Timer related error in flash, TypeError #1009 - actionscript-3

Question

I used a timer in my flash application, and I have this particular error below:
TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.
at FlashGame_fla::MainTimeline/toTimeCode()
at FlashGame_fla::MainTimeline/timerTickHandler()
at flash.utils::Timer/_timerDispatch()
at flash.utils::Timer/tick()
Below is my code for this particular flash game application. It's a game where the player collects as many items as possible within a specific time:
import flash.display.MovieClip;
import flash.events.MouseEvent;
import flash.events.TimerEvent;
import flash.utils.Timer;
import flash.geom.Rectangle;
menuButton.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, evilToMenu);
rulesButton.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, toggleRule);
gameRules.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, toggleRule);
gameRules.visible = false;
gameRules.buttonMode = true;
evilGameOverMC.visible = false;
evilWinLose.visible = false;
playAgainBtn.visible = false;
toMenuBtn.visible = false;
var pLives:int = 3;
var pEvilScore:int = 0;
var pItems:int = 10;
var daveMC:MovieClip;
var cGameObjs:Array = new Array();
var timer:Timer = new Timer(100, 300);
timer.start();
timer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER, timerTickHandler);
var timerCount:int = 15000;
//var cPlayerData:Object;
//var cSavedGameData:SharedObject;
addCharacter();
addBots();
addItems();
scoreDisplay.text = "" + pEvilScore;
livesDisplay.text = pLives + " lives";
function evilToMenu(Event:MouseEvent):void
{
removeLeftovers();
removeChild(daveMC);
timer.stop();
gotoAndStop("menu");
}
function timerTickHandler(Event:TimerEvent):void
{
timerCount -= 100;
toTimeCode(timerCount);
if (timerCount <= 0)
{
gameOver(false);
}
}
function toTimeCode(milliseconds:int): void
{
//creating a date object using the elapsed milliseconds
var time:Date = new Date(milliseconds);
//define minutes/seconds/mseconds
var minutes:String = String(time.minutes);
var seconds:String = String(time.seconds);
var miliseconds:String = String(Math.round(time.milliseconds)/100);
//add zero if neccecary, for example: 2:3.5 becomes 02:03.5
minutes = (minutes.length != 2) ? '0'+minutes : minutes;
seconds = (seconds.length != 2) ? '0'+seconds : seconds;
//display elapsed time on in a textfield on stage
timerDisplay.text = minutes + ":" + seconds;
}
function addCharacter():void
{
trace("Adding the character, Dave")
//set the initial values
var myBorder:Rectangle = new Rectangle(355,145,395,285);
var myXY:Array = [355,430];
var myChar:int = Math.ceil(Math.random() * 3);
var myKeys:Array = [37,39,38,40];
var myDistance:int = 7;
// create and add a new player object to the stage
daveMC = new Character(myBorder,myXY,myKeys,myChar,myDistance);
addChild(daveMC);
}
function addBots():void
{
trace("Adding the bots..");
// set the initial values (adapt to suit your game)
var myBorder:Rectangle = new Rectangle(355,145,395,285);
var myMaxBots:int = 5;// simulation
// add bots one at a time via a loop
for (var i:int = 0; i < myMaxBots; i++)
{
// create a new bot object and name it
var thisBot:Bot = new Bot(myBorder, daveMC);
thisBot.name = "bot" + i;
cGameObjs.push(thisBot);
// add it to the stage
addChild(thisBot);
}
}
function addItems():void
{
trace("Adding the items..");
//set the initial values
for (var i:int = 0; i < 10; i++)
{
// create a new bot object and name it
var thisItem:Item = new Item(daveMC);
thisItem.name = "item" + i;
cGameObjs.push(thisItem);
// add it to the stage
addChild(thisItem);
}
}
function updateLives(myBot:MovieClip):void
{
// update the player's LIVES and score
pLives--;
pEvilScore -= 30;
var myIndex:int = cGameObjs.indexOf(myBot);
cGameObjs.splice(myIndex,1);
// check for a LOST GAME
if (pLives > 0)
{
updateScores();
}
else
{
gameOver(false);
}
}
function updateItems(myItem:MovieClip):void
{
// update the player's LIVES and score
pItems--;
pEvilScore += 20;
var myIndex:int = cGameObjs.indexOf(myItem);
cGameObjs.splice(myIndex,1);
// check for a LOST GAME
if (pItems > 0)
{
updateScores();
}
else
{
gameOver(true);
}
}
function gameOver(myFlag:Boolean):void
{
updateScores();
if (myFlag)
{
// player wins
msgDisplay.text = "YAY! PAPPLE FOR \nEVERYBODY!";
removeLeftovers();
evilWinLose.text = "Weee!! We've got papples for Gru! \nYour Score: " + pEvilScore;
}
else
{
// player loses
msgDisplay.text = "OH NO! NOT \nENOUGH PAPPLES";
removeLeftovers();
evilWinLose.text = "Boo!! Not enough papples for Gru! \nYour Score: " + pEvilScore;
}
timerDisplay.text = "";
removeChild(daveMC);
evilGameOverMC.visible = true;
evilWinLose.visible = true;
toMenuBtn.visible = true;
playAgainBtn.visible = true;
toMenuBtn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, Click_backtoMain);
playAgainBtn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, backToEvil);
}
function updateScores():void
{
scoreDisplay.text = "" + pEvilScore;
livesDisplay.text = pLives + " lives";
msgDisplay.text = pItems + " papples more to \ncollect..";
}
function removeLeftovers():void
{
// check each BOT/ITEM in array
for each (var myObj in cGameObjs)
{
myObj.hasHitMe();
myObj = null;
}
}
function backToEvil(event:MouseEvent):void
{
pEvilScore = 0;
pLives = 3;
pItems = 3;
gotoAndStop("menu");
gotoAndStop("evil");
}
Anyone can help me out with this? Thank you alot! :)

Answer 1

Replace your toTimeCode function code by :
function toTimeCode(milliseconds:int): void
{
trace(1);
//creating a date object using the elapsed milliseconds
var time:Date = new Date(milliseconds);
trace(2);
//define minutes/seconds/mseconds
var minutes:String = String(time.minutes);
trace(3);
var seconds:String = String(time.seconds);
trace(4);
var miliseconds:String = String(Math.round(time.milliseconds)/100);
trace(5);
//add zero if neccecary, for example: 2:3.5 becomes 02:03.5
minutes = (minutes.length != 2) ? '0'+minutes : minutes;
trace(6);
seconds = (seconds.length != 2) ? '0'+seconds : seconds;
trace(7);
//display elapsed time on in a textfield on stage
timerDisplay.text = minutes + ":" + seconds;
trace(8);
}

Answer 2

Please, change the timerDisplay line to this one... The problem will be in the toTimeCode method. The error say that you are trying to call a method from a var wich is not (yet) an object...
if(null != timerDisplay)
timerDisplay.text = minutes + ":" + seconds;
You have to find an object wich is null! Add this :
function toTimeCode(milliseconds:int): void
{
//creating a date object using the elapsed milliseconds
var time:Date = new Date(milliseconds);
trace("Time: " + time);