Remove a function from the stage - actionscript-3

Question

I have a big issue with my code
I have a function called "delayCallFuntions":
function delayCallFuntions(delay: int, func: Function) {
var timer: Timer = new Timer(delay, 1);
timer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER, func);
timer.start();
}
And I used this function like below to make connection between 2 point in my screen:
delayCallFuntions(1, function (e: Event) {timer011(wireColor);});
And function "timer011" is making the connections:
function timer011(firstColor: int): void {
wireColor = firstColor;
//GRID is a class
//Path A to B
var PathAB: Grid;
PathAB = new Grid(4, 5, 20, 17, canvas, wireColor);
this.addChild(PathAB);
}
My problem is:
I have several of these functions like "timer012", "timer013", ... that they need to execute one after another.
When I go out of this scene and come back again, these is still some of these functions are working while I need them to start from the beginning and go one by one.
for example: when i come back, "timer011" is starting while "timer016" is also completing at the same time.
hope someone can help me as this problem made me frustrated.

Answer 1

Currently you are creating a whole new timer everytime you add a function. That timer will stay in memory because of the event listener, and since it's encapsulated in the function, you have no easy way to reference it again to stop them.
What would be a better approach, is to create just one timer globally referenced so you can stop it if needed.
Here is a way you could accomplish this:
//create an array that will hold all the functions you are planning on calling
var delayedFuncs:Array = [];
//this var will be used to store the current function that will be called next
var currentFuncObj:Object = null; //set it to null so it clears the value when you return to this frame
//create a single, global timer reference for everything
//don't initialize it here though
//if you revisit this frame, you don't want to create a whole new timer, but keep using the previous one
var funcTimer:Timer;
//if the timer has already been created (you've been to this frame before), stop it
if (funcTimer) {
funcTimer.stop();
}else {
//if you haven't been to this frame before, create the timer and add the listener
funcTimer = new Timer(1,1);
funcTimer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER, nextFunc, false, 0, true);
}
//this function adds items to your queue. I've added the ability to also include parameters
function delayCallFunctions(delay:int, func:Function, ... funcParams):void {
//add an object to the array that stores the function, delay, and any parameters to pass to that function
delayedFuncs.push({delay: delay, func: func, params: funcParams});
//if the timer hasn't started running yet, start it since we've added something
if(!funcTimer.running) nextFunc();
}
//this function runs when the timer completes
function nextFunc(e:Event = null):void {
//if we have an existing function to call, call it
if (currentFuncObj){
//invoke the function with the parameters
currentFuncObj.func.apply(null, currentFuncObj.params);
}
//if there are still items in the array, grab the next one
if(delayedFuncs.length > 0){
//array.shift grabs the first element in the array and removes it from the array
currentFuncObj = delayedFuncs.shift();
//reset the timer
funcTimer.reset();
//set the appropriate delay
funcTimer.delay = currentFuncObj.delay;
//start the timer again
funcTimer.start();
}
}
So now, you'd use by doing:
delayCallFunctions(3000, trace, "hello", "world", "I'll be traced 3 seconds from now");
delayCallFunctions(2000, trace, "I'll be called 2 seconds after the last one");
Or, with your specific code:
delayCallFuntions(1000, timer011, wireColor);
Now at any time (say you hit a button to go to change scenes), you can just stop the global timer.
funcTimer.stop();