Develop Reference

Count up timer on Android?

I've been looking for a way to create a timer that counts up in the format of mm:ss:SS and cannot for the life of me find a way of doing it. I had a timer running through a Handler and a Runnable but the timing was off and it took around 2.5 seconds to do a "second". I'll also need this timer be able to countdown too!
Can anyone give me any resources or code snippets to research on this as it is a big part of the app I'm coding.
Here's a bit of the code that I was using
private Handler handler = new Handler();
private Runnable runnable = new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
/* do what you need to do */
testMethod();
/* and here comes the "trick" */
handler.postDelayed(this, 10);
}
};
public void testMethod()
{
// Log.d("Testing", "Test");
final TextView timeLabel = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.timeString);
count++;
seconds = (int)(count / 100);
final String str = ""+count;
runOnUiThread(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
timeLabel.setText("" + seconds);
// Log.d("Time", "" + count);
}
});
}
Ta!

Make small custom class by extending CountDownTimer class and then add integer or long type and then increment it, since each tick is 1 second (integer) in this case
public class TimeCounter extends CountDownTimer {
// this is my seconds up counter
int countUpTimer;
public TimeCounter(long millisInFuture, long countDownInterval) {
super(millisInFuture, countDownInterval);
countUpTimer=0;
}
#Override
public void onTick(long l) {
//since each tick interval is one second
// just add 1 to this each time
myTextView.setText("Seconds:"+countUpTimer);
countUpTimer = countUpTimer+1;
}
#Override
public void onFinish() {
//reset counter to 0 if you want
countUpTimer=0;
}
}
TimeCounter timer = new TimeCounter(whenToStopInSeconds*1000, 1000);
This should get you started, in your case use long instead integer
countUpTimer = countUpTimer+1000 countUpTimer type and do time parsing as suits you

Rather than using the Handler, I'd recommend using the java.util.Timer and the java.util.TimerTask APIs. Use the Timer's void scheduleAtFixedRate() method which basically executes tasks after a fixed interval of time. The Handler's method most likely uses a fixed-delay execution.
Timer's Documentation
TimerTask's Documentation

How to do a timer listener? [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
How to set a Timer in Java?
(5 answers)
Closed 7 years ago.
I am new to Java and I want to make a program that will execute determined actions if a time is detected.
Example:
I start a timer, when 30 segs have gone, display a message, after 3 minutes have gone, execute another action, etc, etc.
How can I do this?
Thank you

Use the Timer class, you can do something like this:
public void timer() {
TimerTask tasknew = new MyTask();
Timer timer = new Timer();
/* scheduling the task, the first argument is the task you will be
performing, the second is the delay, and the last is the period. */
timer.schedule(tasknew, 100, 100);
}
}
This is an example of a class that extends TimerTask and does something.
class MyTask extends TimerTask {
#Override
public void run() {
System.out.println("Hello world from Timer task!");
}
}
For further reading look into
Timer Docs
Timer schedule example

Using ScheduledExecutorService is one possibility.
See the docs for usage example and more.
import static java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit.*;
class BeeperControl {
private final ScheduledExecutorService scheduler =
Executors.newScheduledThreadPool(1);
public void beepForAnHour() {
final Runnable beeper = new Runnable() {
public void run() { System.out.println("beep"); }
};
final ScheduledFuture<?> beeperHandle =
scheduler.scheduleAtFixedRate(beeper, 10, 10, SECONDS);
scheduler.schedule(new Runnable() {
public void run() { beeperHandle.cancel(true); }
}, 60 * 60, SECONDS);
}
}

Making a program run for 5 minutes

So I wanted to try out something for a bit with the Timer and TimerTask classes.
I was able to get a line of code to execute after 30 seconds elapsed.
What I've been trying to do now is to get this line of code to execute for 5 minuets.
This is what I originally tried
public static void main(String[] args)
{
for ( int i = 0; i <= 10; i ++ )
{
Timer timer = new Timer();
timer.schedule( new TimerTask()
{
public void run()
{
System.out.println("30 Seconds Later");
}
}, 30000
);
}
}
I used the number 10 in the for loop to see if the timer.schedule would wait for another 30 seconds during the next iteration of the loop.
Any idea how I should go about this? I tried using the schedule method with a parameter passed in for period, but that only made it re-execute and it never stopped.

