Why does this script behavior change with the phase of the moon ?

Question

Can anyone from adobe corp or non-adobe volunteers tell me where to look in their docs to find out why this script change its behavior or how to use the debugger to figure out the same. I read the guide and the whole section on debugger and break points etc well.
try{
this.getField('Button4').strokeColor = color.red   ;
app.setTimeOut( "this.getField('Button4').strokeColor = color.green ;" , 500 );
app.setTimeOut( "this.getField('Button4').strokeColor = color.blue  ;" , 1000 );
app.setTimeOut( "this.getField('Button4').strokeColor = color.red   ;" , 1500 );
app.setTimeOut( "this.getField('Button4').strokeColor = color.green ;" , 2000 );
app.setTimeOut( "this.getField('Button4').strokeColor = color.blue  ;" , 2500 );
app.setTimeOut( "this.getField('Button4').strokeColor = color.red   ;" , 3000 );
app.setTimeOut( "this.getField('Button4').strokeColor = color.green ;" , 3500 );
app.setTimeOut( "this.getField('Button4').strokeColor = color.blue  ;" , 4000 );
catch(e){}
Sometimes the above script cycle thru all the colors in proper order and other time it get stuck.
I have linked it to a button so its part of the button javascript.
Is there a way to craft setTimeOut calls that it becomes a reliable delay ?
How to craft it such that the file does not change and does not have to be saved ? This is wanted in addition but not the essential issue at the moment.
Thanks,
Rainbow

Answer 1

MAXcount=20
// Create a simple color animation on a field called “Color” that changes every second.
function DoIt() {
  var f = this.getField("Button4");
  var nColor = (timeout.count++ % 10 / 10);
  // Various shades of red.
  var aColor = new Array("RGB", nColor, 0, 0);
  f.fillColor = aColor;
  console.println( 'change' + ' ' + nColor + '; count=' + timeout.count );
  if (timeout.count >= MAXcount)
    app.clearInterval ( timeout );
console.show();
console.clear();
console.println('Start');
// save return value as a variable
timeout = app.setInterval("DoIt()", 1000);
// Add a property to our timeout object so that DoIt() can keep a count going.
timeout.count = 0;
console.println('End of code');
// And observe the results. I expect your new timer events are conflicting with each other. Note that in the above code the change is performed within the called function and not as new line of code.
I ran it but did not follow your last comment and acrobat disk icon prompts for saving the file. Can anyone remove this "latter problem" ? Can it be solved by any means ?