Interval Manager

[Michael]

Another little useful class I decided I'd give to you guys since it's going to be a bit before the kit is out.

This is used to manage intervals. It may not seem like a big deal, but it has honestly saved me so much time and grief. It gives you one location for setting and clearing intervals, and even allows you to set a timeout function.

Here is the class, IntervalManager.as

/**
 * Flash's interval management is horrible.  Here we provide a way
 * of setting and clearing intervals, in one location.
 *
 * @author Michael Avila
 * @version 1.0.0
 */
class IntervalManager
{

   // stores the interval ID's in a dictionary, so that you can name them
   private static var intervalIDs : Object = new Object();

   /**
    * Sets an interval, storing it's reference in this IntervalManager.  If there is already an interval associated with the
    * name that you provide (meaning an interval that was created with but not cleared with the IntervalManager), the IntervalManager
    * will clear the interval and set the interval you provide in it's place.
    *
    * @param The name you are assigning the interval, note that this is how you will be deleting it
    * @param The path to the function that will be called by the setInterval
    * @param The name of the function as a string
    * @param The interval that this function will be called on
    * @param The args that will be passed to the interval.  The arguments are passed as an array, so be sure
    *        to have your function compensate for that.
    */
   public static function setInterval( name:String, path:Object, functionName:String, interval:Number, args:Array ) : Void
   {
      if ( IntervalManager.intervalIDs[name] != undefined)
      {
         IntervalManager.clearInterval( name );
      }
      IntervalManager.intervalIDs[name] = _global.setInterval(path, functionName, interval, args);
   }

   /**
    * Sets a function to be called at "interval" seconds after the timeout is set.  If there is already a timeout associated with
    * the name that you provide (meaning an interval that was created with but not cleared with the IntervalManager), the IntervalManager
    * will clear the old timeout and set the new timeout you provide in it's place.
    *
    * @param The name you are assigning the timeout
    * @param The path to the function that will be called by the setTimeout
    * @param The name of the function as a string
    * @param The interval that this function will be called on
    * @param The args that will be passed to the timeout.  The arguments are passed as an array, so be sure
    *        to have your function compensate for that.
    */
   public static function setTimeout( name:String, path:Object, functionName:String, interval:Number, args:Array ) : Void
   {
      if ( IntervalManager.intervalIDs[name] != undefined)
      {
         IntervalManager.clearInterval( name );
      }
      IntervalManager.intervalIDs[name] = _global.setTimeout(path, functionName, interval, args);
   }

   /**
    * Clears the interval with the name you provide.
    *
    * @param The name of the interval you'd like to clear.
    */
   public static function clearInterval( name:String ) : Void
   {
      _global.clearInterval( IntervalManager.intervalIDs[name] );
      delete IntervalManager.intervalIDs[name];
   }
}

[/php] 
The code is simple... no need to worry about it.

Here is the code in the fla:

[php]
IntervalManager.setInterval("hello", this, "sayHello", 1000, ["Michael"]);
IntervalManager.setTimeout("helloOnce", this, "sayHelloOnce", 1000);

function sayHello(args:Array) : Void
{
    trace("Hello, " + args[0]);
}

function sayHelloOnce() : Void
{
    trace( "Hello from the TimeOut" );
}

function onMouseDown()
{
    IntervalManager.clearInterval( "hello" );
}

This class will be found in the package,

createage.managers

in the Dev Kit.

The documentation for the dev kit can be found here...

www.createage.com/CreateageLib

Take Care.

_Michael

[General]

It worked!

[Michael]

Thanks, General_Mayhem :P

If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Take Care.
_Michael

[General]

Thank you.