Countdown timer in a flash game - actionscript-3

Question

I'm making a simple helicopter game to try and get into making flash games. I wanted to make a countdown timer that will count down from 3 seconds, then start the loop, but I'm not sure how to go about is. I don't use the frames in flash, rather I use action script (3) to make an "ENTER_FRAME" loop, if that helps. It looks like this:
addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, mainLoop);
I'm sure I need to put the timer above it, I'm just not sure how to make a timer. Any advice will probably help, as I'm new to AS3, thanks.

Answer 1

To make a countdown timer, you can use a Timer, like this :
trace('3');
// create a timer with : delay: 1 second, repeats: 3
var timer:Timer = new Timer(1000, 3);
timer.addEventListener(
TimerEvent.TIMER,
// on every repeat
function(e:TimerEvent):void {
trace(Math.abs(timer.currentCount - 3)); // gives : 2, 1, 0
}
)
timer.addEventListener(
TimerEvent.TIMER_COMPLETE,
// at the timer end
function(e:TimerEvent):void {
// do other instructions
trace('go');
}
)
// start the timer
timer.start();
Hope that can help.

Answer 2

I hope i can help you with your code. What im getting is that you try to make 3 seconds count down then start somewhere.
yes you need a timer :
var theTime:Timer
theTime = new Timer(countDownLoading*1000); //1000 is in milisecond
var countDown = 1;
var totalCountDown = 3; // How long it'g gonna count
var countDownLap = totalLoading;
theTime.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER,tick); //adding timer event
function tick(e:TimerEvent){
if(countDownLap == 0)//if the cound down is 0
{
time.stop();
gotoAndStop(2);
trace("Finish counting");
} else { //not counting down yet, then lets count
countDownLap = countDownLap - countDown; //
trace(countDownLap);
}
//timer goes like the ticking clock so if the count down is not 0.
//everytime the ticking starts the cound down (3) - 1
}
I hope this help.