returning milliseconds?

what function/header files do you use to return the current time in milliseconds?
i thought there was something like java's currentTimeMillis() function, but i can no longer remember

please help.. thanks

Depends which OS you're on.

Are you trying to benchmark something?

If so, then use the ASM 586 instruction RDTSC to get the current number of clock ticks.

no im doing an open gl program. trying to do the spinning triangle program. but the problem with that is, on faster systems, it spins really fast. i need a portable way to see how many milliseconds have passed so that it can spin a certain distance. but the problem is, the only standard is with seconds, which does me no good. is there any other solution to this?

Nice, but you still didn't mention the OS/Compiler.

I have written a function to use on my Linux systems... Not sure if it would help

Code:

---

double Clock()
{
   
    struct timeb t;
    ftime(&t);
    static unsigned int num=0;
    static int flag=0;
    if(flag==0){
    num=t.time;
    flag=1;
    }   
   
    double sec=t.time-num+(t.millitm/1000.0);
    return sec;
}

---

this will return time in terms of seconds.. but it also gives out fractions like 1.23 seconds etc... when first called it starts off from 0.... You might need to include appropriate header files..

Quote:

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what function/header files...

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#include <ctime>

clock() will return the number of "counts" (since your program started).
CLOCKS_PER_SEC is a system-specific constant for the number of "counts" per second. CLOCKS_PER_SEC is often equal to 1000, which means that clock() is already in milliseconds! But, don't count on that... write good (portable) code!

There is some information in the Programming FAQ.

Be aware of a "gotcha" with Windows: clock() will count in milliseconds, but the time_t structure is NOT updated every-single-millisecond by the OS. It jumps in...oh, I forget... something like 30 ms steps. There are other functions (in <windows>) that are more accurate... I think... GetClockTick() ...maybe GetClockCount() ???

microsoft compiler/gcc compiler in windows xp
but this program will be compiled with gcc on windows xp, osx and linux

>>maybe GetClockCount() ???
GetTickCount() ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hunter2

>>maybe GetClockCount() ???
GetTickCount() ;)

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thats defined in windows.h
which i cant use

Well, can't think of any standard way of doing it assuming dougdbug is correct about 30ms jumps. I would have suggested QueryPerformanceCounter(), but that's Windows specific too. But heck, if you're doing OpenGL on Windows, why can't you use windows.h?

Here it goes...

CLOCK
Syntax

#include <time.h>

clock_t clock(void);
Description

This function returns the number of clock ticks since an arbitrary time, actually, since the first call to clock, which itself returns zero. The number of tics per second is CLOCKS_PER_SEC.
Return Value

The number of tics.
Portability

ANSI, POSIX
Example

printf("%d seconds have elapsed\n", clock()/CLOCKS_PER_SEC);

SLEEP
Syntax

#include <unistd.h>

unsigned sleep(unsigned seconds);
Description

This function causes the program to pause for seconds seconds.
Return Value

The number of seconds that haven't passed (i.e. always zero)
Portability

not ANSI, POSIX
Example

sleep(5);

> but this program will be compiled with gcc on windows xp, osx and linux
Tough on you - there is no standard function which returns milliseconds on all these platforms.

So somewhere you're going to have to do something like

Code:

---

#if defined(WINDOWS)
#include <windows.h>
int myGetMilliseconds ( void ) {
  return GetTickCount();
}
#elif defined(LINUX)
int myGetMilliseconds ( void ) {
  // find some suitable function
}
#else
#error specify an OS with -DNAME_OF_OS
#endif

---

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Salem

> but this program will be compiled with gcc on windows xp, osx and linux
Tough on you - there is no standard function which returns milliseconds on all these platforms.

So somewhere you're going to have to do something like

Code:

---

#if defined(WINDOWS)
#include <windows.h>
int myGetMilliseconds ( void ) {
  return GetTickCount();
}
#elif defined(LINUX)
int myGetMilliseconds ( void ) {
  // find some suitable function
}
#else
#error specify an OS with -DNAME_OF_OS
#endif

---

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thanks, but the clock function will more than due.
i just needed a value returned that was small enough so that it would be about the same on any system to control motion in opengl