Implementing a loop using a timer in C#

Question

I wanted to replace a counter based while loop with the timer based while loop in C#.

Example :

while(count < 100000)
{
   //do something 
}

to

while(timer < X seconds)
{
    //do something 
}

I have two types of timers in C# .NET for this System.Timers and Threading.Timers . Which one will be better to use and how.I don't want to add extra time consumption or threading issues with the timer.

Wooded

possible duplicate of How to execute the loop for specific time – Baynebridge

Answer 1

Use a construct like this:

Timer r = new System.Timers.Timer(timeout_in_ms);
r.Elapsed += new ElapsedEventHandler(timer_Elapsed);
r.Enabled = true;
running = true;
while (running) {
   // do stuff
}
r.Enabled = false;

void timer_Elapsed(object sender, ElapsedEventArgs e)
{
   running = false;
}

Be careful though to do this on the UI thread, as it will block input.

Malanie

it has to be used in a console app.Will this be a problem ! – Wooded

@Wooded I don't think so. Try it and find out :). – Malanie

Answer 2

What about using the Stopwatch class.

using System.Diagnostics;
//...
Stopwatch timer = new Stopwatch();
timer.Start();
while(timer.Elapsed.TotalSeconds < Xseconds)
{
    // do something
}
timer.Stop();

Lurie

Answer 3

You can use Stopwatch class instead of them, like;

Provides a set of methods and properties that you can use to accurately measure elapsed time.

Stopwatch sw = new Stopwatch();
sw.Start();

while (sw.Elapsed < TimeSpan.FromSeconds(X seconds)) 
{
   //do something
}

From TimeSpan.FromSecond

Returns a TimeSpan that represents a specified number of seconds, where the specification is accurate to the nearest millisecond.

Hothead

Answer 4

You might as well use the DateTime.Now.Ticks counter:

long start = DateTime.Now.Ticks;
TimeSpan duration = TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(1000);
do
{
  //
}
while (DateTime.Now.Ticks - start < duration);

However, this seems to be something like busy waiting. That means that the loop will cause one core of your CPU to run at 100%. It will slow down other processes, speed up fans a.s.o. Although it depends on what you intend to do I would recommend to include Thread.Sleep(1) in the loop.

Saharan

Wow great solution. Actually I was trying to solve the cpu issue which you perfectly described in here. Thanks a lot, I was fascinated. Regards – Sauter