com.openinventor.inventor.engines

Class SoTimeCounter

java.lang.Object

com.openinventor.inventor.Inventor

com.openinventor.inventor.misc.SoBase

com.openinventor.inventor.fields.SoFieldContainer

com.openinventor.inventor.engines.SoEngine

com.openinventor.inventor.engines.SoTimeCounter

All Implemented Interfaces:

SafeDisposable

public class SoTimeCounter
extends SoEngine

Timed integer counter. This engine is a counter that outputs numbers, starting at a minimum value, increasing by a step value, and ending with a number that does not exceed the maximum value. When the maximum number is reached, it starts counting from the beginning again.

The difference between this engine and the SoCounter engine, is that this engine also has a timeIn input, which allows the counting cycles to be timed. This engine counts automatically over time; it does not need to be triggered to go to the next step. By default, the timeIn input is connected to the realTime global field. It can, however, be connected to any time source.

The frequency input field controls how many min-to-max cycles are performed per second. For example, a frequency value of 0.5 means that it will take 2 seconds to complete a single min-to-max cycle.

The steps in the count cycle do not necessarily all have the same duration. Using the duty input field, you can arbitrarily split the time period of the count cycle between the steps. For example, if there are 5 steps in the cycle, a duty input of (1., 2., 2., 2., 1.) will make the second, third, and fourth steps take twice as long as the first and last steps.

At any time the counter can be reset to a specific value. If you set the reset input field to a value, the engine will continue counting from there. Note that the counter will always output numbers based on the min, max and step values, and setting the reset value does not affect the those input fields. If the reset value is not a legal counter value, the counter will still behave as though it is:

• If reset is greater than max, the counter is set to max.
• If reset is less than min, the counter is set to min.
• If reset is between step values, the counter is set to the lower step.

Each time a counting cycle is started, the syncOut output is triggered. This output can be used to synchronize some other event with the counting cycle. Other events can also synchronize the counter by triggering the syncIn input.

You can pause the engine, by setting the on input to false, and it will stop updating the output field. When you turn off the pause, by setting on to true, it will start counting again from where it left off.

File format/default:

TimeCounter {

min	0
max	1
step	1
on	true
frequency	1
duty	1
timeIn	<current time>
syncIn
reset	0

}

See also:

SoCounter, SoElapsedTime, SoEngineOutput

Nested Class Summary

Nested classes/interfaces inherited from class com.openinventor.inventor.Inventor

Inventor.ConstructorCommand

Field Summary

Fields

Modifier and Type	Field and Description
SoMFFloat	duty Duty cycle values.
SoSFFloat	frequency Number of min-to-max cycles per second.
SoSFShort	max Maximum value for the counter.
SoSFShort	min Minimum value for the counter.
SoSFBool	on Counter pauses if this is set to false.
SoEngineOutput	output ( SoSFShort ) Counts min-to-max, in step increments.
SoSFShort	reset Reset the counter to the specified value.
SoSFShort	step Counter step value.
SoSFTrigger	syncIn Restart at the beginning of the cycle.
SoEngineOutput	syncOut ( SoSFTrigger ) Triggers at cycle start.
SoSFTime	timeIn Running time.

Fields inherited from class com.openinventor.inventor.Inventor

VERBOSE_LEVEL, ZeroHandle

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor and Description
SoTimeCounter() Constructor.

Method Summary

Methods inherited from class com.openinventor.inventor.engines.SoEngine

copy, getByName, getOutput, getOutputName

Methods inherited from class com.openinventor.inventor.fields.SoFieldContainer

copyFieldValues, copyFieldValues, enableNotify, fieldsAreEqual, get, getAllFields, getEventIn, getEventOut, getField, getFieldName, hasDefaultValues, isNotifyEnabled, set, setToDefaults

Methods inherited from class com.openinventor.inventor.misc.SoBase

dispose, getEXTERNPROTO, getName, getPROTO, isDisposable, isSynchronizable, setName, setSynchronizable, touch

Methods inherited from class com.openinventor.inventor.Inventor

getAddress, getNativeResourceHandle, startInternalThreads, stopInternalThreads

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

equals, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Field Detail

min

public final SoSFShort min

Minimum value for the counter.

max

public final SoSFShort max

Maximum value for the counter.

step

public final SoSFShort step

Counter step value.

on

public final SoSFBool on

Counter pauses if this is set to false.

frequency

public final SoSFFloat frequency

Number of min-to-max cycles per second.

duty

public final SoMFFloat duty

Duty cycle values.

timeIn

public final SoSFTime timeIn

Running time.

syncIn

public final SoSFTrigger syncIn

Restart at the beginning of the cycle.

reset

public final SoSFShort reset

Reset the counter to the specified value.

output

public final SoEngineOutput output

( SoSFShort ) Counts min-to-max, in step increments.

syncOut

public final SoEngineOutput syncOut

( SoSFTrigger ) Triggers at cycle start.

Constructor Detail

SoTimeCounter

public SoTimeCounter()

Constructor.