vgui.Register + DPanels + HUDPaint issue.

[Tommy Keys]

Hello to explain my situation let me show you what I am doing.

First, I create an editable panel and register it in cl_panel.lua:
local HUD_PANEL = {

    Init = function( self )    

        local ply = LocalPlayer()

        local w = ScrW()
        local h = ScrH()

        self:SetPos( w*(20/1000), h-h*(100/1000) )
        self:SetSize( w*(420/1000), h*(85/1000) )

        self.Body = self:Add( "Panel" )
        self.Body:Dock( FILL )
        function self.Body:Paint( w, h )
            draw.RoundedBox( 0, 0, 0, w, h, Color( 0, 0, 0, 0) )
        end

        self.DBox= self.Body:Add( "DPanel" )
        self.DBox:SetPos( 0, 0 )
        self.DBox:SetSize( self.Body:GetTall()*(85/100),self.Body:GetTall()*(85/100) )
        function self.DBox:Paint( w, h )
            draw.RoundedBox( 4, 0, 0, w, h, Color( 255, 255, 255, 150) )
        end
end
end

HUD_PANEL = vgui.Register( "HUD", HUD_PANEL, "EditablePanel" )
Next I utilize HUDPaint in cl_hud.lua. Let's call this Method 1:
local function HUD()   
    if( !IsValid( HudPanel ) ) then
        HudPanel = vgui.Create( "HUD" )
end
...code snipped...
end
hook.Add( "HUDPaint" , "HUDPaint" , HUD )
For whatever reason when using Method 1 I am able to use DPanels and Panels in the Editable Panel HUD_PANEL. For the sake of FPS I wish to create "HUD" as follows. Let's call this Method 2:
local HudPanel = vgui.Create( "HUD" )

local function HUD()   
...code snipped...
end
hook.Add( "HUDPaint" , "HUDPaint" , HUD )
When using Method 2 I am given the error "attmpted to index field 'DBox' (a nil valud)

This error is from me using a DPanel in HUD_PANEL.

How would I go about using Derma Panels in conjunction with vgui.Register? Is there a certain base panel other than EditablePanel? Also why am I able to use DPanels in Method 1 by not in Method 2?

[TrickstarOG]

did u include the file?

[Tommy Keys]

Yes, the files are auto included with init.lua. If it helps they are run as an addon and not a gamemode.