invalidate
invalidate( ) : self
[override] Flushes any internally-recorded starting/ending values which can be useful if you want to restart an animation without reverting to any previously recorded starting values.
Returns : self
self (makes chaining easier)
Details
Clears any initialization data (like recorded starting/ending values) which can be useful if, for example, you want to restart a tween without reverting to any previously recorded starting values. When you invalidate() an animation, it will be re-initialized the next time it renders and its vars object will be re-parsed. The timing of the animation (duration, startTime, delay) will not be affected.
For example, let's say element.x is 0 and then you gsap.to(element, {duration: 2, x: "+=100"}), it will animate from 0 to 100 over the course of 2 seconds. If you restart() that tween, it'll do exactly the same (animate from 0 to 100).
But let's say after that tween runs once, you'd like to flush the starting/ending values that were recorded internally so that x animates to 100 more than where it is NOW (which in this example would be 100). If we now call invalidate() on that tween, it'll re-parse the starting/ending values on the next render, thus causing it to animate x from 100 to 200.
When you invalidate a timeline, it automatically invalidates all of its children.
Note: if you just want to invalidate() a tween each time it repeats, you can use the repeatRefresh: true special property.