OpenEuphoria

Re: questions from a newbie

• Posted by Al Getz <xaxo at AOL.COM> Jan 03, 1999
• 490 views

>does anyone know a routine for a wait command that could be
>invoked in say milliseconds like:

>wait(500) or delay(500) ???

If you use the Windows95/98 API you can use the C function:
  DWORD GetTickCount(VOID)
which returns the number of milliseconds since Windows started.
Then set up a differencing routine to determine the milliseconds
that have past since a given point in the program.

After loading Win's kernal32.dll and
linking GetTickCount (or GetTickCountA) as a function:

--declare and initialize variables:
atom t001,t002,milliseconds,MilliTime
t001=0

--function setup:
function GetTicks()
  t002=c_func(GetTickCount,{})
  milliseconds=t002-t001
  t001=t002
  return milliseconds
end function
MilliTime=GetTicks()

--now every call to 'GetTicks()' returns the time in milliseconds
--since the last call to 'GetTicks()'.
--example:

MilliTime=GetTicks()
  CallTestRoutine()
MilliTime=GetTicks()

--now MilliTime is the number of milliseconds between calls.
--end example.

One thing should be pointed out here though:
With any of the timing methods there could be a wide variance
in the time it takes to execute the entire "TestRoutine" as
Windows has a lot to keep up with sometimes and not other
times depending on all the activities going on at the time
the test routine is executed.  Remember it's a multitasking
environment.  Expect as much as 100% change or more depending
on tasks.  Of course this implies there is no way any critical
timing loops can be constructed with any timing method except
in assembly language.  You might also try using the timer
functions present in the API which are all called quite easily
from Euphoria but again the accuracy can't be mistaken for
perfect.
  One last note is that some of the timing routines in
  Windows are rumored to start over around the year 2037.
  Instead of returning the number of seconds since a given
  year in the past it will start returning the number of
  seconds since 2037.  This is because of the max integer count
  capability using 4 bytes.

  Hey good luck with all your programs!!
  I'll be looking forward to seeing some great software from
  you in the future.

       Xaxo at AOL.COM