Implementing periodic tasks with std::chrono

20 Oct 2023

References

In many applications, we often need to execute certain tasks periodically at fixed intervals. The C++ Standard Library provides the std::chrono library, which is a powerful tool for working with time-related operations. In this blog post, we will explore how to implement periodic tasks using std::chrono in C++.

Getting started with std::chrono

std::chrono is a library that provides facilities to measure time and perform time-related operations. It includes various types for representing durations and time points, as well as utilities for manipulating and formatting time-related values.

To use std::chrono, you need to include the <chrono> header file:

#include <chrono>

Implementing a periodic task

To implement a periodic task, we need to use a combination of std::chrono types and functions. The std::chrono::steady_clock is a clock that provides a monotonic measure of time, which is unaffected by changes in the system clock. We can use this clock to measure intervals accurately.

Here’s a simple example that demonstrates how to execute a task every second:

#include <chrono>
#include <iostream>
#include <thread>

void periodicTask()
{
    // Perform the task
    std::cout << "Executing periodic task..." << std::endl;
}

int main()
{
    while (true) {
        auto start = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();

        // Execute the periodic task
        periodicTask();

        auto end = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
        auto duration = end - start;

        // Wait for the remaining time in the second
        std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::seconds(1) - duration);
    }

    return 0;
}

In this example, we define a periodicTask() function that represents the task we want to execute periodically. Inside the main() function, we enter an infinite loop and measure the time it takes to execute the task. We then calculate the remaining time in the second and wait using std::this_thread::sleep_for().

By adjusting the value passed to std::chrono::seconds(), you can easily change the interval at which the task is executed.

Conclusion

Using std::chrono, implementing periodic tasks in C++ becomes straightforward and accurate. The library provides a variety of types and functions that allow us to work with time and perform time-related operations efficiently.

In this blog post, we explored a basic example of implementing a periodic task using std::chrono. You can build upon this example and customize it further to suit your specific requirements.

#References

C++ Reference for std::chrono
Using std::chrono in C++ #C++ #std_chrono