# I need help with a code (timer)
**URL:** https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377
**Category:** Coding Questions
**Tags:** homework
**Created:** [November 12, 2020, 6:23pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377 "2020-11-12T18:23:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ruben89](https://discourse.processing.org/u/ruben89)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 6:23pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/1 "2020-11-12T18:23:52Z")
I have this code and I want to make the square disappear when clicking a key and two seconds after clicking it, the square reappears in another position.
Thanks!
int cuadrado=60;
float recX, recY;
void setup()
{
fullScreen();
cursor(CROSS);
fill(250);
frameRate(30);
}
void draw()
{
background(0);
rect(recX, recY, cuadrado, cuadrado);
}
void keyPressed ()
{
recX = random (width);
recY = random (height);
}
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 7:19pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/2 "2020-11-12T19:19:26Z")
Hey, Ruben, welcome to the forum!
Great to have you here!
Here is an example. The variable `showingRect` indicates whether
- we pause the rect or
- we show the rect.
```auto
int cuadrado=60;
float recX, recY;
int timer;
boolean showingRect=true;
void setup() {
fullScreen();
cursor(CROSS);
fill(250);
frameRate(30);
recX = random (width-cuadrado);
recY = random (height-cuadrado);
background(0);
}
void draw() {
background(0);
// Eval flag showingRect
if (showingRect) {
// show rect
rect(recX, recY, cuadrado, cuadrado);
} else {
// pausing, wait for timer
if (millis() - timer > 2000) {
// NEW RECT
showingRect=true;
recX = random (width-cuadrado);
recY = random (height-cuadrado);
}
}
}
void keyPressed () {
// pause the rect
timer=millis();
showingRect=false;
}
```
Warm regards,
Chrisir
---
### Author:  [@ruben89](https://discourse.processing.org/u/ruben89)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 7:26pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/3 "2020-11-12T19:26:38Z")
Thank you very much for your help.
i have another question.
If I want to print the exact time in which I have clicked the key as it would be.
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 7:27pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/4 "2020-11-12T19:27:45Z")
```auto
hour() + minute() + second()
```
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 7:30pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/5 "2020-11-12T19:30:50Z")
example
```auto
int cuadrado=60;
float recX, recY;
int timer;
boolean showingRect=true;
String timeString = "";
void setup() {
fullScreen();
cursor(CROSS);
fill(250);
frameRate(30);
recX = random (width-cuadrado);
recY = random (height-cuadrado);
background(0);
}
void draw() {
background(0);
// Eval flag showingRect
if (showingRect) {
// show rect
rect(recX, recY, cuadrado, cuadrado);
} else {
// pausing, wait for timer
text(timeString, 100, 122);
if (millis() - timer > 2000) {
// NEW RECT
showingRect=true;
recX = random (width-cuadrado);
recY = random (height-cuadrado);
}
}
}
void keyPressed () {
// pause the rect
timer=millis();
showingRect=false;
timeString =
nf(hour(), 2)
+ ":"
+ nf(minute(), 2)
+ ":"
+ nf(second(), 2);
}
```
---
### Author:  [@ruben89](https://discourse.processing.org/u/ruben89)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 7:38pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/6 "2020-11-12T19:38:32Z")
Thank you very much but I think I did not express myself well I meant to put the time in the console. It is to later be able to use that time in something else
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 7:40pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/7 "2020-11-12T19:40:43Z")
`println( timeString );`
**Remark**
this is time in hour, minute, second,
NOT the millis of the 2 seconds timer
---
### Author:  [@ruben89](https://discourse.processing.org/u/ruben89)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 7:44pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/8 "2020-11-12T19:44:37Z")
Okay, but if I want to know the time in milliseconds that passes between each time I click a key, how do I do it?
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 7:48pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/9 "2020-11-12T19:48:42Z")
just store the time and measure the difference
timer2=millis()…
like I have shown
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 7:50pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/10 "2020-11-12T19:50:49Z")
> [@ruben89](#):
>
> want to know the time in milliseconds that passes between each time I click a key
OR the time between the box appears and you click a key?
---
### Author:  [@ruben89](https://discourse.processing.org/u/ruben89)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 7:52pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/11 "2020-11-12T19:52:44Z")
thanks.
that’s exactly what I want to do
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 7:53pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/12 "2020-11-12T19:53:17Z")
that was a question.
a OR b?
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 7:54pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/13 "2020-11-12T19:54:09Z")
> [@Chrisir](#):
>
> just store the time and measure the difference
>
> timer2=millis()…
>
> like I have shown
when clicked
`int result = millis() - timer2;`
---
### Author:  [@ruben89](https://discourse.processing.org/u/ruben89)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 7:58pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/14 "2020-11-12T19:58:19Z")
timer 2 is millis()- timer?
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 7:59pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/15 "2020-11-12T19:59:15Z")
my apologies, timer2 is just millis();
when you measurement starts
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 8:01pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/16 "2020-11-12T20:01:51Z")
Sorry, it is a policy of this forum not to write full code for newbies, that’s why I am giving only hints at the moment. Not because I am lazy, haha…
It’s so that you can figure it out by yourself.
I want to mention that when you plan a “_reaction time test_” you want to have a _random time_ passing before the rect appears
---
### Author:  [@ruben89](https://discourse.processing.org/u/ruben89)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 8:05pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/17 "2020-11-12T20:05:05Z")
I understand what you say haha
That would be the idea but for a beginner that would be even more difficult to do and if it is already difficult for me to do the timer
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 8:11pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/18 "2020-11-12T20:11:25Z")
Just instead of 2000 define a variable randomWait as random(1200,3200);
---
### Author:  [@ruben89](https://discourse.processing.org/u/ruben89)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 8:19pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/19 "2020-11-12T20:19:14Z")
i do that is correct?
int cuadrado=20;
float recX, recY;
float randomWait= random(4000,10000);
int timer;
int timer2=millis();
int result= millis()-timer2;
boolean showingRect=true;
String timeString = “”;
void setup() {
fullScreen();
noCursor();
fill(250);
frameRate(30);
recX = random (width-cuadrado);
recY = random (height-cuadrado);
background(0);
}
void draw() {
background(0);
// Eval flag showingRect
if (showingRect) {
// show rect
rect(recX, recY, cuadrado, cuadrado);
} else {
// pausing, wait for timer
text(timeString, 100, 122);
if (millis() - timer \> randomWait) {
// NEW RECT
showingRect=true;
recX = random (width-cuadrado);
recY = random (height-cuadrado);
}
}
}
void keyPressed () {
// pause the rect
timer=millis();
showingRect=false;
println(result);
}
---
### Author:  [@ruben89](https://discourse.processing.org/u/ruben89)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2020, 8:20pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/i-need-help-with-a-code-timer/25377/20 "2020-11-12T20:20:06Z")
I keep thinking about how to make the reaction time appear on the console
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