Timer

Description

The Timer calls a function after a specific amount of time. The function has to be a member-function of the following form:

void SomeClass::function(void);

The Timer allows you to call a function every xxx seconds (loop) or once after xxx seconds (no loop). You can stop and restart the Timer or pause/unpause it. In some cases the Timer can replace the tick(dt) function of an object or just simplify the process of waiting a specific amount of time befor doing some action (for example if you want to delete an object after 10 seconds).

Functions

• Creation:
  • Timer(interval, bLoop, object, timerFunction): The constructor creates a new Timer that calls the timerFunction of object after interval seconds and loops if bLoop is true.
  • setTimer(interval, bLoop, object, timerFunction): Does exactly the same like the constructor.

• Manipulation:
  • startTimer(): (Re)starts the timer.
  • stopTimer(): Stops the timer. You can activate it againg by restarting it.
  • pauseTimer(): Pauses the timer - the current state gets saved, unpausing is possible.
  • unpauseTimer(): Unpauses the timer - it continuous with the saved state.

Example

Definition of a class with timer:

class MyClass
{
  public:
    MyClass();

  private:
    void beep();
    Timer<MyClass> timer_;
};

Implementation of the class with timer:

MyClass::MyClass()
{
  std::cout << "Created MyClass." << std::endl;
  this->timer_.setTimer(3.0, true, this, &MyClass::beep);
}

void MyClass::beep()
{
  std::cout << "beep!" << std::endl;
}

Output: One "beep!" every 3 seconds

Created MyClass.
beep!
beep!
beep!
beep!
beep!
beep!
beep!
beep!
beep!
...