[away3d] IKChain.updateIKChain Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.

[Marnick]

I am trying to use the code in the sample file IKDemo1.fla and
IKDemo1.as from the ik branche (http://away3d.googlecode.com/svn/
branches/ik/ as suggested by Rob Bateman, thanks for that!) in my own
ActionScript file. I am running into an error that I can't fix.

                        trace(neckChain); // [object IKChain]
                        trace(headTarget); // sphere: x:0 y:-10 z:10
                        trace(headTarget.position); // x:0 y:-10 z:10
                        neckChain.updateIKChain(headTarget.position); // 
TypeError: Error
#1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference
at away3d.animators.skin::IKChain/updateIKChain()


I have copied the code exactly, including imports and initializations.
I am familiar with the #1009 error, but if the neckChain object seems
to exist, why is it considered null?