The most accurate timer qt C++ - c++

I use QTimer to send periodically 'Ping' packet to the server (MQTT client). But it timer is not absolutely accurate. After some time of working it has some delay and server broken connection.
I try to use different Qt::TimerType, but it does not help.
I need the most accurate timer. Do you have any ideas?
Thank you!
EDIT (Frederik solution)
I have done something this:
tthread.h
class TThread : public QThread
{
Q_OBJECT
void run();
public:
explicit TThread(QObject *parent = 0);
signals:
private slots:
void timerOut();
};
tthread.cpp
TThread::TThread(QObject *parent) : QThread(parent)
{
}
void TThread::run()
{
QTimer timer;
connect(&timer, SIGNAL(timeout()), this, SLOT(timerOut()), Qt::DirectConnection);
timer.start(1000);
timer.moveToThread(this);
exec();
}
void TThread::timerOut()
{
QTime time = QTime();
qDebug() << time.currentTime().toString();
}
main.cpp
TThread thread;
thread.start();
thread.setPriority(QThread::HighPriority);

Run a QTimer on a separate QThread which doesn't do anything else.
If you're running the timer on an already busy thread the timeout events may not come on time or not at all.
Make a worker class e.g. "PingPacketWorker", implement a slot that does pinging.
Make a QThread.
Connect your QTimer and PingPacketWorker signal/slots.
Start the timer.
Call moveToThread on the PingPacketWorker and the QTimer, the timer should restart because of moveToThread, note you can only start / stop it on the owner thread!
You could also increase your QThread's priority since you asked for "the most accurate" solution ...
Update:
Also, set QTimer::setTimerType(Qt::PreciseTimer)
The default Qt::CoarseTimer is less precise (5% of the interval)

#pragma once
#include <cstdint>
#include <QObject>
class PrecisePolling : public QObject
{
Q_OBJECT
private:
std::uint64_t previousPollingTime;
public:
PrecisePolling();
public slots:
void doPolling();
#include "precisepolling.h"
#include "QDateTime"
#include <QDebug>
PrecisePolling::PrecisePolling()
: previousPollingTime(QDateTime::currentMSecsSinceEpoch())
{}
void PrecisePolling::doPolling()
{
const std::uint64_t ms = QDateTime::currentMSecsSinceEpoch();
qDebug() << ms - previousPollingTime;
previousPollingTime = ms;
}
#include <QCoreApplication>
#include <QThread>
#include <QTimer>
#include "precisepolling.h"
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
QCoreApplication a(argc, argv);
QThread thread;
QTimer timer;
PrecisePolling pp;
timer.setInterval(1000);
timer.setTimerType(Qt::PreciseTimer);
QObject::connect(&timer, &QTimer::timeout, &pp, &PrecisePolling::doPolling);
timer.start();
timer.moveToThread(&thread);
pp.moveToThread(&thread);
thread.start(QThread::Priority::TimeCriticalPriority);
return a.exec();
}

Related

Understanding how to sleep/wait in a QThread without freezing the event loop

Looking around I found mainly 3 proposals to sleep a QThread without blocking the event loop. But I don't know which one is the most efficient or if I should use one or the other depending of the circumstances.
Can someone explain me what is going on in each one? Is there any other proposal?
ClassB.h
#pragma once
#include <QtCore>
#include <QWaitCondition>
#include <QMutex>
#include <QEventLoop>
#include <QTimer>
#include <QDebug>
class ClassB : public QObject
{
Q_OBJECT
public:
ClassB()
{
qDebug() << "ClassB::ClassB";
_timer = new QTimer(this);
_timer->setInterval(100);
QObject::connect(_timer, &QTimer::timeout, [this]() { emit continousSignalToClassA(); });
_timer->start();
}
void start()
{
qDebug() << "ClassB::start";
while(true)
{
switch (3)
{
case 1:
{
QThread::msleep(200);
QCoreApplication::processEvents();
break;
}
case 2:
{
QEventLoop loop;
QTimer::singleShot(200, &loop, SLOT(quit()));
loop.exec();
break;
}
case 3:
{
QWaitCondition w;
QMutex mutex;
mutex.lock();
w.wait(&mutex, 200);
mutex.unlock();
QCoreApplication::processEvents();
break;
}
}
qDebug() << "waiting";
}
}
signals:
void continousSignalToClassA();
private:
QTimer* _timer;
};
ClassA.h
#pragma once
#include <QThread>
#include <ClassB.h>
class ClassA : public QObject
{
Q_OBJECT
public:
ClassA() {}
void launchClassBThread()
{
_classB = new ClassB();
QObject::connect(this, &ClassA::startClassB, _classB, &ClassB::start);
QObject::connect(_classB, &ClassB::continousSignalToClassA, this, &ClassA::signalReceived);
QThread *thread = new QThread();
_classB->moveToThread(thread);
thread->start();
emit startClassB();
}
void signalReceived()
{
qDebug() << "** I get a signal **";
}
signals:
void startClassB();
private:
ClassB *_classB;
};
Main.cpp
#include <QCoreApplication>
#include <ClassA.h>
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
QCoreApplication a(argc, argv);
ClassA classA;
classA.launchClassBThread();
return a.exec();
}
If you want to sleep a QThread use QThread::msleep(200); and accept the fact that events are blocked. Using QCoreApplication::processEvents(); is in most cases a bad idea and a design flaw.
If you want to execute a function every N seconds or milliseconds, use QTimer::singleShot and remove any self written loops. This is pretty much the same as QThread::sleep(N), it just doesn't block the event loop, unless you have expensive blocking code in the QTimer.

