Learn more about MATLAB

timer - Construct timer object

Syntax

T = timer T = timer('PropertyName1', PropertyValue1, 'PropertyName2', PropertyValue2,...)

Description

T = timer constructs a timer object with default attributes.

T = timer('PropertyName1', PropertyValue1, 'PropertyName2', PropertyValue2,...) constructs a timer object in which the given property name/value pairs are set on the object. See Timer Object Properties for a list of all the properties supported by the timer object.

Note that the property name/property value pairs can be in any format supported by the set function, i.e., property/value string pairs, structures, and property/value cell array pairs.

Examples

This example constructs a timer object with a timer callback function handle, mycallback, and a 10 second interval.

t = timer('TimerFcn',@mycallback, 'Period', 10.0);

Timer Object Properties

The timer object supports the following properties that control its attributes. The table includes information about the data type of each property and its default value.

To view the value of the properties of a particular timer object, use the get(timer) function. To set the value of the properties of a timer object, use the set(timer) function.

Property Name	Property Description	Data Types, Values, Defaults, Access
`AveragePeriod`	Average time between `TimerFcn` executions since the timer started. Note: Value is `NaN` until timer executes two timer callbacks.	Data type	`double`
		Default	`NaN`
		Read only	Always
`BusyMode`	Action taken when a timer has to execute `TimerFcn` before the completion of previous execution of `TimerFcn`. `'drop'` — Do not execute the function. `'error'` — Generate an error. Requires `ErrorFcn` to be set. `'queue'` — Execute function at next opportunity.	Data type	Enumerated string
		Values	`'drop'` `'error'` `'queue'`
		Default	`'drop'`
		Read only	While `Running` = `'on'`
`ErrorFcn`	Function that the timer executes when an error occurs. This function executes before the `StopFcn`. See Creating Callback Functions for more information.	Data type	Text string, function handle, or cell array
		Default	None
		Read only	Never
`ExecutionMode`	Determines how the timer object schedules timer events. See Timer Object Execution Modes for more information.	Data type	Enumerated string
		Values	`'singleShot'` `'fixedDelay'` `'fixedRate'` `'fixedSpacing'`
		Default	`'singleShot'`
		Read only	While `Running = 'on'`
`InstantPeriod`	The time between the last two executions of `TimerFcn`.	Data type	`double`
		Default	`NaN`
		Read only	Always
`Name`	User-supplied name.	Data type	Text string
		Default	`'timer-``i``'`, where `i` is a number indicating the `i`th timer object created this session. To reset `i` to 1, execute the `clear classes` command.
		Read only	Never
`ObjectVisibility`	Provides a way for application developers to prevent end-user access to the timer objects created by their application. The `timerfind` function does not return an object whose `ObjectVisibility` property is set to `'off'`. Objects that are not visible are still valid. If you have access to the object (for example, from within the M-file that created it), you can set its properties.	Data type	Enumerated string
		Values	`'off'` `'on'`
		Default	`'on'`
		Read only	Never
`Period`	Specifies the delay, in seconds, between executions of `TimerFcn`.	Data type	`double`
		Value	Any number >= 0.001
		Default	1.0
		Read only	While `Running` = `'on'`
`Running`	Indicates whether the timer is currently executing.	Data type	Enumerated string
		Values	`'off'` `'on'`
		Default	`'off'`
		Read only	Always
`StartDelay`	Specifies the delay, in seconds, between the start of the timer and the first execution of the function specified in `TimerFcn`.	Data type	`double`
		Values	Any number >= 0
		Default	0
		Read only	While `Running` =`'on'`
`StartFcn`	Function the timer calls when it starts. See Creating Callback Functions for more information.	Data type	Text string, function handle, or cell array
		Default	None
		Read only	Never
`StopFcn`	Function the timer calls when it stops. The timer stops when You call the timer `stop` function The timer finishes executing `TimerFcn`, i.e., the value of `TasksExecuted` reaches the limit set by `TasksToExecute`. An error occurs (The `ErrorFcn` is called first, followed by the `StopFcn`.) See Creating Callback Functions for more information.	Date type	Text string, function handle, or cell array
		Default	None
		Read only	Never
`Tag`	User supplied label.	Data type	Text string
		Default	Empty string (`''`)
		Read only	Never
`TasksToExecute`	Specifies the number of times the timer should execute the function specified in the `TimerFcn` property.	Data type	`double`
		Values	Any number > 0
		Default	`Inf`
		Read only	Never
`TasksExecuted`	The number of times the timer has called `TimerFcn` since the timer was started.	Data type	`double`
		Values	Any number >= 0
		Default	0
		Read only	Always
`TimerFcn`	Timer callback function. See Creating Callback Functions for more information.	Data type	Text string, function handle, or cell array
		Default	None
		Read only	Never
`Type`	Identifies the object type.	Data type	Text string
		Values	`'timer'`
		Read only	Always
`UserData`	User-supplied data.	Data type	User-defined
		Default	`[]`
		Read only	Never