actionscript 3 - gotoAndStop MovieClip outside of extended MovieClip -

i have inventory system worked on timeline. now, trying connect class i'm having difficulties.

on stage, have movieclip instance name inventorymc inside inventorymc, have 15 more movieclips instance name itemslot1, itemslot2 etc... gotoandstop functions not working properly... have no document class, classes extend movieclips...

this beginnerchest class, when clicked calls function inventory class:

package { import flash.display.movieclip; import flash.events.mouseevent;  public class beginnerchest extends movieclip {      private var _inventory:inventory;       public function beginnerchest() {         _inventory = new inventory();         addeventlistener(mouseevent.click, begclick);         claimbtn.addeventlistener(mouseevent.click, _inventory.claimclick);     }       public function begclick(e: mouseevent) {         play();     } //ends startbtnclick;       public function inserttext(str) {         return str + "\r"     } } } 

this inventory class... took out other functions didn't think necessary. trying addtoslot function work, never seems find frame hammer or whatever is. yes, have labeled inside of itemslots movieclip.

package { import flash.display.movieclip; import flash.events.mouseevent; import flash.text.textfield; import flash.events.event;  public class inventory extends movieclip{       var slot1: array = ["empty", "empty", 0]; //[itemid, display name, sell price]     var slot2: array = ["empty", "empty", 0]; //[itemid, display name, sell price]     var slot3: array = ["empty", "empty", 0]; //[itemid, display name, sell price]     var slot4: array = ["empty", "empty", 0]; //[itemid, display name, sell price]     var slot5: array = ["empty", "empty", 0]; //[itemid, display name, sell price]     var slot6: array = ["empty", "empty", 0]; //[itemid, display name, sell price]     var slot7: array = ["empty", "empty", 0]; //[itemid, display name, sell price]     var slot8: array = ["empty", "empty", 0]; //[itemid, display name, sell price]     var slot9: array = ["empty", "empty", 0]; //[itemid, display name, sell price]     var slot10: array = ["empty", "empty", 0]; //[itemid, display name, sell price]     var slot11: array = ["empty", "empty", 0]; //[itemid, display name, sell price]     var slot12: array = ["empty", "empty", 0]; //[itemid, display name, sell price]     var slot13: array = ["empty", "empty", 0]; //[itemid, display name, sell price]     var slot14: array = ["empty", "empty", 0]; //[itemid, display name, sell price]     var slot15: array = ["empty", "empty", 0]; //[itemid, display name, sell price]     var slotclicked: string;     var newitem = "none";     var boxesreset: boolean = false;     var inventoryfull: boolean = false;     var itemselected = "";     var itemuse = "none";     var currentslot = "none";     var currentslot2 = "none";     var itemid = "none";     var storemode: boolean = false;     var itemsellprice = 0;     var itemname = "";     var totalchildren = 0;     /////  dynamic variables  /////     var container: movieclip = new movieclip;     var btnuse: menuitem = new menuitem;     var btntoss: menuitem = new menuitem;     var btnclose: menuitem = new menuitem;        public function inventory() {         addeventlistener(mouseevent.click, itemslotclick);     }       public function inventoryfullcheck() {         if (slot1[0] != "empty" && slot2[0] != "empty" && slot3[0] != "empty" && slot4[0] != "empty" && slot5[0] != "empty" && slot6[0] != "empty" && slot7[0] != "empty" && slot8[0] != "empty" && slot9[0] != "empty" && slot10[0] != "empty" && slot11[0] != "empty" && slot12[0] != "empty" && slot13[0] != "empty" && slot14[0] != "empty" && slot15[0] != "empty") {             inventoryfull = true;         } else {             inventoryfull = false;         }     }       public function claimclick(e: mouseevent): void {         addtoslot(hammer);     }        public function addtoslot(item) {         if (slot1[0] == "empty") {             currentslot = "itemslot1";             (item)();      <---------------------does hammer function @ bottom         } else if (slot2[0] == "empty") {             itemslot2.gotoandstop(item);             slot2[0] = item;         } else if (slot3[3] == "empty") {             itemslot3.gotoandstop(item);             slot3[0] = item;         } else if (slot4[0] == "empty") {             itemslot4.gotoandstop(item);             slot4[0] = item;         } else if (slot5[0] == "empty") {             itemslot5.gotoandstop(item);             slot5[0] = item;         } else if (slot6[0] == "empty") {             itemslot6.gotoandstop(item);             slot6[0] = item;         } else if (slot7[0] == "empty") {             itemslot7.gotoandstop(item);             slot7[0] = item;         } else if (slot8[0] == "empty") {             itemslot8.gotoandstop(item);             slot8[0] = item;         } else if (slot9[0] == "empty") {             itemslot9.gotoandstop(item);             slot9[0] = item;         } else if (slot10[0] == "empty") {             itemslot10.gotoandstop(item);             slot10[0] = item;         } else if (slot11[0] == "empty") {             itemslot11.gotoandstop(item);             slot11[0] = item;         } else if (slot12[0] == "empty") {             itemslot12.gotoandstop(item);             slot12[0] = item;         } else if (slot13[0] == "empty") {             itemslot13.gotoandstop(item);             slot13[0] = item;         } else if (slot14[0] == "empty") {             itemslot14.gotoandstop(item);             slot14[0] = item;         } else if (slot15[0] == "empty") {             itemslot15.gotoandstop(item);             slot15[0] = item;         } else {             inventoryfull = true;         }     }             public function clearvars(): void {         itemuse = "none";         itemid = "none";         itemselected = "none";         hideselectboxes();     }           public function hammer(): void {         trace(currentslot);         object(root).inventorymc.itemslot1.gotoandstop("hammer");  <---can't work...     }    } //ends class } //ends package