Test TIMER Function Gives Milliseconds Since Windows Started

ID Number: Q83859

1.00

WINDOWS

docerr

Summary:

The TIMER function in Microsoft Test uses the Windows API routine

GetTickCount, which returns the number of milliseconds since Windows

was started. A program example below demonstrates this.

Contrary to the documentation, the TIMER function does NOT return the

number of seconds since midnight. Instead, it returns the number of

milliseconds since Windows was started.

This information applies to Microsoft Test version 1.0 for Windows.

More Information:

Example of TIMER Function

-------------------------

1. Start the Test driver.

2. From the Window menu, choose Show Viewport to be able to see the

output.

3. Enter the following code:

print "the date and time = ";datetime$

ret& = timer 'return the time in millisecond into a long

print ret& 'this will print the time since Windows was last started

sleep 3 'wait 3 seconds or more if other Windows processes are running

print "date time 2 = ";datetime$ 'print the new time

ret& = timer 'get the new timer return value and print it

print ret&

4. From the Run menu, choose Start to run the Test script.

5. Click on the Viewport window and note that the timer function is a

number in milliseconds. To verify that this is the amount of time

since the Windows session was started, save the Test script, exit

Windows, and restart. Then run the timer test again, and note that

the values returned by the timer function will be much smaller.

Documentation Corrections

-------------------------

The following corrections apply to page 541 of the "Microsoft Test:

for Windows User's Guide" version 1.0 manual and to the online Help

(MSTEST.HLP) section for the TIMER function:

- The following description for the TIMER function is incorrect

The TIMER function gives the number of seconds (in

hundredths) since midnight.

and should be changed to read as follows:

The TIMER function gives the number of milliseconds since

Windows was started.

- Because the TIMER function returns a LONG integer, the following

syntax example is incorrect

Ret% = TIMER

and should be changed to read as follows:

Ret& = TIMER

For a complete list of documentation corrections for Microsoft Test

for Windows, query in this knowledge base on the following words:

MSTEST.HLP and README.WRI and Guide and corrections

Additional reference words: 1.00 time