamic text box on my flash stage.
PHP code:
$returnVars = array();
$returnVars['username'] = "test";
$returnString = http_build_query($returnVars);
//send variables back to Flash
echo $returnString;
AS3 code:
var request:URLRequest = new URLRequest("http://www.mysite.com/flash.php");
request.method = URLRequestMethod.GET;
var loader2:URLLoader = new URLLoader();
loader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, completeHandler);
loader2.dataFormat = URLLoaderDataFormat.VARIABLES;
loader2.load(request);
function completeHandler(event:Event) :void{
var username = event.target.data.username;
// dynamic text box called username
username.text=event.target.data.username;
}
The error:
Error #1009: Cannot access a property
or method of a null object reference.
The code was adapted from a tutorial using a class. However I do not get on with classes so wont be using any.
Any ideas will be most welcome.
-Rob.

Answer 1

When looking at your code, I don't really see anything wrong with the way you are working in AS3 (don't know about Php, but that will be okay too i guess). It's just that you add an eventListener to loader, when you should be adding it to loader2.
And second of all, Why are you naming a variable just the same way as a textBox? that is asking for problems :)
function completeHandler(event:Event) :void{
//Change the variable name of this to something else
var _someOtherVariableName = event.target.data.username;
//dynamic text box called username
username.text = event.target.data.username;
}

Answer 2

The code looks all wrong
First of, are you sure http_build_query is what you need?
Secondly, I'm not an AS veteran, but defining a variable named "username" and then setting it's property "text" in that way looks horribly bad.
Edit: In fact, my observation explains the error. When you define "username", it's obviously not an object. When you try setting the property "text", it won't work for this same reason.
I really think you need to learn the basics of object-oriented programming...
Edit2:
This is the relevant code from the tutorial:
var username = evt.target.data.username;
var email = evt.target.data.email;
trace ('username is ' + username);
trace ('email is ' + email);
As you see, there's no mention of username.text.