Question for Dr Simon Monk re Timer Library

Question

Hi Simon

I think your Timer library is a great piece of work. However, I do have a little problem with the "every" function. I would like to use it to do execute a callback routine every 5 minutes, but it seems to be limited to 32,767 mSec. I guess it's an issue with int and long declarations. Is there a simple way of changing the defnitions in the library?

Manny thanks

Neil Kenyon

neilk · Accepted Answer

I have resolved this issue. It's not a problem with the library, but how I was using it:

One of the examples supplied with the library passes the time interval parameter directly in the function call as (for example):

10 * 1000 representing 10 seconds and this works

In my innocence, I inferred that the same approach could be applied to all the functions in the library, which they can. Except that 30 * 1000 works, but 40 * 1000 doesnt.

I am sure there will be some C/C++ experts nodding sagely to themselves, saying "Well it's obvious!" Sadly, it wasn't to me.

When I eventually - yesterday - discovered that, whereas 40 * 1000 didn't work but 40000 did, I started to understand it!

So, in order to preserve the readability of the code, I now use the following construct:

unsigned interval = 40 * 1000;

int afterEvent = t.after(interval, doAfter);

The only bit I don't understand is that the time intervals are declared within the library as unsigned long, but must be declared merely as unsigned in the external code in order for it to work.

Perhaps someone can explain that to me.

neilk · Answer

In fact, just a thought, consider this: // test arithmetic void setup() { Serial.begin(9600); Serial.println(40000); Serial.println(40 * 1000); } void loop() { } which gives: 40000 -25536