This question is very similar to a question someone else is asking (may even be the same thing????)
I've got a component called MyPrintView.mxml <mx:VBox> <mx:Label id="contact"/> <mx:PrintDataGrid id="printDG"/> </mx:VBox> when i create an instance of MyPrintView, its children are not created. why is that? if you addChild() to the Application....they are created. why is that? <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <mx:Application xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml" initialize="startUP()"> <mx:Script> <![CDATA[ private function startUP():void { var printView:MyPrintView = new MyPrintView(); trace(printView); trace(printView.printDG, printView.contact); //both null addChild(printView); trace(printView.printDG, printView.contact); //both not null } ]]> </mx:Script> </mx:Application>