Timer vs setTimeout

Question

The docs for flash.utils.setTimeout() state:

Instead of using this method, consider creating a Timer object, with the specified interval, using 1 as the repeatCount parameter (which sets the timer to run only once).

Does anyone know if there is a (significant) advantage in doing so? Using setTimeout is a lot easier when you only need to delay 1 call.

Answer 1

setTimeout actually uses a Timer subclass, the SetIntervalTimer, which is an internal class. You can check by doing setTimeout(function ():void { throw "booom"; }, 1);. You'll see it in the stack trace.

As such, I cannot really see a big disadvantage. The only difference is, that you have 2 anonymous calls instead of one. OTOH, in performance critical situations, you shouldn't be using either (except one internal timer) to avoid frequent instantiation of TimerEvent objects.

Basically, I think it's a matter of taste. Adobe decided, the AS3 event system is the shizzle, so they promote it.

Answer 2

Timer:

• Gives you more control as you can register more event listeners to receive the event rather than a single one with setTimeout

• You can control the start time and
  the number of repetitions ( not very useful against setTimeout, as this
  has to run just once and after a
  delay considering the immediate time it was called)

• More lines to write, even more if you need to differentiate with parameters ( custom event class for this )
• Use of event listeners which is
  standard practice in as3.
• Cleaner look

setTimeout:

• Easier to use

• Less code to write

• Parameters can be easily sent;

I prefer the Timer class but I've seen setTimeout being frequently used by programmers.

Also if you are using Tweening libraries,some support delayed call

For example TweenMax TweenMax.delayedCall(2, myFunction, ["myParam"]);

For all those who say that setTimeout is deprecated, this is non sense..

http://livedocs.adobe.com/flash/9.0/ActionScriptLangRefV3/flash/utils/package.html#setTimeout%28%29

I believe you can't see any "deprecated" keyword around setTimeout here

Answer 3

setTimeout is working perfectly well in external .as files.

Just use this in the class :

import flash.utils.*;
import flash.events.TimerEvent;