Java has provided a rich set of APIs in java.util.concurrent package to achieve such tasks. One of these APIs is ScheduledExecutorService. For example consider the code given below: This code will execute the Runnable task after every 30 seconds for upto 5 minutes:
import java.util.concurrent.*;
class Scheduler
{
private final ScheduledExecutorService service;
private final long period = 30;//Repeat interval
public Scheduler()
{
service = Executors.newScheduledThreadPool(1);
}
public void startScheduler(Runnable runnable)
{
final ScheduledFuture<?> handler = service.scheduleAtFixedRate(runnable,0,period,TimeUnit.SECONDS);//Will cause the task to execute after every 30 seconds
Runnable cancel = new Runnable()
{
#Override
public void run()
{
handler.cancel(true);
System.out.println("5 minutes over...Task is cancelled : "+handler.isCancelled());
}
};
service.schedule(cancel,5,TimeUnit.MINUTES);//Cancels the task after 5 minutes
}
public static void main(String st[])
{
Runnable task = new Runnable()//The task that you want to run
{
#Override
public void run()
{
System.out.println("I am a task");
}
};
Scheduler sc = new Scheduler();
sc.startScheduler(task);
}
}

The issue you're running into is that the scheduled Timer runs on a different thread - that is, the next iteration of your for loop starts running immediately after scheduling, not 30 seconds later. It looks like your code starts ten timers all at once, which means they should all print (roughly) 30 seconds later, all at once.
You were on the right track when you tried using the recurring version of schedule (with the third parameter). As you noted, this isn't quite what you want because it runs indefinitely. However, Timer does have a cancel method to prevent subsequent executions.
So, you should try something like:
final Timer timer = new Timer();
// Note that timer has been declared final, to allow use in anon. class below
timer.schedule( new TimerTask()
{
private int i = 10;
public void run()
{
System.out.println("30 Seconds Later");
if (--i < 1) timer.cancel(); // Count down ten times, then cancel
}
}, 30000, 30000 //Note the second argument for repetition
);

here's a workaround I'm ashamed of presenting:
package test;
import java.util.Date;
import java.util.Timer;
import java.util.TimerTask;
public class FiveMinutes {
private static int count = 0;
// main method just to add example
public static void main(String[] args) {
Timer timer = new Timer();
timer.schedule(new TimerTask() {
#Override
public void run() {
System.out.println("Count is: " + count);
if (count == 1) {
System.err.println("... quitting");
System.exit(0);
}
count++;
}
},
// starting now
new Date(),
// 5 minutes
300000l
);
}
}
Also please note that the application might not run exactly 5 minutes - see documentation for TimerTask.

Your solution is pretty close to working, you just have to multiply the delay by the counter (in your case, i):
public static void main(String[] args)
{
for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) // start i at 1 for initial delay
{
Timer timer = new Timer();
timer.schedule(new TimerTask() {
public void run()
{
System.out.println("30 Seconds Later");
}
}, 30000 * i); // 5 second intervals
}
}

I don't know if this solution has problems with the garbage collector or not, but I throw it in here anyways. Maybe someone clears that out, and I learn something as well. Basically a timer sets a new timer if there is time left, and it should stop after 5 minutes.
Main.java:
public class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
MyTimer myTimer = new MyTimer(300000,30000);
myTimer.startTimer();
}
}
MyTimer.java:
import java.util.Timer;
import java.util.TimerTask;
public class MyTimer {
private int totalRunningTime;
private int currentTime = 0;
private int intervalTime;
private Timer timer = new Timer();
public MyTimer(int totalRunningTime, int intervalTime) {
this.totalRunningTime = totalRunningTime;
this.intervalTime = intervalTime;
}
public void startTimer() {
startTimer(intervalTime);
}
private void startTimer(int time) {
timer.schedule(new TimerTask() {
public void run() {
if (currentTime <= totalRunningTime - intervalTime) {
printTimeSinceLast(intervalTime / 1000);
currentTime += intervalTime;
startTimer(intervalTime);
} else if (currentTime < totalRunningTime) {
int newRestIntervalTime = totalRunningTime - currentTime;
printTimeSinceLast(newRestIntervalTime / 1000);
currentTime += newRestIntervalTime;
startTimer(newRestIntervalTime);
}
}
}, time);
}
private void printTimeSinceLast(int timeSinceLast) {
System.out.println(timeSinceLast + " seconds later.");
}
}

