# Countdown timer in python

**URL:** <https://discourse.processing.org/t/countdown-timer-in-python/36243>\
**Category:** Processing.py\
**Created:** [April 10, 2022, 4:49am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/countdown-timer-in-python/36243 "2022-04-10T04:49:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![snakey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@snakey](https://discourse.processing.org/u/snakey)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 4:49am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/countdown-timer-in-python/36243/1 "2022-04-10T04:49:49Z")

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Hi! I’m having trouble with a program that will start a countdown timer when a button is clicked. The problem is that the timer will start regardless if I clicked the button.

```auto
buttonPressed = False
start = False

def setup():
    size(500, 500)

def draw():
    global button, start, timeleft, timer
    background(0)
    if buttonPressed == False: # a button that is clicked to start the timer
        rect(200, 200, 100, 100)
    else: 
        timeleft = 10
        if start == True:
            timeleft = 10
        timer = Timer(timeleft)
        textSize(100)
        text(timer.remainingTime(), 220, 280)

class Timer:
    def __init__ (self, duration):
        self.duration = duration
    def remainingTime(self):
        return max(0, self.duration - millis()/1000)
    
def mousePressed(c): 
    global buttonPressed
    if c.x > 200 and c.x < 300 and c.y > 200 and c.y < 300: # if the mouse presses the button
        buttonPressed = True
        start = True
           

```

Thank you in advance!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tabreturn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/tabreturn/32/3697_2.png) [@tabreturn](https://discourse.processing.org/u/tabreturn)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 9:40am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/countdown-timer-in-python/36243/2 "2022-04-10T09:40:40Z")

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Try to move more of your logic into the `Timer` class. I’ve adapted your code here, removed the button hit area for clarity –

```python
start = False

def setup():
    size(500, 500)
def draw():
    global timer
    background(0)
    if start:
        text(timer.remainingTime(), 220, 280)
    else:
        rect(200, 200, 100, 100)

class Timer:
    def __init__ (self, duration):
        self.duration = duration
        self.start_time = millis()/1000
    def remainingTime(self):
        return self.duration - (millis()/1000 - self.start_time)
    
def mousePressed(): 
    global start, timer
    start = True
    timer = Timer(10)

```

But you might improve this further.

EDIT: substitute `second()` for `millis()/1000`

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![snakey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@snakey](https://discourse.processing.org/u/snakey)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 10:03am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/countdown-timer-in-python/36243/3 "2022-04-10T10:03:06Z")

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Thank you, this worked perfectly!