VB6 i want to use a timer to pause a program

[computerguy46]

Hello all
i am writing a ping program and i want the program to pause for 5 seconds
before it ping the next ip address. i have set the interval to 5000 and set enabled to false in the properties.

If Check1.Value = 1 Then
Timer1.Enabled = True
Set itmx = ListView1.ListItems.Add(, , Check1.Caption)
itmx.ForeColor = vbBlack
Check1.Value = 0
Text3.Text = Check1.Caption
Text4.Text = "Booth 44"
Timer1.Enabled = False
Call pingchk
End If

the above is not working does anyone else ahve anyother id's
thanks in advance

[dee-u]

You could try the SLEEP API instead.

Declare Sub Sleep Lib "kernel32.dll" (ByVal dwMilliseconds As Long)

Sample usage:

Debug.Print "The time is "; Time$  ' display the current time
Sleep 2000  ' 2000 milliseconds = 2 seconds to delay
Debug.Print "The time is "; Time$  ' this time will be 2 seconds later

[computerguy46]

i have tryed sleep but it hangs the program. i was hoping to find a better way
to do that. thanks

[dee-u]

Where are you getting the list for the IP address that you are pinging?

[JoshHilton]

Try using this.

Sub Pause(Duration)
starttime = Timer
Do While Timer - starttime < Duration
DoEvents
Loop
End Sub

Pause(5)

[computerguy46]

dee-u
the ipaddress are hard coded in the program

JoshHilton
it did not work but thanks

[dee-u]

You can try something like this. You just have to modify it to suit your needs. And set the Timer's interval accordingly.

Option Explicit

Private IP_List(2)  As String
Private Index       As Long

Private Sub Form_Load()
    IP_List(0) = "x"
    IP_List(1) = "y"
    IP_List(2) = "z"
End Sub

Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
    If Index <= UBound(IP_List) Then
        ping IP_List(Index)
        Index = Index + 1
    Else
        Index = 0
    End If
End Sub

[CDRIVE]

Try using this.

Sub Pause(Duration)
starttime = Timer
Do While Timer - starttime < Duration
DoEvents
Loop
End Sub

Pause(5)

Your code is a CPU hog. I know because I used to use it. However, the code below uses the same concept but employs the Sleep API with 1mS Sleep calls. This is a very versatile procedure because you can put a Pause call nearly anywhere. It's great for debugging too! Pause 3 = 3 Seconds.

Option Explicit
Private Declare Sub Sleep Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwMilliseconds As Long)

' Credits: (Milk (Sleep+Pause Sub)). (Wayne Spangler (Pause Sub))
Private Sub Pause(ByVal Delay As Single)
   Delay = Timer + Delay
   If Delay > 86400 Then              'more than number of seconds in a day
      Delay = Delay - 86400
      Do
          DoEvents                    ' to process events.
          Sleep 1                     ' to not eat cpu
      Loop Until Timer < 1
   End If
   Do
       DoEvents            ' to process events.
       Sleep 1             ' to not eat cpu
   Loop While Delay > Timer
End Sub


Private Sub Form_Load()
   Me.Show
   Dim i As Integer
      For i = 1 To 10
         Me.Caption = "Pausing  " & i
         Pause 1                             ' Call Pause (1 second)
      Next
   Me.Caption = "Done"
End Sub

[dilettante]

As a variation on dee-u's approach I like to use something like:

Option Explicit

Private WorkQueue As Collection

Private Sub Form_Load()
    Set WorkQueue = New Collection
    With WorkQueue
        .Add "x"
        .Add "y"
        .Add "z"
    End With
    Timer1.Enabled = True
End Sub

Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
    Dim IP As String
    
    With WorkQueue
        IP = .Item(1)
        ping IP
        .Remove 1
        If .Count < 1 Then Timer1.Enabled = False
    End With
End Sub

It retains the advantage of not relying upon the troublesome Sleep() calls and evil DoEvents() calls. It goes further by not relying on arrays requiring purging and resizing during the program's lifetime. For example the program can add new "work requests" at any time simply by:

WorkQueue.Add "new request"
Timer1.Enabled = True

For complex workloads you can Add new objects of some Class that contains several value Properties. Sample Class:

Option Explicit
'WorkLoad.cls

Public ColorResponse As ColorConstants 'Can also use SystemColorConstants.
Public IP As String
Public Notation As String

Private Sub Class_Initialize()
    'Set defaults.
    ColorResponse = vbWindowText
End Sub

[computerguy46]

thanks for your help i can not see to make this work so i am going back to using sleep

thanks again

[CDRIVE]

thanks for your help i can not see to make this work so i am going back to using sleep

thanks again

Then you're doing something wrong. If Sleep works for you then the Pause sub that I posted will also work.... It uses Sleep. Did you run it as is to see how it's called?