what to addEventListener to when listening for custom events?

Question

I am sending an event when an sql query returns no matches so that I can continue with the addition to the database.. It seems like actionscript is requiring that I attach the listener to something, but I don't really have any variables that seem like logical candidates at the point where I am in my code.

I just want to listen for the isNewRecord event to be called so that I can then run the insert query; right now it's saying call to possibly undefined method for addEventListern and for dispatchEvent

public function addBG(BG:Number, datetime:String, batch:Boolean = false):void{
        checkRecord('Gb', datetime, matchRecord);

        addEventListener("isNewRecord", recordExists);

        function recordExists()
        {/*code to execute query*/}

public function matchRecord(result:SQLResult):void {
        var match:String = result.data[0];
        if (match == null) {
            var allClear:Event = new Event("isNewRecord");
            dispatchEvent(allClear);
        }
    }

Answer 1

Your code is buggy. You have a function within a function.

Also, is your code extending EventDispatcher class (or any class that extends it, like Sprite, MovieClip, etc.?) Make sure it is.

Try this:

public function addBG(BG:Number, datetime:String, batch:Boolean = false):void
{
        // note, you're adding this event listener EVERY TIME you call the 
        // addBG function, so make sure you remove it OR add it somewhere in the
        // init or complete functions

        addEventListener("isNewRecord", recordExists);
        checkRecord('Gb', datetime, matchRecord);    
}
public function recordExists():void
{/*code to execute query*/}

public function matchRecord(result:SQLResult):void {
        var match:String = result.data[0];
        if (match == null) {
            var allClear:Event = new Event("isNewRecord");
            dispatchEvent(allClear);
        }
}