How to Create a Clock Class to Show Time in AM/PM Format

ID: Q141736

3.00 3.00b WINDOWS

 kbhowto

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, versions 3.0 and 3.0b

SUMMARY

The TIME() function in Visual FoxPro returns the time as a character string in the format of hh:mm:ss. With this format, 1:35:30 PM displays as 13:35:30 and 9:45:30 AM displays as 09:45:30. In certain situations, you may prefer the standard time display with the AM/PM format. This article shows you how to do it.

MORE INFORMATION

The following steps create a Visual FoxPro Class that displays the current time in the standard AM/PM format when you place it on a form.

Steps to Create Clock Class

1. Type the following command in the Command window:

   CREATE CLASS.

2. In the dialog box, enter oClock in the Class Name field, Container in

   the Based On field, and a name for the .VCX file in the Store in field.

3. Add a Timer control to the container, and give the Timer control the

   following property values and event codes:

   Name: Clock
   Interval: 1000

   Timer event method:

      This.Parent.tdisplay.Refresh

4. Add a text box to the container, and give the text box the following

   property values and event code:

   Name: tdisplay
   DisabledBackColor: 255,255,255
   DisabledForeColor: 0,0,0
   Enabled: .F.
   FontName: Arial
   FontSize: 10
   Height: 24
   Width: 85

   Init event:

      This.Top=0
      This.Left=0

   Refresh method:

      This.Value=IIF(BETWEEN(VAL(LEFT(Time(),2)),12,23), ;
         ALLTRIM(STR(VAL(LEFT(Time(),2))-12))+ SUBSTR(Time(),3,6)+' PM', ;
         IIF(BETWEEN(VAL(LEFT(Time(),2)),1,11), ;
         ALLTRIM(STR(VAL(LEFT(Time(),2))))+ SUBSTR(Time(),3,6)+' AM', ;
         '12'+ SUBSTR(Time(),3,6)+ ' AM'))

5. Add the following code to the Init event of Oclock:

   This.Width=This.tdisplay.Width
   This.Height=This.tdisplay.Height

6. Save the container class. Then type the following in the Command window:

   CREATE FORM seeclock

7. On the Form Controls toolbar, click the Visual Class tool.

8. On the Visual Class menu, click Add. Locate the .vcx file where you

   saved the oClock class. Select the oClock object from the Form Controls
   toolbar and drop it on the form.

9. Save and run the form. The system time will display on the form in the

   standard AM/PM format.

To add functionality to the clock to allows toggling between both the standard AM/PM and military (24 hour) formats, make the following modifications to the Class:

Steps to Add Format-Toggling Functionality

1. While the oClock container is open in design mode, click New Property

   on the Class menu. In the New Property dialog box, enter lttoggle as the
   Name, and click OK.

2. In the Init event of oClock, add the following line of code:

   This.lttoggle=.t.

3. In the Refresh method of tdisplay, the followings lines of code replace

   the lines of code for the Refresh method as shown in Step 4 in the
   previous section:

   IF This.Parent.lttoggle
      This.Value=IIF(BETWEEN(VAL(LEFT(Time(),2)),12,23), ;
         ALLTRIM(STR(VAL(LEFT(Time(),2))-12))+ SUBSTR(Time(),3,6)+' PM', ;
         IIF(BETWEEN(VAL(LEFT(Time(),2)),1,11), ;
         ALLTRIM(STR(VAL(LEFT(Time(),2))))+ SUBSTR(Time(),3,6)+' AM', ;
         '12'+ SUBSTR(Time(),3,6)+ ' AM'))
      This.Width=85
      This.Parent.Width=85
   ELSE
      This.Value = Time()
      This.Width=60
      This.Parent.Width=60
   ENDIF

4. In the oClock DblClick event, enter the following two lines of code:

   This.lttoggle= !This.lttoggle
   This.tdisplay.Refresh

5. Save the container class.

6. Run the previously saved seeclock form. When the form initially loads,

   the time is displayed in standard AM/PM format. Double-click the oClock
   object, and note that the time now toggles to military format. Then
   double-click the Clock object to toggle the time display between the two
   formats.

Additional reference words: 3.00 3.00b VFoxWin normal switch KBCategory: kbhowto KBSubcategory: FxtoolClassdes

Keywords          : kbcode FxtoolClassdes 
Version           : 3.00 3.00b
Platform          : WINDOWS