Need some help cleaning this code

[raven3962]

Hey all, I can't say that I'm new to AS3, I've been working with it alot, and doing loads of stuff with it, and it's great so far, but one thing I have always had trouble with, is the amount of code I use. I'm pretty sure there is a cleaner, simpler way of doing things, but I guess I'll have to learn a bit at a time.

So I'll start here.

This is part of the code I'm using for a little experiment that I've put together. It works fine, just needs cleaning.

There is a single movieclip on the stage, and to start, it is duplicated to 4 childs. These childs have 4 seperate rotations (0,90,180,270) and then they are duplicated lots of times on those settings, using a timer.

I was sure that I saw a simpler way of doing this somewhere, but I really can't remember where I saw it, and I haven't the foggiest what I need to look for, simply because I don't know what it's called.

I'll also add the fla file, just in case.
Any help would be awesome! Thanks guys!
ATT: Light_Rotation.fla

function createTrailBall(e:Event):void {
	
	// Create Child1 and add info
	var trailBall1:Orb=new Orb();
	trailBall1.x = trailPosition;
	trailBall1.y = trailPosition;
	trailBall1.rotation = 0;
	
	// Create Child2 and add info
	var trailBall2:Orb=new Orb();
	trailBall2.x = trailPosition;
	trailBall2.y = trailPosition;
	trailBall2.rotation = 90;
	
	// Create Child3 and add info
	var trailBall3:Orb=new Orb();
	trailBall3.x = trailPosition;
	trailBall3.y = trailPosition;
	trailBall3.rotation = 180;
	
	// Create Child4 and add info
	var trailBall4:Orb=new Orb();
	trailBall4.x = trailPosition;
	trailBall4.y = trailPosition;
	trailBall4.rotation = 270;
	[COLOR="DimGray"]
	//Start the next function for rotation and alpha changes
	trailBall1.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME,animateTrailBall);
	trailBall2.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME,animateTrailBall);
	trailBall3.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME,animateTrailBall);
	trailBall4.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME,animateTrailBall);
	
	//Add Childs to stage
	addChildAt(trailBall1,0);
	addChildAt(trailBall2,0);
	addChildAt(trailBall3,0);
	addChildAt(trailBall4,0);

}
// Function for changeing Childs on stage
function animateTrailBall(e:Event):void {
	e.target.rotation += rotationSpeed;
	e.target.alpha -= 0.01;
	if (e.target.alpha <= 0) {
		e.target.removeEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME,animateTrailBall);
		removeChild((MovieClip)(e.target));
	}
}

[5TonsOfFlax]

function createTrailBall(e:Event):void {
    var trailBall:Orb;
    for(var i:int=0; i < 4; i++){
	
	// Create Child and add info
	trailBall:Orb=new Orb();
	trailBall.x = trailPosition;
	trailBall.y = trailPosition;
	trailBall.rotation = i*90;
	//Start the next function for rotation and alpha changes
	trailBall.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME,animateTrailBall);
	
	//Add Childs to stage
	addChildAt(trailBall,0);
    }
}

// Function for changing children on stage
function animateTrailBall(e:Event):void {
	e.target.rotation += rotationSpeed;
	e.target.alpha -= 0.01;
	if (e.target.alpha <= 0) {
		e.target.removeEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME,animateTrailBall);
		removeChild((MovieClip)(e.target));
	}
}

[raven3962]

That's awesome man, thanks very much!

Can anyone give me a small "guide" as to what that 'for' function is and how it works? Or link me to somewhere?

That would be awesome,
Thanks again!

[5TonsOfFlax]

http://livedocs.adobe.com/flash/9.0/...ments.html#for

for loops are a basic looping mechanism in almost all programming languages (including as1 and as2). It simply initializes with one statement, loops over some block of code while a second statement is true, and changes something between loops with a third statement. Usually it's used as above to go from one number to another hitting all of them in between.

Honestly, that's a weird question from someone who

can't say that I'm new to AS3, I've been working with it alot, and doing loads of stuff with it

[raven3962]

Heh, yeah I know, but I've always done things the long way round!
Thanks for the info man, relaly appreciate it =D