/*!
\file StopWatch.h
\brief Provides the BStopWatch class.
*/

/*!
\class BStopWatch
\ingroup support
\ingroup libbe
\brief A timer class.

This class provides method to time events. The interface is designed to behave like a physical stopwatch. It is especially useful for debugging certain parts of your code, since it can behave like a 'cheap' profiler. 
*/

/*!
\fn BStopWatch::BStopWatch(const char *name, bool silent)
\brief Constructs a BStopWatch object and starts the timer.

The constructor creates a clean BStopWatch object. This object
can be given a name. As soon as the object is created, the time
will start ticking away. This class is designed to be usuable as a primitive profiling tool.
If you are profiling your code with this class, pass true as the 
silentparameter. Whenever the object is destroyed, information on
the elapsed time will be streamed to standard output.

\param name The name you want to give this object. You may pass NULL.
\param silent Pass true if you want to use this object as a simple profiler.
*/

/*!
\fn BStopWatch::~BStopWatch()
Destroys the object. If the object was constructed with the parameter 
silent set t to false, this destructor will print
information on the elapsed time to standard output.
*/

/*!
\fn void BStopWatch::Resume()
\brief Resumes the timer when it is in a suspended state.
\sa Suspend()
*/

/*!
\fn void BStopWatch::Suspend()
\brief Suspend the timer.
\sa Resume()
*/

/*!
\fn bigtime_t BStopWatch::Lap()
\brief Start a new lap.

This method sets a lap. With the current implementation you are unable to actually
retrieve the timings of the laps. This is only printed to the standard output when the
object is destroyed. Thus making this tool only usuable for use when doing some
profiling.

\attention Please note that the current implementation is limited to 10 laps. The value returned
is the time that has passed since the timer was started (and not the time that has
passed since the last lap). Any lap call beyond the 10th lap will overwrite the last
value. Note that if the timer is suspended, nothing happens and the method will return 0.
*/

/*!
\fn bigtime_t BStopWatch::ElapsedTime() const
\brief Get the elapsed time the object has counted.
\return The elapsed time in microseconds.
*/

/*!
\fn void BStopWatch::Reset()
\brief Restart the timer

Resets the object: it clears the start time, it clears the stored laps and it restarts
the timer.
*/

/*!
\fn const char *BStopWatch::Name() const
\brief Get the name
\return the name given to the object at creation time.
*/