SoTimeCounter(3IV)

NAME
SoTimeCounter — timed integer counter

INHERITS FROM
SoBase > SoFieldContainer > SoEngine > SoTimeCounter

SYNOPSIS
#include <Inventor/engines/SoTimeCounter.h>

Inputs from class SoTimeCounter:

SoSFTime
timeIn
SoSFShort
min
SoSFShort
max
SoSFShort
step
SoSFBool
on
SoSFFloat
frequency
SoMFFloat
duty
SoSFShort
reset
SoSFTrigger
syncIn

Outputs from class SoTimeCounter:

(SoSFShort)
output
(SoSFTrigger)
syncOut

Methods from class SoTimeCounter:

SoTimeCounter()

Methods from class SoEngine:

static SoType
getClassTypeId()
virtual int
getOutputs(SoEngineOutputList &list) const
SoEngineOutput *
getOutput(const SbName &outputName) const
SbBool
getOutputName(const SoEngineOutput *output, SbName &outputName) const
SoEngine *
copy() const
static SoEngine *
getByName(const SbName &name)
static int
getByName(const SbName &name, SoEngineList &list)

Methods from class SoFieldContainer:

void
setToDefaults()
SbBool
hasDefaultValues() const
SbBool
fieldsAreEqual(const SoFieldContainer *fc) const
void
copyFieldValues(const SoFieldContainer *fc, SbBool copyConnections = FALSE)
SbBool
set(const char *fieldDataString)
void
get(SbString &fieldDataString)
virtual int
getFields(SoFieldList &resultList) const
virtual SoField *
getField(const SbName &fieldName) const
SbBool
getFieldName(const SoField *field, SbName &fieldName) const
SbBool
isNotifyEnabled() const
SbBool
enableNotify(SbBool flag)

Methods from class SoBase:

void
ref()
void
unref() const
void
unrefNoDelete() const
void
touch()
virtual SoType
getTypeId() const
SbBool
isOfType(SoType type) const
virtual void
setName(const SbName &name)
virtual SbName
getName() const

DESCRIPTION
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.

INPUTS
SoSFTime
timeIn
Running time.

SoSFShort
min
Minimum value for the counter.

SoSFShort
max
Maximum value for the counter.

SoSFShort
step
Counter step value.

SoSFBool
on
Counter pauses if this is set to FALSE.

SoSFFloat
frequency
Number of min-to-max cycles per second.

SoMFFloat
duty
Duty cycle values.

SoSFShort
reset
Reset the counter to the specified value.

SoSFTrigger
syncIn
Restart at the beginning of the cycle.

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

(SoSFTrigger)
syncOut
Triggers at cycle start.

METHODS

SoTimeCounter()
Constructor

FILE FORMAT/DEFAULTS
TimeCounter {
min	0
max	1
step	1
on	TRUE
frequency	1
duty	1
timeIn	<current time>
syncIn
reset	0
}

SEE ALSO
SoCounter, SoElapsedTime, SoEngineOutput