Noob question - help with understanding what is public and private variables?

[emil_emil]

As far as I understand public variables can be used from other classes. But how? I'm trying this without a success:

create a class:

package {
    public class MyClass {
        public var myVariable:Number = 5;
        public function MyClass() {
            trace(myVariable);
        }
    }
}

then create another class:

package {
    public class TryThis {
        public var myResult:Number = myVariable;
        public function TryThis() {           
            trace(myResult);
        }
    }
}

and I got an error "undefined property myVariable" when using this in the Flash file:

var niceTry:TryThis = new TryThis();

Will greatly appreciate your help.

[kglad · Accepted solution]

use:

package {
    public class myClass {
        public var myVariable:Number = 5;
        public function myClass() {
            trace(myVariable);
        }
    }
}

then create another class:

package {

import myClass;
    public class TryThis {
        public var myResult:Number;
        public function TryThis() {

var mc:myClass=new myClass();

myResult = mc.myVariable;

trace(myResult);
        }
    }
}

[emil_emil]

Thank you kglad,

this works but my understanding about the purpose of using public vs private is still very cloudy. For example if I change public variable to private in the first class it still works and doesn't make a difference with this example.

[kglad]

no it won't.  you'll only see 1 trace() output after making that variable private, not 2.

[emil_emil]

Oops, sorry. I've made the test with a wrong class. Now I see what you mean.

Thanks

[kglad]

you're welcome.

[emil_emil]

Sorry for bringing this again - I just want to confirm my understanding of the public variables. So, am I right to think that it is not possible to get a variable from another class without also getting the result from the main function of that class?

[kglad]

for non-static variables yes, any variable defined in the scope of a class instance is only available by referencing that class instance.