Class initialization is just a bunch of code. The eye class may not be fully setup by the time customIcons is getting initialized.
When it is an instance var, the eye class has probably been fully setup by instantiation time. Assigning default values to statics that are not compile-time constants is "dangerous" ________________________________ From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Pan Troglodytes Sent: Friday, July 25, 2008 10:05 AM To: flexcoders Subject: [flexcoders] problem with embeds in static variables I'm confused as to why the following gets a runtime error: package nes { import mx.collections.ArrayCollection; public class WATIcons { [Embed(source="/assets/customIcons/eye-16x16--CCFFF.png")] public static var eye:Class; public static var customIcons:ArrayCollection = new ArrayCollection([eye]); } } TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference. at nes::WATIcons$/get eye()[C:\Documents and Settings\xxxxxxxx\My Documents\Flex Builder 3\WATControl\nes\WATIcons.as:70] at nes::WATIcons$cinit() Yet if I remove the static and create an instance of the class, I don't get any errors. I can then use the customIcons array element 0 just fine. I'd really rather have them as static, as they are used all over in the application. Is there some way around this, or is it unavoidable? If it's unavoidable, then just out of curiosity what is causing the problem for the compiler? -- Jason