Java - Countdown timer without GUI

Basically I am making a text based "game" (Not so much a game, more of a way to improve basic java skills and logic). However, as part of it I wish to have a timer. It would count down on the time I wish from the variable to 0. Now, I have seen a few ways to do this with a gui, however, is there a way to do this without a gui/jframe etc.
So, what I am wondering is. Can you make a count down from x to 0 without using a gui/jframe. If so, how would you go about this?
Thanks, once I have some ideas will edit with progress.
Edit
// Start timer
Runnable r = new TimerEg(gameLength);
new Thread(r).start();
Above is how I am calling the thread/timer
public static void main(int count) {
If I then have this in the TimerEg class, the timer complies. However, when compiling the main in the other thread I get.
Now, am I completely miss-understanding threads and how this would work? Or is there something I am missing?
Error:
constructor TimerEg in class TimerEg cannot be applied to given types;
required: no arguments; found int; reason: actual and formal arguments differ in length
Found on line Runnable r = new TimerEg(gameLength);

Same as with a GUI, you'd use a Timer, but here instead of using a Swing Timer, you'd use a java.util.Timer. Have a look at the Timer API for the details. Also have a look at the TimerTask API since you would use this in conjunction with your Timer.
For example:
import java.util.Timer;
import java.util.TimerTask;
public class TimerEg {
private static TimerTask myTask = null;
public static void main(String[] args) {
Timer timer = new Timer("My Timer", false);
int count = 10;
myTask = new MyTimerTask(count, new Runnable() {
public void run() {
System.exit(0);
}
});
long delay = 1000L;
timer.scheduleAtFixedRate(myTask, delay, delay);
}
}
class MyTimerTask extends TimerTask {
private int count;
private Runnable doWhenDone;
public MyTimerTask(int count, Runnable doWhenDone) {
this.count = count;
this.doWhenDone = doWhenDone;
}
#Override
public void run() {
count--;
System.out.println("Count is: " + count);
if (count == 0) {
cancel();
doWhenDone.run();
}
}
}

You could write your own countdown timer, as simply as:
public class CountDown {
//Counts down from x to 0 in approximately
//(little more than) s * x seconds.
static void countDown(int x, int s) {
while (x > 0 ) {
System.out.println("x = " + x);
try {
Thread.sleep(s*1000);
} catch (Exception e) {}
x--;
}
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
countDown(5, 1);
}
}
Or you could use Java Timer API

It is simple to countdown with java..
int minute=10,second=60; // 10 min countdown
int delay = 1000; //milliseconds
ActionListener taskPerformer = new ActionListener() {
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent evt) {
second--;
// do something with second and minute. put them where you want.
if (second==0) {
second=59;
minute--;
if (minute<0) {
minute=9;
}
}
}
};
new Timer(delay, taskPerformer).start();

Blackberry timer not firing TimerTask

I am trying to use a time that updates a label every second (so it shows a countdown) but it only
appears to be "ticking" once and I can't work out what I'm doing wrong!
public class Puzzle extends UiApplication {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Puzzle puzzle = new Puzzle();
puzzle.enterEventDispatcher();
}
public Puzzle() {
pushScreen(new PuzzleScreen());
}
}
class PuzzleScreen extends MainScreen {
LabelField timerLabel;
Timer timer;
public static int COUNT = 0;
public PuzzleScreen() {
//set up puzzle
VerticalFieldManager vfm = new VerticalFieldManager();
add(vfm);
timerLabel = new LabelField();
timerLabel.setText("00:20");
vfm.add(timerLabel);
StartTimer();
}
void StartTimer() {
timer = new Timer();
timer.schedule(new TimerTick(), 1000);
}
private class TimerTick extends TimerTask {
public void run() {
UiApplication.getUiApplication().invokeLater(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
timerLabel.setText((COUNT++) + "");
}
});
}
}
Can anyone see what I am doing wrong..? All that happens is my label get's set to "0" and then doesn't change. I have put a breakpoint on the run in the timer tick class but I don't see it firing!
Bex

You'll need to change your Timer's schedule() call to
timer.schedule(new TimerTick(), 0, 1000);
The way you're calling it right now is saying to run it once after a second delay. This way says to run it now and every second. You probably want to use
timer.scheduleAtFixedRate(new TimerTick(), 0, 1000);
though, because it will make sure that on average your TimerTask is ran every second rather than with a normal schedule() call that says it will try waiting a second then executing, but it could fall behind if something slows it down. If scheduleAtFixedRate() is delayed, it will make multiple calls quicker than on the 1 second delay so it can "catch up." Take a look at http://www.blackberry.com/developers/docs/5.0.0api/java/util/Timer.html#scheduleAtFixedRate(java.util.TimerTask,%20long,%20long) for a more detailed explanation.