How to run an external action script file at a specify frame? - actionscript-3

Question

Sorry for the vague question. The point is I would like to run an external actionscript(.as) file at a specify frame so that it won't run unless I clicked start button from the main menu. This is to make sure the game sprites won't appear on the main menu. I have tried "Export classes in frame" option but it won't work. The actionscript is already set to document class. I have no code placed on timeline.
The external actionscript code to my game:
package
{
import flash.display.*;
import flash.events.*;
import flash.utils.*;
import flash.media.*;
import com.greensock.*;
public class image_match extends MovieClip
{
private var first_tile:images;
private var second_tile:images;
private var pause_timer:Timer;
var imagedeck:Array = new
Array(1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,11,11,12,12);
var theFirstCardSound:FirstCardSound = new FirstCardSound();
var theMissSound:MissSound = new MissSound();
var theMatchSound:MatchSound = new MatchSound();
var playerScore:Number = 0;
public function image_match()
{
trace(this.currentFrame);
for (x = 1; x <= 6; x++)
{
for (y = 1; y <= 4; y++)
{
var random_card = Math.floor(Math.random() *
imagedeck.length);
var tile:images = new images ;
tile.col = imagedeck[random_card];
imagedeck.splice(random_card,1);
tile.gotoAndStop(13);
tile.x = 95;
tile.y = 145;
tile.x += (x - 1) * 122;
tile.y += (y - 1) * 132;
tile.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK,tile_clicked);
tile.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OVER, glow);
tile.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OUT, noGlow);
tile.buttonMode = true;
addChild(tile);
}
}
}
//Function to create glow effect.
function glow(event:MouseEvent):void
{
TweenMax.to(event.currentTarget, 0.3, {glowFilter:{color:0x0000ff,
alpha:1, blurX:10, blurY:10,strength:0.7}});
}
//Function to remove glow effect.
function noGlow(event:MouseEvent):void
{
TweenMax.to(event.currentTarget, 0.5, {glowFilter:{alpha:0}});
}
public function tile_clicked(event:MouseEvent)
{
var clicked:images = event.currentTarget as images;
if ((first_tile == null))
{
first_tile = clicked;
theFirstCardSound.play();
first_tile.gotoAndStop(clicked.col);
}
else if (((second_tile == null) && first_tile != clicked))
{
second_tile = clicked;
second_tile.gotoAndStop(clicked.col);
if (first_tile.col == second_tile.col)
{
theMatchSound.play();
pause_timer = new Timer(1000,1);
pause_timer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER_COMPLETE,remove_tiles);
pause_timer.start();
playerScore += 200;
}
else
{
theMissSound.play();
pause_timer = new Timer(1000,1);
pause_timer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER_COMPLETE,reset_tiles);
pause_timer.start();
playerScore -= 20;
}
}
updateScore();
}
public function updateScore():void
{
scoreText.text = playerScore.toString();
trace("Score: " + scoreText.text);
}
public function reset_tiles(event:TimerEvent)
{
first_tile.gotoAndStop(13);
second_tile.gotoAndStop(13);
first_tile = null;
second_tile = null;
pause_timer.removeEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER_COMPLETE,reset_tiles);
}
public function remove_tiles(event:TimerEvent)
{
removeChild(first_tile);
removeChild(second_tile);
first_tile = null;
second_tile = null;
pause_timer.removeEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER_COMPLETE,remove_tiles);
}
}
}

Answer 1

The external code you posted is a class. That means the code in it will not run before you create an instance of it. Move the instance creation to the frame where you wish the code to be executed and you should be getting the behaviour you asked for.
If you don't know what an instance is, look for a line that contains something like:
...=new match_it();
addChild(...);
Those 2 lines create an instance of the match_it class and add it to the display hierachy. Move them to the frame in question. There might be more code that is required to be moved, but since you didn't paste the actual instantiation, that's something that I can't really tell.
I also would suggest taking a look at the basics of as3 classes, it will make your life a lot easier, here's an tutorial:
http://www.untoldentertainment.com/blog/2009/08/25/tutorial-understanding-classes-in-as3-part-1/