AS3: Large number of timers lagging flash - actionscript-3

Question

I have a large number of objects (472) that require a timer used to check how long it takes between state changes of a variable. The code below is what I have so far but that many timers running definitely impacts the performance of the application, is there a better optimised way of measuring this?
import flash.utils.Timer;
var active_:Boolean;
var matched:Boolean;
var vacated:Boolean;
var circ:Shape=new Shape();
this.addChild(circ);
circ.x = 0;
circ.y = 0;
var circRad:Number = 5;
var mat= new Matrix();
var busyColors = [0xFFFF00,0xFFCC00];
var idleColors = [0xCCCCCC,0x000000];
var matchedColors = [0x0099FF,0x0066FF];
var vacatedColors = [0xFF0000,0x990000];
var busyAlphas = [1,1];
var idleAlphas = [0.5,0.5];
var ratios = [0,255];
var prev:int = 0;
var time:Timer = new Timer(1000,0);
//time.start();
mat.createGradientBox(2*circRad,2*circRad,0,-circRad,-circRad);
circ.graphics.lineStyle();
if (active_ == false)
{
if (prev != 0)
{
setAverage(prev,false);
prev = 0;
}
circ.graphics.clear();
circ.graphics.beginGradientFill(GradientType.RADIAL,idleColors,idleAlphas,ratios,mat);
circ.graphics.drawCircle(0,0,circRad);
circ.graphics.endFill();
}
else if (active_ == true && matched == true)
{
if (prev != 1)
{
setAverage(prev,true);
prev = 1;
}
circ.graphics.clear();
circ.graphics.beginGradientFill(GradientType.RADIAL,matchedColors,busyAlphas,ratios,mat);
circ.graphics.drawCircle(0,0,circRad);
circ.graphics.endFill();
}
else if (active_ == true && vacated == false && matched == false)
{
if (prev != 2)
{
setAverage(prev,true);
prev = 2;
}
circ.graphics.clear();
circ.graphics.beginGradientFill(GradientType.RADIAL,busyColors,busyAlphas,ratios,mat);
circ.graphics.drawCircle(0,0,circRad);
circ.graphics.endFill();
}
else if (active_ == true && vacated == true)
{
if (prev != 3)
{
setAverage(prev,true);
prev = 3;
}
circ.graphics.clear();
circ.graphics.beginGradientFill(GradientType.RADIAL,vacatedColors,busyAlphas,ratios,mat);
circ.graphics.drawCircle(0,0,circRad);
circ.graphics.endFill();
}
function setAverage(i:int, a:Boolean)
{
time.stop();
switch (i)
{
case 0 :
break;
case 1 :
MovieClip(root).avgMat.push(uint(time.currentCount));
break;
case 2 :
MovieClip(root).avgBusy.push(uint(time.currentCount));
break;
case 3 :
MovieClip(root).avgVac.push(uint(time.currentCount));
break;
}
if(a == true){
//time.reset();
//time.start();
}
}
Commented out the timer starts because of the issue.

Answer 1

You can make public function like "tick()" at yours objects and call it in loop from 1 general timer outside.

Answer 2

Consider doing the following:
in the top, import getTimer
import flash.utils.Timer;
Create a variable containing the starting time (instead of doing timer.start) do this:
var timerStart : int = getTimer();
and instead of doing this: time.currentCount
Simply do this:
(getTimer() - timerStart) / 1000
Good luck.

Answer 3

you could change all the timers with addEventListener of type EVENT FRAME
var counter:Number = 0;
addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, counting);
function counting (e:Event):void
{
counter++
}
So counter will increment on every frame. Now you have to find fps. Now multiply fps by time that you want timer to run after. So it's should look like this:
var counter:Number = 0;
addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, counting);
function counting (e:Event):void
{
counter++
if(counter == 60) //60 fps means this line will run after 1 sec.
{
//do something
}
If(counter == 120) //60 fps; 2 sec
{
//do something
}
}
This method is much more accurate and the system will not be so overloaded. This can especcially help you for setting up the stage using addChild, when you need a delay after the animation is started.
You can make more of this 'timers', but that depends on the demands of the game, but i'm sure that it will work faster than hundreths of timers.