Changing Text Actor Text without Using MouseDown Event

Hi everyone,
I've got a spaceship traveling to another planet and when it reaches its destination, I want to change all of the info displayed on screen so that it reflects the new planet's info.
I'm using the script editor to do this and I've encountered no problem changing the image but I can't seem to get the text actors to change their contents (neither the text property nor the textNumber property respond to my commands). I know the correct syntax for assigning numbers to text actors and for assigning text to text actors (using strcpy). Why isn't it working?
I read somewhere on the forum that this problem occurs with uninitialized string variables, but as far as I know, you can't initialize string variables in script. Right?
I also vaguely recall reading somewhere (but can't find it anymore) that you need a mousedown event in order to assign text to text actors. Is this true? If so, is there a workaround. Perhaps something using the char type?
Any help would be deeply appreciated!
P.S. If the workaround requires using the char type, it would be great if someone could explain the basics of using char, since I've never had to thusfar.
I've got a spaceship traveling to another planet and when it reaches its destination, I want to change all of the info displayed on screen so that it reflects the new planet's info.
I'm using the script editor to do this and I've encountered no problem changing the image but I can't seem to get the text actors to change their contents (neither the text property nor the textNumber property respond to my commands). I know the correct syntax for assigning numbers to text actors and for assigning text to text actors (using strcpy). Why isn't it working?
I read somewhere on the forum that this problem occurs with uninitialized string variables, but as far as I know, you can't initialize string variables in script. Right?
I also vaguely recall reading somewhere (but can't find it anymore) that you need a mousedown event in order to assign text to text actors. Is this true? If so, is there a workaround. Perhaps something using the char type?
Any help would be deeply appreciated!
P.S. If the workaround requires using the char type, it would be great if someone could explain the basics of using char, since I've never had to thusfar.