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This topic shows how to create and destroy timers, and how to use a timer to trap mouse input at specified intervals.
This topic contains the following sections.
Creating a Timer
The following example uses the SetTimer function to create two timers. The first timer is set for every 10 seconds, the second for every five minutes.
// Set two timers.
SetTimer(hwnd, // handle to main window
IDT_TIMER1, // timer identifier
10000, // 10-second interval
(TIMERPROC) NULL); // no timer callback
SetTimer(hwnd, // handle to main window
IDT_TIMER2, // timer identifier
300000, // five-minute interval
(TIMERPROC) NULL); // no timer callback
To process the WM_TIMER messages generated by these timers, add a WM_TIMER case statement to the window procedure for the hwnd parameter.
case WM_TIMER:
switch (wParam)
{
case IDT_TIMER1:
// process the 10-second timer
return 0;
case IDT_TIMER2:
// process the five-minute timer
return 0;
}
An application can also create a timer whose WM_TIMER messages are processed not by the main window procedure but by an application-defined callback function, as in the following code sample, which creates a timer and uses the callback function MyTimerProc to process the timer's WM_TIMER messages.
// Set the timer.
SetTimer(hwnd, // handle to main window
IDT_TIMER3, // timer identifier
5000, // 5-second interval
(TIMERPROC) MyTimerProc); // timer callback
The calling convention for MyTimerProc must be based on the TimerProc callback function.
If your application creates a timer without specifying a window handle, your application must monitor the message queue for WM_TIMER messages and dispatch them to the appropriate window.
HWND hwndTimer; // handle to window for timer messages
MSG msg; // message structure
while (GetMessage(&msg, // message structure
NULL, // handle to window to receive the message
0, // lowest message to examine
0)) // highest message to examine
{
// Post WM_TIMER messages to the hwndTimer procedure.
if (msg.message == WM_TIMER)
{
msg.hwnd = hwndTimer;
}
TranslateMessage(&msg); // translates virtual-key codes
DispatchMessage(&msg); // dispatches message to window
}
Destroying a Timer
Applications should use the KillTimer function to destroy timers that are no longer necessary. The following example destroys the timers identified by the constants IDT_TIMER1, IDT_TIMER2, and IDT_TIMER3.
// Destroy the timers.
KillTimer(hwnd, IDT_TIMER1);
KillTimer(hwnd, IDT_TIMER2);
KillTimer(hwnd, IDT_TIMER3);
Using Timer Functions to Trap Mouse Input
Sometimes it is necessary to prevent more input while you have a mouse pointer on the screen. One way to accomplish this is to create a special routine that traps mouse input until a specific event occurs. Many developers refer to this routine as "building a mousetrap."
The following example uses the SetTimer and KillTimer functions to trap mouse input. SetTimer creates a timer that sends a WM_TIMER message every 10 seconds. Each time the application receives a WM_TIMER message, it records the mouse pointer ___location. If the current ___location is the same as the previous ___location and the application's main window is minimized, the application moves the mouse pointer to the icon. When the application closes, KillTimer stops the timer.
HICON hIcon1; // icon handle
POINT ptOld; // previous cursor ___location
UINT uResult; // SetTimer's return value
HINSTANCE hinstance; // handle to current instance
//
// Perform application initialization here.
//
wc.hIcon = LoadIcon(hinstance, MAKEINTRESOURCE(400));
wc.hCursor = LoadCursor(hinstance, MAKEINTRESOURCE(200));
// Record the initial cursor position.
GetCursorPos(&ptOld);
// Set the timer for the mousetrap.
uResult = SetTimer(hwnd, // handle to main window
IDT_MOUSETRAP, // timer identifier
10000, // 10-second interval
(TIMERPROC) NULL); // no timer callback
if (uResult == 0)
{
ErrorHandler("No timer is available.");
}
LONG APIENTRY MainWndProc(
HWND hwnd, // handle to main window
UINT message, // type of message
WPARAM wParam, // additional information
LPARAM lParam) // additional information
{
HDC hdc; // handle to device context
POINT pt; // current cursor ___location
RECT rc; // ___location of minimized window
switch (message)
{
//
// Process other messages.
//
case WM_TIMER:
// If the window is minimized, compare the current
// cursor position with the one from 10 seconds
// earlier. If the cursor position has not changed,
// move the cursor to the icon.
if (IsIconic(hwnd))
{
GetCursorPos(&pt);
if ((pt.x == ptOld.x) && (pt.y == ptOld.y))
{
GetWindowRect(hwnd, &rc);
SetCursorPos(rc.left, rc.top);
}
else
{
ptOld.x = pt.x;
ptOld.y = pt.y;
}
}
return 0;
case WM_DESTROY:
// Destroy the timer.
KillTimer(hwnd, IDT_MOUSETRAP);
PostQuitMessage(0);
break;
//
// Process other messages.
//
}
Although the following example also shows you how to trap mouse input, it processes the WM_TIMER message through the application-defined callback function MyTimerProc, rather than through the application's message queue.
UINT uResult; // SetTimer's return value
HICON hIcon1; // icon handle
POINT ptOld; // previous cursor ___location
HINSTANCE hinstance; // handle to current instance
//
// Perform application initialization here.
//
wc.hIcon = LoadIcon(hinstance, MAKEINTRESOURCE(400));
wc.hCursor = LoadCursor(hinstance, MAKEINTRESOURCE(200));
// Record the current cursor position.
GetCursorPos(&ptOld);
// Set the timer for the mousetrap.
uResult = SetTimer(hwnd, // handle to main window
IDT_MOUSETRAP, // timer identifier
10000, // 10-second interval
(TIMERPROC) MyTimerProc); // timer callback
if (uResult == 0)
{
ErrorHandler("No timer is available.");
}
LONG APIENTRY MainWndProc(
HWND hwnd, // handle to main window
UINT message, // type of message
WPARAM wParam, // additional information
LPARAM lParam) // additional information
{
HDC hdc; // handle to device context
switch (message)
{
//
// Process other messages.
//
case WM_DESTROY:
// Destroy the timer.
KillTimer(hwnd, IDT_MOUSETRAP);
PostQuitMessage(0);
break;
//
// Process other messages.
//
}
// MyTimerProc is an application-defined callback function that
// processes WM_TIMER messages.
VOID CALLBACK MyTimerProc(
HWND hwnd, // handle to window for timer messages
UINT message, // WM_TIMER message
UINT idTimer, // timer identifier
DWORD dwTime) // current system time
{
RECT rc;
POINT pt;
// If the window is minimized, compare the current
// cursor position with the one from 10 seconds earlier.
// If the cursor position has not changed, move the
// cursor to the icon.
if (IsIconic(hwnd))
{
GetCursorPos(&pt);
if ((pt.x == ptOld.x) && (pt.y == ptOld.y))
{
GetWindowRect(hwnd, &rc);
SetCursorPos(rc.left, rc.top);
}
else
{
ptOld.x = pt.x;
ptOld.y = pt.y;
}
}
}
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