Expose elapsed time API (#670)

FL/Fl.H

@@ -470,6 +470,13 @@ public:
   static void add_check(Fl_Timeout_Handler, void* = 0);
   static int  has_check(Fl_Timeout_Handler, void* = 0);
   static void remove_check(Fl_Timeout_Handler, void* = 0);
+
+  static Fl_Timestamp now();
+  static double seconds_since(Fl_Timestamp& then);
+  static double seconds_between(Fl_Timestamp& back, Fl_Timestamp& further_back);
+  static long ticks_since(Fl_Timestamp& then);
+  static long ticks_between(Fl_Timestamp& back, Fl_Timestamp& further_back);
+
   // private
   static void run_idle();
   static void run_checks();

FL/platform_types.h

@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@
  *     https://www.fltk.org/bugs.php
  */
 
+#ifndef Fl_Platform_Types_H
+#define Fl_Platform_Types_H
+
 /** \file
  Definitions of platform-dependent types.
  The exact nature of these types varies with the platform.
@@ -62,6 +65,13 @@ typedef opaque FL_SOCKET; /**< socket or file descriptor */
  */
 typedef struct opaque *GLContext;
 
+/**
+ Platform-specific point in time, used for delta time calculation.
+ \note This type may be a struct. sizeof(Fl_Timestamp) may be different on
+ different platforms. Fl_Timestamp may change with future ABI changes.
+ */
+typedef opaque Fl_Timestamp;
+
 #  define FL_COMMAND  opaque   /**< An alias for FL_CTRL on Windows and X11, or FL_META on MacOS X */
 #  define FL_CONTROL  opaque   /**< An alias for FL_META on Windows and X11, or FL_CTRL on MacOS X */
 
@@ -127,4 +137,15 @@ extern FL_EXPORT int fl_control_modifier();
 
 #endif /* FL_PLATFORM_TYPES_H */
 
+// This is currently the same for all platforms, but may change in the future
+struct Fl_Timestamp_t {
+  long sec;
+  long usec;
+};
+
+typedef struct Fl_Timestamp_t Fl_Timestamp;
+
 #endif /* FL_DOXYGEN */
+
+#endif /* Fl_Platform_Types_H */
+

src/Fl_Timeout.cxx

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 // Timeout support functions for the Fast Light Tool Kit (FLTK).
 //
 // Author: Albrecht Schlosser
-// Copyright 2021-2022 by Bill Spitzak and others.
+// Copyright 2021-2023 by Bill Spitzak and others.
 //
 // This library is free software. Distribution and use rights are outlined in
 // the file "COPYING" which should have been included with this file.  If this
@@ -34,40 +34,108 @@ Fl_Timeout *Fl_Timeout::current_timeout = 0;
 static int num_timers = 0;    // DEBUG
 #endif
 
-// Internal timestamp, used for delta time calculation.
-// Note: FLTK naming convention is not used here to avoid potential conflicts
-// in the future.
+/**
+ Set a time stamp at this point in time.
 
-struct FlTimeStamp {
-  long sec;
-  long usec;
-};
+ The time stamp is an opaque type and does not represent the time of day or
+ some time and date in the calendar. It is used with Fl::seconds_between() and
+ Fl::seconds_since() to measure elapsed time.
 
-typedef struct FlTimeStamp FlTimeStamp_t;
+ \code
+ Fl_Timestamp start = Fl::now();
+ // do something
+ double s = Fl::seconds_since(start);
+ printf("That operation took %g seconds\n", s);
+ \endcode
 
-// Get a timestamp of type FlTimeStamp.
+ Depending on the system the resolution may be milliseconds or microseconds.
+ Under certain conditions (particularly on Windows) the value in member `sec`
+ may wrap around and does not represent a real time (maybe runtime of the system).
+ Function seconds_since() below uses this to subtract two timestamps which is
+ always a correct delta time with milliseconds or microseconds resolution.
 
-// Depending on the system the resolution may be milliseconds or microseconds.
-// Under certain conditions (particularly on Windows) the value in member `sec'
-// may wrap around and does not represent a real time (maybe runtime of the system).
-// Function elapsed_time() below uses this to subtract two timestamps which is always
-// a correct delta time with milliseconds or microseconds resolution.
+ \todo Fl::system_driver()->gettime() was implemented for the Forms library and
+ has a limited resolution (on Windows: milliseconds). On POSIX platforms it uses
+ gettimeofday() with microsecond resolution.
+ A new function could use a better resolution on Windows with its multimedia
+ timers which requires a new dependency: winmm.lib (dll). This could be a future
+ improvement, maybe set as a build option or generally (requires Win95 or 98?).
 
