What I meant was this. There is only ONE "built-in" timer available.
(Since I haven't used it in years, I just had to go look it up.) You
can start this timer by issuing a "startTimer" command, then check
for how much time has expired by checking "the timer". That's all
fine and good.
However, think about what would happen if you have two events that
you want to time - particular if they overlap in time. Let's say
that when some condition is met (the user clicks a button, etc.)
using the "starttimer" you start a timer in a behavior attached to a
sprite in channel 1. While still in this frame (and the timer is
running), some condition is met (the user clicks some other button),
and you attempt to start a second timer, using "starttimer", in a
behavior attached to a sprite in channel 2. Well, since there is
only ONE timer, that resets the timer that you were using in channel
1.
Instead, it is recommended that you "remember" the point at which the
event occured (saving either "the ticks" or "the milliseconds" into a
variable, and do your own timing by doing a simple subtraction, e.g.,
property pStartTicks
on SomeEventWhereWeWantToStartATimer me
pStartTicks = the ticks
-- anything else you want to do here
end
on HowLongHasItBeen me
theElapsedTicks = the ticks - pStartTicks
-- anything else you want to do here, perhaps return theElapsedTicks
end
If you used a behavior that had code like this, then you could use as
many "instances" (attach the behavior or one like it to as many
channels) as you wish, and each instance would maintain its own
timing information. This way the timing in each channel would not
interfere witht the timing in any other channel.
Irv
At 9:49 PM +0800 5/6/02, noelle cheng wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>If multiple timers are required, you must create and manage your own.(�)
>>>Typically, you use the ticks property to track time in this manner.
>>>
>>>Is this the reason why timers should not be used ?
>>
>>There's no reason they shouldn't be used. There's nothing wrong
>>with timing things. Sometimes you have to time things. (Like if you
>>are making a quiz game and you want to give the user 30 seconds to
>>answer a question.)
>
>
>Thanks, I understand this. But what did Irv mean, when he wrote this:
>
>�If you are doing timing somewhere else in your program, then there
>might be an interaction�? Does he mean a conflict?
>
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