Class Timer

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Class Timer

public class netscape.application.Timer
    extends java.lang.Object
    implements netscape.application.EventProcessor,
               netscape.application.EventFilter
{
    /* Constructors
     */
    public Timer(EventLoop, Target, String, int);
    public Timer(Target, String, int);

    /* Methods
     */
    public String command();
    public Object data();
    public int delay();
    public boolean doesCoalesce();
    public EventLoop eventLoop();
    public Object filterEvents(Vector);
    public int initialDelay();
    public boolean isRunning();
    public void processEvent(Event);
    public boolean repeats();
    public void setCoalesce(boolean);
    public void setCommand(String);
    public void setData(Object);
    public void setDelay(int);
    public void setInitialDelay(int);
    public void setRepeats(boolean);
    public void setTarget(Target);
    public void start();
    public void stop();
    public Target target();
    public long timeStamp();
    public String toString();
}

Object subclass that causes an action to occur at a predefined rate. For example, an animation object can use a Timer as the trigger for drawing its next frame. Each Timer has a Target that receives a performCommand() message; the command the Timer sends to its Target; and a delay (the time between performCommand() calls). When delay milliseconds have passed, a Timer sends the performCommand() message to its Target, passing as parameters the command and the object set using the Timer's setData() method. This cycle repeats until stop() is called, or halts immediately if the Timer is configured to send its message just once.

Using a Timer involves first creating it, then starting it using the start() method.

See Also:: Target

Constructors

Timer

  public Timer(EventLoop eventLoop,
               Target target,
               String command,
               int delay)

Constructs a Timer associated with the EventLoop eventLoop that sends performCommand() to target every delay milliseconds. You only call this constructor if you need to associate a Timer with an EventLoop other than the application's EventLoop.

See Also:: Timer(Target, String, int)

Timer

  public Timer(Target target,
               String command,
               int delay)

Constructs a Timer associated with the application's EventLoop that sends performCommand() to target every delay milliseconds.

Methods

eventLoop

  public EventLoop eventLoop()

Returns the EventLoop associated with this Timer.

setTarget

  public void setTarget(Target target)

Sets the Target that will receive performCommand() messages from the Timer.

target

  public Target target()

Returns the Target that will receive performCommand() messages from the Timer.

See Also:: setTarget

setCommand

  public void setCommand(String command)

Sets the command the Timer sends to its target in the performCommand() method.

See Also:: setTarget

command

  public String command()

Returns the command the Timer sends to its target in the performCommand() message.

See Also:: setCommand

setData

  public void setData(Object data)

Sets the data sent with the command in the performCommand() message to its target.

data

  public Object data()

Returns the data sent with the command in the performCommand() message to its target.

See Also:: setData

setDelay

  public void setDelay(int delay)

Sets the Timer's delay, the number of milliseconds between successive performCommand() messages to its Target.

See Also:: setTarget, setInitialDelay

delay

  public int delay()

Returns the Timer's delay.

See Also:: setDelay

setInitialDelay

  public void setInitialDelay(int initialDelay)

Sets the Timer's initial delay. This is the number of milliseconds the Timer will wait before sending its first performCommand() message to its Target. This setting has no effect if the Timer is already running.

See Also:: setTarget, setDelay

initialDelay

  public int initialDelay()

Returns the Timer's initial delay.

See Also:: setDelay

setRepeats

  public void setRepeats(boolean flag)

If flag is false, instructs the Timer to send a performCommand() message to its Target only once, and then stop.

repeats

  public boolean repeats()

Returns true if the Timer will send a performCommand() message to its target multiple times.

See Also:: setRepeats

timeStamp

  public long timeStamp()

Returns the time stamp, in milliseconds, associated with the Timer's most recent message to its Target.

setCoalesce

  public void setCoalesce(boolean flag)

Sets whether the Timer coalesces multiple pending performCommand() messages. A busy application may not be able to keep up with a Timer's message generation, causing multiple performCommand() message sends to be queued. When processed, the application sends these messages one after the other, causing the Timer's Target to receive a sequence of performCommand() messages with no delay between them. Coalescing avoids this situation by reducing multiple pending messages to a single message send. Timers coalesce their message sends by default.

doesCoalesce

  public boolean doesCoalesce()

Returns true if the Timer coalesces multiple pending performCommand() messages.

See Also:: setCoalesce

start

  public void start()

Starts the Timer, causing it to send performCommand() messages to its Target.

See Also:: stop

isRunning

  public boolean isRunning()

Returns true if the Timer is running.

See Also:: start

stop

  public void stop()

Stops a Timer, causing it to stop sending performCommand() messages to its Target.

See Also:: start

filterEvents

  public Object filterEvents(Vector events)

EventFilter interface method, implemented to perform coalescing. You never call this method.

See Also:: setCoalesce

processEvent

  public void processEvent(Event event)

EventProcessor interface method implemented to perform the Timer's event processing behavior, which is to send the performCommand() message to its Target. You never call this method.

See Also:: EventProcessor

toString

  public String toString()

Returns the Timer's string representation.

Overrides:: toString in class Object

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