-// To do: Fl::system_driver()->gettime() was implemented for the Forms library and
-// has a limited resolution (on Windows: milliseconds). On POSIX platforms it uses
-// gettimeofday() with microsecond resolution.
-// A new function could use a better resolution on Windows with its multimedia
-// timers which requires a new dependency: winmm.lib (dll). This could be a future
-// improvement, maybe set as a build option or generally (requires Win95 or 98?).
+ \return this moment in time as an opaque time stamp
 
-static void get_timestamp(FlTimeStamp_t *ts) {
+ \see Fl::seconds_since(Fl_Timestamp& then)
+    Fl::seconds_between(Fl_Timestamp& back, Fl_Timestamp& further_back)
+    Fl::ticks_since(Fl_Timestamp& then)
+    Fl::ticks_between(Fl_Timestamp& back, Fl_Timestamp& further_back)
+ */
+Fl_Timestamp Fl::now() {
+  Fl_Timestamp ts;
   time_t sec;
   int usec;
   Fl::system_driver()->gettime(&sec, &usec);
-  ts->sec = (long)sec;
-  ts->usec = usec;
+  ts.sec = (long)sec;
+  ts.usec = usec;
+  return ts; // C++ will copy the result into the lvalue for us
 }
 
+/**
+ Return the time in seconds between now and a previously taken time stamp.
+
+ \param[in] then a previously taken time stamp
+ \return elapsed seconds and fractions of a second
+
+ \see Fl::seconds_between(Fl_Timestamp& back, Fl_Timestamp& further_back)
+    Fl::now()
+ */
+double Fl::seconds_since(Fl_Timestamp& then) {
+  Fl_Timestamp ts_now = Fl::now();
+  return Fl::seconds_between(ts_now, then);
+}
+
+/**
+ Return the time in seconds between two time stamps.
+
+ \param[in] back a previously taken time stamp
+ \param[in] further_back an even earlier time stamp
+ \return elapsed seconds and fractions of a second
+
+ \see Fl::seconds_since(Fl_Timestamp& then), Fl::now()
+ */
+double Fl::seconds_between(Fl_Timestamp& back, Fl_Timestamp& further_back) {
+  return double((back.sec - further_back.sec) + (back.usec - further_back.usec) / 1000000.);
+}
+
+/**
+ Return the time in ticks (60Hz) between now and a previously taken time stamp.
+
+ Ticks are a convenient way to time animations 'per frame'. Even though
+ modern computers use all kinds of screen refresh rates, 60Hz is a very good
+ base for animation that is typically shown in user interface graphics.
+
+ \param[in] then a previously taken time stamp
+ \return elapsed ticks in 60th of a second
+
+ \see Fl::ticks_between(Fl_Timestamp& back, Fl_Timestamp& further_back), Fl::now()
+ */
+long Fl::ticks_since(Fl_Timestamp& then) {
+  Fl_Timestamp ts_now = Fl::now();
+  return Fl::ticks_between(ts_now, then);
+}
+
+/**
+ Return the time in ticks (60Hz) between two time stamps.
+
+ \param[in] back a previously taken time stamp
+ \param[in] further_back an even earlier time stamp
+ \return elapsed ticks in 60th of a second
+
+ \see Fl::ticks_since(Fl_Timestamp& then), Fl::now()
+ */
+long Fl::ticks_between(Fl_Timestamp& back, Fl_Timestamp& further_back) {
+  return (back.sec-further_back.sec)*60 + (back.usec-further_back.usec)/16666;
+}
+
+
 // Returns 0 and initializes the "previous" timestamp when called for the first time.
 
 /*
@@ -83,14 +151,13 @@ static void get_timestamp(FlTimeStamp_t *ts) {
 */
 static double elapsed_time() {
   static int first = 1;                 // initialization
-  static FlTimeStamp_t prev;            // previous timestamp
-  FlTimeStamp_t now;                    // current timestamp
+  static Fl_Timestamp prev;             // previous timestamp
+  Fl_Timestamp now = Fl::now();         // current timestamp
   double elapsed = 0.0;
-  get_timestamp(&now);
   if (first) {
     first = 0;
   } else {
-    elapsed = double((now.sec - prev.sec) + (now.usec - prev.usec) / 1000000.);
+    elapsed = Fl::seconds_between(now, prev);
   }
   prev = now;
   return elapsed;