Just A Simple Timer

[Randy Walker]

I found a number of sample timers written way over my head, with structures and all kinds of unneceessary things, so I turned to Date() for a solution, real simple:

Code: Select all

Debug FormatDate("%hh:%ii:%ss", Date()) ;Just here to proof timer
seconds = 10
timer = Date() + seconds
Repeat
  Delay(50)
  tik = Date()
Until tik >= timer
Debug FormatDate("%hh:%ii:%ss", Date()) ;Just here to proof timer

Surpising thing -- I didn't find any solutions that required an SQL database.

[Mindphazer]

Hi Randy,
I think you can post your code into the Tricks'n'Tips section, as it is fully cross platform !

[blueb]

I'm not sure about that....

Code: Select all

Procedure.s DateAsString() 
  aStr.s = Space(12) 
  GetDateFormat_(#LOCALE_USER_DEFAULT, 0, 0, 0, aStr, 12) 
  ProcedureReturn aStr 
EndProcedure 

Procedure.s TimeAsString() 
  aStr.s = Space(12) 
  GetTimeFormat_(#LOCALE_USER_DEFAULT, 0, 0, 0, aStr, 12) 
  ProcedureReturn aStr 
EndProcedure 

Debug "Localized Date/Time:    " + DateAsString() + "     "+ TimeAsString()

MessageRequester("Localized Date/Time:    ", DateAsString() + "    " + TimeAsString())
Debug "================"
Debug FormatDate("%hh:%mm:%ss", Date()) ;Just here to proof timer
seconds = 10
timer = Date() + seconds
Repeat
  Delay(50)
  tik = Date()
Until tik >= timer
Debug FormatDate("%hh:%mm:%ss", Date()) ;Just here to proof timer

I did a comparison, and it seems to use the time when I started my machine..
Coincidence?

Localized Date/Time: 12/18/2024 5:36:53 AM
================
05:12:10
05:12:20

[BarryG]

%mm is the month. Use %ii for minutes.

[Mindphazer]

%mm is the month. Use %ii for minutes.

I didn't notice it !
Though I've been tricked in the past by this mistake in one of my codes (it took me a few months to realize !)

[Randy Walker]

Hi Randy,
I think you can post your code into the Tricks'n'Tips section, as it is fully cross platform !

Uhhh, last time I put something in Tricks'n'Tips it got moved to Questions so I figured I'm just not qualified to touch the Tricks'n'Tips section.
Looking back I guess it should be cross platform. Did you test in linux or MAC?

[Randy Walker]

%mm is the month. Use %ii for minutes.

Thanks for pointing that out BarryG. I made the correction in my OP.

[Mindphazer]

Uhhh, last time I put something in Tricks'n'Tips it got moved to Questions so I figured I'm just not qualified to touch the Tricks'n'Tips section.
Looking back I guess it should be cross platform. Did you test in linux or MAC?

I tested it on my Mac, it works as expected.
I also tested it on an Ubuntu VM, and it works fine too

[Randy Walker]

Looking back I guess it should be cross platform. Did you test in linux or MAC?

I tested it on my Mac, it works as expected.
I also tested it on an Ubuntu VM, and it works fine too

Glad to hear its proven cross platform. Maybe an admin can move this to tips&tricks.

[infratec]

And why not AddWindowTimer()? It is even more simple, it does not need Date()

[Randy Walker]

And why not AddWindowTimer()? It is even more simple, it does not need Date()

That is an alternative option. Really not more simple if you have to create a window to use it though, is it?
AND What's wrong with using Date()?

[infratec]

Using Date() needs additional calls and variables.
And your version is less exact, since Delay() can be interrupted by other events.
So 50ms can be 100ms at the end, or 1 Second can end at 1.1 seconds.

If you want delays below 1 second you need ElapsedMilliseconds() and not Date()

In most cases you are programming a windowed program, so AddWindowTimer() is the easiest and more exact way.
Or you have to use it as a blocking code which stops your program from working -> very bad if you wait 10 seconds and the user wants to quit the
program.
Or you have to implement the timer in a thread.

It could be even more complicated, always depending on what you want to achieve.

[normeus]

Date() for an older PureBasic version stops working on Jan 2038