Qt 4.8, How to send signal from different thread?

I am trying to send signal across threads.
For testing this situation, I wrote a test code.
I am working on ubuntu 16.04 machine and qt version is 4.8.
In my code, three class exists:
1 - timer_class -> in this class, I emit signal in timeout slot.
2 - test_worker -> I am using this class as thread's worker.
3 - main_class -> I create timer_class instance, and also create thread in this class constructor.
I am trying to connect timer_class signal to test_worker slot.
Here is my code:
First; timer_class :
Header File:
#ifndef TIMER_CLASS_H
#define TIMER_CLASS_H
#include <QTimer>
#include <QDebug>
#include <QObject>
class timer_class : public QObject
{
Q_OBJECT
public:
timer_class(QObject *parent = 0);
~timer_class();
void start_timer();
signals:
void dummy_signal();
private slots:
void on_timeout_occur();
private:
QTimer *timer;
};
#endif // TIMER_CLASS_H
Source File :
#include "timer_class.h"
timer_class::timer_class(QObject *parent)
:QObject(parent)
{
timer = new QTimer();
connect(timer, SIGNAL(timeout()), this, SLOT(on_timeout_occur()));
}
timer_class::~timer_class()
{
}
void timer_class::start_timer()
{
timer->start(1000);
}
void timer_class::on_timeout_occur()
{
qDebug() << "timeout occur";
emit dummy_signal();
}
Second, thread_worker class :
Header File :
#ifndef THREAD_WORKER_H
#define THREAD_WORKER_H
#include <QDebug>
#include <QObject>
class thread_worker : public QObject
{
Q_OBJECT
public:
thread_worker(QObject *parent = 0);
~thread_worker();
public slots:
void main_loop();
void on_dummy_signal();
};
#endif // THREAD_WORKER_H
Source File :
#include "thread_worker.h"
thread_worker::thread_worker(QObject *parent)
:QObject(parent)
{
}
thread_worker::~thread_worker()
{
}
void thread_worker::main_loop()
{
forever
{
//qDebug() << "In Main Loop";
}
}
void thread_worker::on_dummy_signal()
{
qDebug() << "dummy signal received";
}
And last, main_class :
Header file :
#ifndef MAIN_CLASS_H
#define MAIN_CLASS_H
#include <QObject>
#include <QDebug>
#include <QThread>
#include "timer_class.h"
#include "thread_worker.h"
class main_class : public QObject
{
Q_OBJECT
public:
main_class(QObject *parent = 0);
~main_class();
private:
QThread *thread;
timer_class *tmr_class;
thread_worker *worker;
};
#endif // MAIN_CLASS_H
Source File:
#include "main_class.h"
main_class::main_class(QObject *parent)
:QObject(parent)
{
tmr_class = new timer_class();
worker = new thread_worker();
thread = new QThread();
worker->moveToThread(thread);
connect(tmr_class, SIGNAL(dummy_signal()), worker, SLOT(on_dummy_signal()));
connect(thread, SIGNAL(started()), worker, SLOT(main_loop()));
thread->start();
tmr_class->start_timer();
}
main_class::~main_class()
{
}
In main.cpp, I just create main_class instance like this :
#include <QCoreApplication>
#include "main_class.h"
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
QCoreApplication a(argc, argv);
main_class *main_cl = new main_class();
qDebug() << "executing a.exec";
return a.exec();
}
When I run the application, I saw "timeout occur" in console, but I don't saw "dummy signal received". I can not find problem.
Could you help me about this problem ?
Thanks.
The basic problem is that you're creating a new QThread, moving your timer_class instance onto that thread and then invoking thread_worker::main_loop when the thread starts. Since thread_worker::main_loop is basically a busy-waiting loop...
void thread_worker::main_loop ()
{
forever
{
//qDebug() << "In Main Loop";
}
}
...the QThread never gets a chance to process events thus preventing any signals being received via queued connections.
The correct fix for all of this depends to a large extent on what work (if any) you want thread_worker::main_loop to do.
To get things going in the mean time simply remove the forever loop or comment out the line...
connect(thread, SIGNAL(started()), worker, SLOT(main_loop()));
Having done that you should see the "dummy signal received" messages.

