var myTimer:Timer = new Timer(500); myTimer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER,tick); myTimer.start(); updateTime(); function tick(event:TimerEvent):void { updateTime(); } function updateTime():void{ var date = new Date(); var secs:uint = date.getSeconds(); var mins:uint = date.getMinutes(); var hours:uint = date.getHours(); timetext.text = pad(hours) + " : " + pad(mins) + " : " + pad(secs); } function pad(number:Number){ //Turn our number in to a string var new_num:String = String(number); //Needs padding out? if(new_num.length < 2){ //Add a zero new_num = "0" + new_num; } //Return new, better value as a string return new_num; }