Countdown timer to change state / mode

Programming Questions

matthewpj..

Countdown timer to change state / mode

in Programming Questions • 5 months ago

I've managed to configure my program to respond to keyPressed and mousePressed with the result to change the mode.

I'm now trying to get a timer to start counting down at mode==2 and when the timer finishes {mode=3}. I know that this part works

class DownTimer {
//***local variables
int startTime;
float countDown;
// ***constructor
DownTimer(){
countDown=4000;
}
//***functions
void start(){
startTime=millis();
}
boolean timeEnd() {
int timeGone=millis()- startTime;
if (timeGone>countDown) {return true;}
else {return false;}
}
}

but implementing it into the sketch is not working for me: I'm not receiving any errors, the program just isn't changing from "mode==2" to "mode==3". I'm currently using this code:

void downTimer(){
downTimer=new DownTimer();
if (mode==2) {downTimer.start();}
if(downTimer.timeEnd())
{mode=3;
downTimer.start();}
}

Any help greatly appreciated :D

Replies(9)

amnon.owed

Re: Countdown timer to change state / mode

5 months ago

The main problem is in your downTimer() method which continuously re-creates the object and restarts the timer.

So it will never move forward. The solution is to separate these calls.

Adapted Code

int mode = 2;
DownTimer downTimer = new DownTimer(4000);
void setup() {
size(200, 200);
textAlign(CENTER, CENTER);
textSize(100);
}
void draw() {
background(0);
if (downTimer.end()) { mode++; downTimer.start(); }
text(mode+"", 0, 0, width, height);
}
void mousePressed() {
mode = 2;
downTimer.start();
}
class DownTimer {
int startTime, countDown;
DownTimer(int countDown) {
this.countDown = countDown;
}
void start() {
startTime = millis();
}
boolean end() {
return (millis()-startTime>countDown);
}
}

matthewpj..

Re: Countdown timer to change state / mode

5 months ago

Cheers.

I've tried getting this to work and still no luck changing from mode 2 to mode 3.

Here's what I have for the DownTimer class:

class DownTimer {
//***local variables
int startTime;
float countDown;
// ***constructor
DownTimer(int countDown){
this.countDown=countDown;
}
//***functions
void start(){
startTime=millis();
}
boolean end() {
return (millis()-startTime>countDown);
}
}

And here's what I've got for the part that calls the class:

int mode=0;
OpenScreen oScr;
ReadyScreen rScr;
SteadyScreen sScr;
GoScreen gScr;
FinishScreen fScr;
DownTimer downTimer = new DownTimer(1000);
void setup() {
size(600, 600);
smooth();
}
void draw() {
oScr= new OpenScreen();
rScr= new ReadyScreen();
sScr= new SteadyScreen();
gScr= new GoScreen();
fScr= new FinishScreen();
if (mode ==0)
{oScr.run();}
else if (mode==1)
{rScr.run();}
else if (mode==2)
{sScr.run();}
else if (mode==3)
{gScr.run();}
else if (mode==4)
{fScr.run();}
}
void mousePressed(){
if (mode==1) {mode=2;}
//else if (mode==2) {mode=3;}
else if (mode==3) {mode=4;}
}
void keyPressed(){
if (mode==0) {mode=1;}
else if (mode==4) {mode=0;}
}
void downTimer(){
if (mode==2){downTimer.start();}
if (downTimer.end()) {mode=3;}
}

I'm stumped :/

amnon.owed

Re: Countdown timer to change state / mode

5 months ago

You're probably overcomplicating things in your mind. Perhaps take a break and try again tomorrow.

You're continuously re-creating objects in draw() all the time, so look at the following page to increase your knowledge about OOP: http://processing.org/learning/objects/

And then re-examine the example I posted, especially take a look at line 12. This is the line that keeps things moving and is missing in your draw() loop.

matthewpj..

Re: Countdown timer to change state / mode

5 months ago

I still can't figure this out :(

If i use

if (downTimer.timeEnd()) { mode=3;}

Then when the timer ends, it jumps to mode 3 regardless of which mode the programme is currently in. So, as I want the timer to start the countdown when mode 2 is active, I tried this in void draw.

else if (mode==2)
{sScr.run(); downTimer.run();}
if (downTimer.timeEnd() && mode==2) { mode=3; downTimer.run(); }

basically saying that if in mode 2, run the countdown timer and then when the timer ends, enter mode 3.

but it STILL doesn't do this! It just sits there in mode 2

WHY?? :(

PhiLho

Re: Countdown timer to change state / mode

5 months ago

You are in mode 2. You start downTimer, which runs.
After a while, downTimer.timerEnd() is true.
But you are still in mode 2, so the test above the one checking downTimer.timerEnd() is executed before the test, so you run again your timer.
Actually, you run downTimer.run() on each frame! Probably resetting it each time.
You need to add a condition before running your timer. Something like:

if (mode == 2)
{
sScr.run();
if (!downTimer.isRunning()) downTimer.run();
}

matthewpj..

Re: Countdown timer to change state / mode

5 months ago

I've been going around in circles with this for hours now. Everytime I change the code and think it's going to work there's either an error or the exact same thing happens as before. If I use
!downTimer.isRunning()

I get "The function isRunning()does not exist
So frustrating :(

Here's my code as is:

TAB- F_DownTimer

class DownTimer {

//***local variables

int startTime;

int countDown;

// ***constructor

DownTimer(){

countDown=4000;

}

//***functions

void run(){

startTime=millis();

}

boolean timeEnd() {

int timeGone=millis()- startTime;

if (timeGone>countDown) {return true;}

else {return false;}

}

TAB- workinprogress

int mode=0;

OpenScreen oScr;

ReadyScreen rScr;

SteadyScreen sScr;

GoScreen gScr;

FinishScreen fScr;

DownTimer downTimer;

void setup() {

size(600, 600);

smooth();

}

void draw() {

oScr= new OpenScreen();

rScr= new ReadyScreen();

sScr= new SteadyScreen();

gScr= new GoScreen();

fScr= new FinishScreen();

if (mode ==0)

{oScr.run();}

else if (mode==1)

{rScr.run();}

else if (mode==2)

{sScr.run();

if (!downTimer.timeEnd()) downTimer.run();

if(downTimer.timeEnd()){mode=3;}

}

else if (mode==3)

{gScr.run();}

else if (mode==4)

{fScr.run();}

}

void downTimer(){

if(downTimer.timeEnd()){mode=3;}

}

void mousePressed(){

if (mode==1) {mode=2;}

//else if (mode==2) {mode=3;}

else if (mode==3) {mode=4;}

}

void keyPressed(){

if (mode==0) {mode=1;}

else if (mode==4) {mode=0;}

}

If anyone could say what is needed, where it is needed and why it is needed i will a)regain some sanity b)worship you forever.

PhiLho

Re: Countdown timer to change state / mode

5 months ago

" The function isRunning()does not exist"
Of course, you have to create it yourself, like you created downTimer.run() and such. This class should be able to know if it is running or not.

matthewpj..

Re: Countdown timer to change state / mode

5 months ago

I am so lost :/

matthewpj..

Re: Countdown timer to change state / mode

5 months ago

Finally I have managed to get it to do what I wanted it to do! Feel like kicking myself! Took a pen and paper and wrote out the code and it worked when i typed it up! For reference, here's what I used:

int downTimerTime=3000
int downStartTime();

if(mode==1){
downStartTime=millis();}
else if(mode==2){
if(millis()>downStartTime+downTimerTime){mode=3}
}

Thank you to everyone for your help with this!

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