Countdown Timer in Actionscript 3

In this tutorial you will learn how to create a countdown timer in Actionscript 3.0. This is an update from the previous countdown in timer in AS2. The AS2 version used the setInterval function, but this has now been removed and been replaced with the Timer Class in AS3. I have used a Flash CS4 for this tutorial and start the countdown at 60 seconds, but this can easily be changed.

Countdown Timer in Actionscript 3

Step 1

Create a new Flash AS3 file.
Select the static text tool and type a message on the stage. I have used impact font type, but you can use whatever font you wish.




Step 2

Select the dynamic text tool and drag a rectangle shape like below:




Step 3

Select your dynamic text and give the instance name “myText_txt” like below:




Step 4

On the timeline insert a new layer called “Actions”. Right click on the 1st frame and select Actions then enter the following code:

//1.
var count:Number = 60;

//2.
var myTimer:Timer = new Timer(1000,count);

//3.
myTimer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER, countdown);

//4.
myTimer.start();

//5.
function countdown(event:TimerEvent):void {
myText_txt.text = String((count)-myTimer.currentCount);
}

Code:
1. This is the starting number of the countdown. I have used 60, but you can change this number to whatever you wish.
2. This creates a new timer with the instance name “myTimer”. The first parameter is the interval value in milliseconds, so an interval of 1000 would be equally to a one second interval. The second parameter is the count, which is the number of times, the timer will countdown before it stops.
3. This is an event listener for the timer. The “Timer.event.Timer” is the event and countdown is the function which is called every time for the event.
4. This is needed to starts the timer.
5. This is the countdown function which converts a number into a string and subtracts the count from the “currentCount”. The “currentCount” actually counts from 1 – 60, but subtracting the count allows you to go from 60 – 0.


Step 5

Test your countdown timer Ctrl + Enter.



You should now have a countdown timer in Actionscript 3.0. If you wish to trigger an action after the countdown has reached zero. You need to add the following code inside the countdown function.

if(myText_txt.text == "0"){
      gotoAndStop(2)
}

The code above will stop at frame 2 when the countdown timer has reached zero. You can change this line of code to whatever you wish.