[Swftools-common] [SWFC] Resizing sprites

[Tail Kinker]

I've hit upon a rather odd issue.  I can resize a sprite:
    .sprite angry
        .box h02 width=10 height=2 color=white fill=red
        .put h02
    .end

    angry._height = int(anger);
    angry._y = 550 - angry._height;

and it works just fine.  But if I try to resize a button--which is 
really just a sprite:

.sprite b_leftarm
    .box r_leftarm01 110 70 fill
    .button b_leftarm01
        .show r_leftarm01 as=area
        .on_press inside:
            startDrag (false, 240, 180, 240, 260);
        .end
        .on_release:
            stopDrag();
        .end
    .end
    .put b_leftarm01
.end


    b_leftarm._width = int(i + 30);
    b_leftarm._x = 240;
    b_leftarm._y = int(i);

...my sprite/button vanishes into thin air, never to be seen again.

Code is non-representative, and currently reflects my attempts to 
debug.  Any suggestions?