Changing text with AS3 in a for loop - works for first one, others don't - actionscript-3

Question

I have a movieclip called Tab that has two text-fields: named toptxt and bottomtxt. When I create new instances of Tab in a for loop and change the text, only the first instance's text is changed. The rest is the default text in the movieclip.
Here is the code I am using:
for(var i = 0; i < 5; i++){
var newTab = new Tab();
newTab.toptxt.text = nameArray[i]; //nameArray is fine
trace(newTab.toptxt.text); //returns expected value, textfield isn't
newTab.bottomtxt.text = jobs[i];
bottom.addChild(newTab); //bottom is a class var.
newTab.x = i * (newTab.width + 3);
}
Even if I change nameArray[i] to "Test", only the first one works.
This problem does not occur if I don't do it in for loops, however I'd like to do it in a for loop.
Here is a screenshot of the problem: http://i.imgur.com/hgPZ5.png

Answer 1

Pull your declaration of var newTab = new Tab(); outside of the for loop, so your code looks like this:
var newTab:Tab;
for(var i:int = 0; i < 5; i++){
newTab = new Tab();
newTab.toptxt.text = nameArray[i]; //nameArray is fine
trace(newTab.toptxt.text); //returns expected value, textfield isn't
newTab.bottomtxt.text = jobs[i];
bottom.addChild(newTab); //bottom is a class var.
newTab.x = i * (newTab.width + 3);
}
Actionscript is becoming confused when you create an instance and assign newTab as a pointer to it, instead of creating a pointer or reference initially, and then creating new instances and adding them to your displayList.
Also, trace your output of nameArray[i] and confirm that those values are correct (i.e. trace(nameArray[i]);. It's possible the data isn't set properly earlier in your code.