Timers are an essential part of any application that requires time-based functionality. In C++, the std::chrono library provides a convenient way to measure time intervals and create timers. In this blog post, we will explore how to implement timers using std::chrono.

Table of Contents

• What is std::chrono?
• Creating a timer
• Using timers in your code
• Conclusion

What is std::chrono?

std::chrono is a library introduced in C++11 that provides a set of classes for handling time-related operations. It includes clocks for measuring time, durations for representing time intervals, and time points for specifying specific points in time.

Creating a timer

To create a timer using std::chrono, we need to define a duration for the timer interval and a clock to measure time. The duration represents the length of the timer interval, and the clock provides a reference for measuring time.

#include <iostream>
#include <chrono>

using namespace std::chrono;

int main() {
    // Define a duration of 1 second
    seconds duration(1);

    // Get the current system clock time
    system_clock::time_point start = system_clock::now();

    // Calculate the end time of the timer
    system_clock::time_point end = start + duration;

    // Wait until the timer reaches the end time
    while (system_clock::now() < end) {
       // Do nothing
    }

    // Timer has completed
    std::cout << "Timer expired!" << std::endl;

    return 0;
}

In the above code, we define a duration of 1 second by creating an instance of the seconds class from the std::chrono library. We then use the system_clock::now() function to get the current system clock time and store it in the start variable. From there, we calculate the end time of the timer by adding the duration to the start time.

Next, we enter a while loop that continues until the current system clock time reaches the end time of the timer. Inside the loop, we do nothing, effectively creating a delay equal to the duration of the timer.

Once the timer expires, i.e., the end time is reached, we print a message indicating that the timer has completed.

Using timers in your code

Timers are often used in situations where you need to execute a specific task after a certain period of time. For example, you could use a timer to periodically update the display of a game, fetch data from a server at regular intervals, or perform any other time-based operation.

To use timers in your code, you can encapsulate the timer logic inside a function and call it from other parts of your program whenever needed. You can also modify the duration of the timer or add additional functionality based on your requirements.

Conclusion

In this blog post, we explored how to implement timers using std::chrono in C++. We discussed how to define a duration for the timer interval, get the current system clock time, and calculate the end time of the timer. We also showed how to use timers in your code for time-based operations. The std::chrono library provides a powerful and flexible way to work with time intervals and timers in C++, allowing you to create robust and reliable time-based functionality in your applications.

#C++ #timers