flash as3 remove all children

Question

Isn't there a simple "remove all children" function in flash? I don't understand why this code isn't working. I add children via:

for (var i in project_array[cp].project_type_clips){
        container.header.type_loader.addChildAt(project_array[cp].project_type_clips[i],i);
        loadCount++
    }

and then remove them via:

for (var i in project_array[cp].project_type_clips){
        container.header.type_loader.removeChildAt(i);
    }

But I get an error that the supplied index is out of bounds, and yet one clip is still left on stage. Likewise, if I try to add them without levels, like this:

for (var i in project_array[cp].project_type_clips){
        container.header.type_loader.addChild(project_array[cp].project_type_clips[i]);
        loadCount++
    }

and remove:

for (var i in project_array[cp].project_type_clips){
        container.header.type_loader.removeChild(project_array[cp].project_type_clips[i]);
    }

I get the same error.

Answer 1

Yet another RemoveAllChildren loop:

while (container.numChildren > 0) {
    container.removeChildAt(0);
}

Answer 2

When you remove an object, the childIndex of the other children is altered. Therefore, you cannot remove children using an increasing value for i, but have to start at numChildren-1 and then decrease:

for (var i:int = obj.numChildren-1; i >= 0; i--) {
   obj.removeChildAt (i);
}

should work.

Answer 3

sprite.removeChildren(); removes all children as documented here.