Remove Array and its contents with mouse click AS3 Flash CS5.5 - arrays

Question

I have been trying to do this for two nights now and haven't had any joy, please help if you can...
Simple throwing game with darts and other weapons, what I am trying to do is
Remove an array and all of its Children when I change weapon,
I feel sure there is a simple snippet of code that will remove all the children and array with no hassle but I haven't yet figured it out, if you know or could suggest anything, I would really appreciate it.
something like "removeArrayAndAllInstances(balls);" if only...
at the moment I have....(balls is the array in question)
for(var inter:int = balls.length - 1; inter > -1; inter--)
{
balls.splice(1);
balls.splice(1, balls.length);
}
but this docent work for some reason, the array and all of its children are all still on the stage.
I also tried
balls[];
No luck...
Please don't judge my code I am a novice as I am sure was evident and I know its a disgusting mess, sorry (Its the only way it makes sense to me).
I have tried numerous things, hope someone can help
Thanks in advance.....
var mouseTarget:MovieClip;
var balls:Array = new Array();
var ball:MovieClip = new dart();
var hammers:MovieClip = new hammer();
ball.x = 150;
ball.y = 50;
hammer_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, hammerweapon);
dart_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, dartweapon);
function removealldartsfromstage(e:MouseEvent):void
{
for(var inter:int = balls.length - 1; inter > -1; inter--)
{
balls.splice(1);
balls.splice(1, balls.length);
}
stage.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, addDart);
}
function dartweapon(e:MouseEvent):void
{
stage.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, addHammer);
dart_btn.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, dartweapon);
stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, addDart);
//removeChild(balls);
}
function hammerweapon(e:MouseEvent):void
{
stage.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, addDart);
dart_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, dartweapon);
//stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, addDart);
stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, addHammer);
}
function addHammer(e:MouseEvent):void
{
var hammers = new hammer();
addChild(hammers);
removeChild(dart_btn);
addChild(dart_btn);
dart_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, dartweapon);
balls.splice(10);
}
function addDart(e:MouseEvent):void
{
str.alpha = 0;
var ball = new dart();
addChild(ball);
removeChild(hammer_btn);
addChild(hammer_btn);
ball.x = 150;
ball.y = 50;
balls.push(ball);
trace(balls);
addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, checkIfHitTest);
hammer_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, removealldartsfromstage);
function checkIfHitTest(Event)
{
for (var i:int = 0; i<balls.length; i++)
{
if (balls[i].dart_point.hitTestObject(eyeleft))
{
trace("hitleftbullseye");
ball.gotoAndStop("hitlefteyeframe");
Event.currentTarget.removeEventListener(Event.type, checkIfHitTest);
balls.splice(i, 1);
}
}
}
}

Answer 1

The balls array is just a storage for ball references. It bears no relation to the stage or the DisplayObjectContainer which they have been added at all. So you have to remove them individually.
This is what I'd do:
while(balls.length > 0)
{
var ball:MovieClip = balls.pop();
if (ball.parent) // Just to make sure you are referencing the correct container.
{
ball.parent.removeChild(ball);
}
}
I can't follow the logic of your game very well. That said, you'd do well to create conatiners for separate group of clips in order to make managing them easier. For example, in the creation stage:
var ballContainer:Sprite = new Sprite();
addChild(ballContainer);
for (var i:int = 0; i < ballLimit; i++)
{
var ball:Dart = new Dart();
ballContainer.addChild(ball);
}
This way, you can clear them of children all at once:
function removeAllChildren(container:Sprite) // Or just DisplayObjectContainer
{
while(container.numChildren > 0)
{
container.removeChild(container.getChildAt(0));
}
}