How to Place a Timer in the Main Window (127942)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows 3.0

This article was previously published under Q127942

SUMMARY

The Timer control is new to Visual FoxPro. It can execute code at regular intervals and is not a visual control. You can use the timer to periodically execute a set of commands. The following two sample programs illustrate the basic commands to place a timer on the Visual FoxPro version 3.0 desktop.

MORE INFORMATION

Method One: Use the ADDOBJECT() Method to Place the Timer on the Desktop

The _SCREEN system memory variable holds a reference to the main Visual FoxPro window. It allows you to manipulate it as a form. This memory variable will be used in this sample.

The following code places a timer that displays the time. Similar code can be used to place any control on the desktop. Press the F6 key to release the timer.

Place the following code in a program (.PRG) file:
   * To remove the object:
   ON KEY LABEL F6 _SCREEN.RemoveObject('oTime')

   * To activate the Timer:
   _SCREEN.AddObject('oTime','MyTimer')

   * Class definition. The TIMER event is triggered every second, and a
   * WAIT WINDOW is displayed.
   DEFINE CLASS MyTimer AS Timer
      Interval= 1000
      PROCEDURE Timer
        WAIT WINDOW (TIME()) NOWAIT
      ENDPROC
   ENDDEFINE
				

Method two: Encapsulate the Object in a Container Class

This sample program does the same operations as the first example. The timer is added to a container class, and the CREATEOBJECT() function instantiates the object. To execute the sample, place it in a .PRG file and run the program. Press the F6 key to release the timer.
   PUBLIC oTimerObj

   * The instance variable is released when F6 is pressed.
   ON KEY LABEL f6 RELEASE oTimerObj

   oTimerObj=CREATEOBJECT('MyTimer')

   DEFINE CLASS MyTimer as Container
      ADD OBJECT oTimerobj as TimerClock
   ENDDEFINE

   DEFINE CLASS TimerClock as Timer
      Interval = 1000
      PROCEDURE Timer
         WAIT WINDOW (TIME()) NOWAIT
      ENDPROC
   ENDDEFINE
				

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:2/12/2000
Keywords:kbcode KB127942