Thread Timers
The System.Threading.Timer class is useful for periodically running a task on a separate thread. For example, you could use a thread timer to check the status and integrity of a database or to back up critical files.
Thread Timer Example
The following example starts a task every two seconds and uses a flag to initiate the Dispose method that stops the timer. This example posts status to the output window, so you should make this window visible by pressing CTRL+ALT+O before you test the code.
Class StateObjClass
' Used to hold parameters for calls to TimerTask
Public SomeValue As Integer
Public TimerReference As System.Threading.Timer
Public TimerCanceled As Boolean
End Class
Sub RunTimer()
Dim StateObj As New StateObjClass
StateObj.TimerCanceled = False
StateObj.SomeValue = 1
Dim TimerDelegate As New Threading.TimerCallback(AddressOf TimerTask)
' Create a timer that calls a procedure every 2 seconds.
' Note: There is no Start method; the timer starts running as soon as
' the instance is created.
Dim TimerItem As New System.Threading.Timer(TimerDelegate, StateObj, _
2000, 2000)
StateObj.TimerReference = TimerItem ' Save a reference for Dispose.
While StateObj.SomeValue < 10 ' Run for ten loops.
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(1000) ' Wait one second.
End While
StateObj.TimerCanceled = True ' Request Dispose of the timer object.
End Sub
Sub TimerTask(ByVal StateObj As Object)
Dim State As StateObjClass = CType(StateObj, StateObjClass)
' Use the interlocked class to increment the counter variable.
System.Threading.Interlocked.Increment(State.SomeValue)
System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine("Launched new thread " & Now)
If State.TimerCanceled Then ' Dispose Requested.
State.TimerReference.Dispose()
System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine("Done " & Now)
End If
End Sub
Thread timers are particularly useful when the System.Windows.Forms.Timer object is unavailable, such as when you are developing console applications.
See Also
Concepts
Advanced Multithreading with Visual Basic