difference between "_Timer_Init()" and "TimerInit()" ?

[Sven]

From the help file:

TimerInit

Returns a timestamp (in milliseconds).

_Timer_Init

Returns a timestamp (in milliseconds).

Do they differ internally?

Edited April 5, 2012 by Sven

[Melba23]

Sven,

TimerInit is an native AutoIt function - so the last version where you can see the actual code used is v3.1.0 from 2005. Whether this remains unchanged in the current release version I have no idea.

_Timer_Init is a UDF function which calls the QueryPerformanceCounter function of kernel32.dll.

I have never used the UDF function as the native version has always sufficed for my needs so I cannot comment on any differences in behaviour. However, I would not mix the two sets of function - if you use TimerInit then you should use TimerDiff to get the result.

M23

[Sven]

Thanks. They both seem to call QueryPerformanceCounter (3.1.0 source does at least) and they both seem equally precise. Since I'm not having any eureka! moments concerning the difference between the two I'm going to use the one that requires less typing

Edited April 5, 2012 by Sven

[Zedna]

As far as I can remember with Timers from UDF you can achieve that your computing will not stop even during dragging/moving/resizing of your GUI window.

There are some examples for that on this forum.

EDIT:

here is one example

Edited April 5, 2012 by Zedna

[Melba23]

Sven,

Sounds like a very reasonable decision!

M23

Zedna,

Just seen your post. What you say is true for _Timer_SetTimer vs Adlib but here we are talking about measuring a delay from a fixed timestamp which can only be done within the running script and so there should be no difference - and there seems not to be:

#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>
#include <Timers.au3>

$hGUI = GUICreate("Test", 500, 500)
$cLabel_Native = GUICtrlCreateLabel("0", 10, 10, 200, 20)
$cLabel_UDF = GUICtrlCreateLabel("0", 10, 50, 200, 20)
GUISetState()

$iBegin_Native = TimerInit()
$iBegin_UDF = _Timer_Init()

While 1

    Switch GUIGetMsg()
        Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
            Exit
    EndSwitch

    $iDelay_Native = Int(TimerDiff($iBegin_Native) / 1000)
    If $iDelay_Native <> GUICtrlRead($cLabel_Native) Then
        GUICtrlSetData($cLabel_Native, $iDelay_Native)
    EndIf

    $iDelay_UDF = Int(_Timer_Diff($iBegin_UDF) / 1000)
    If $iDelay_UDF <> GUICtrlRead($cLabel_UDF) Then
        GUICtrlSetData($cLabel_UDF, $iDelay_UDF)
    EndIf

WEnd

And here is an example of using _Timer_SetTimer to get around a script pausing.

Edited April 5, 2012 by Melba23

[Zedna]

Zedna,

Just seen your post. What you say is true for _Timer_SetTimer vs Adlib but here we are talking about measuring a delay from a fixed timestamp which can only be done within the running script and so there should be no difference - and there seems not to be:

Of course you are right Melba :-)