Qt multi-thread with GUI

I cannot produce a very simple example to getting start with Qt multi-thread. I read a lot of posts and tutorials but still it doesn't work.
Goal
Have a background worker independent from the GUI. Oh, wow...
What I did
A simple example:
create the Engine class
that shows a QMainWindow
and starts a QTimer that prints a number
But if you left-click the title bar of the GUI, keeping pressed the mouse button (i.e. on the minimize button) the counter will stop! Even if it was created in a non-GUI environment and it was moved in another thread!
Why?
main.cpp
#include "engine.h"
#include <QApplication>
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
QApplication a(argc, argv);
Engine e;
return a.exec();
}
engine.h
#ifndef ENGINE_H
#define ENGINE_H
#include <QObject>
#include <QThread>
#include <QTimer>
#include "mainwindow.h"
class Engine : public QObject
{
Q_OBJECT
public:
explicit Engine(QObject *parent = 0);
private:
MainWindow mainWindow;
QThread *thread;
QTimer *timer;
private slots:
void foo();
};
#endif // ENGINE_H
engine.c
#include "engine.h"
#include <QDebug>
Engine::Engine(QObject *parent) : QObject(parent)
{
thread = new QThread(this);
timer = new QTimer();
timer->setInterval(100);
connect(timer, &QTimer::timeout, this, &Engine::foo);
connect(thread, &QThread::started, timer, static_cast<void (QTimer::*)(void)>(&QTimer::start));
timer->moveToThread(thread);
thread->start();
mainWindow.show();
}
void Engine::foo()
{
static int i;
qDebug() << ++i;
}
The QMainWindow contains no code.
Basically, Qt has one thread dealing with the GUI (typically the main thread). Any objects specific to this thread will be blocked by GUI work. You need to keep the GUI outside of your interacting partners.
To be more specific, your Engine object resides in the GUI/main thread. Even while your timer is sent to a worker thread, its signals are dispatched to the slot foo() in the main thread.
You need to de-mangle Engine and the main window such that Engine can reside in its own thread and process signals while the GUI is blocking.
Looks like you moved QTimer instance to your custom thread, but you didnt move Engine instance to this thread, therefore, foo slot of Engine class will be executed in main thread.
I can suggest you using additional helping QObject-derived class instance within Engine class and move it to your new thread in Engine constructor.
With following changes solution works fine even with minimize button pressed (I've commented places where i added or changed anything. Also added new QObject-derived class EngineWorker):
Engine.h
#ifndef ENGINE_H
#define ENGINE_H
#include <QObject>
#include <QThread>
#include <QTimer>
#include "mainwindow.h"
#include "engineworker.h"
class Engine : public QObject
{
Q_OBJECT
public:
explicit Engine(QObject *parent = 0);
private:
MainWindow mainWindow;
QThread *thread;
QTimer *timer;
//additional QObject-derived class
EngineWorker *worker;
private slots:
void foo();
};
#endif // ENGINE_H
Engine.cpp
#include "engine.h"
#include <QDebug>
Engine::Engine(QObject *parent) : QObject(parent)
{
thread = new QThread(this);
timer = new QTimer();
//Creating instance of Engine worker
worker = new EngineWorker();
timer->setInterval(100);
//Connecting Engine worker' foo slot to timer
connect(timer, &QTimer::timeout, worker, &EngineWorker::foo);
connect(thread, &QThread::started, timer, static_cast<void (QTimer::*)(void)>(&QTimer::start));
timer->moveToThread(thread);
//Moving worker to custom thread
worker->moveToThread(thread);
thread->start();
mainWindow.show();
}
void Engine::foo()
{
static int i;
qDebug() << ++i;
}
EngineWorker.h
#ifndef ENGINEWORKER_H
#define ENGINEWORKER_H
#include <QObject>
#include <QDebug>
class EngineWorker : public QObject
{
Q_OBJECT
public:
explicit EngineWorker(QObject *parent = 0);
signals:
public slots:
void foo();
};
#endif // ENGINEWORKER_H
EngineWorker.cpp
#include "engineworker.h"
EngineWorker::EngineWorker(QObject *parent) : QObject(parent)
{
}
//foo slot of EngineWorker class
void EngineWorker::foo()
{
static int j;
qDebug() <<"Worker: "<< ++j;
}

QTimer in multithreaded application

Okay, so I've completely lost in QTimer. The problem is: I have multithreaded application, and I need to do some work on QTimer's timeout. I've done like this:
QTimer* timer = new QTimer();
timer->setSingleShot(true);
connect(timer, SIGNAL(timeout()), someObject, SLOT(work()));
And this did not work. Sometimes, work() was not called at all, sometimes it was called when I closed program, and sometimes all seemed normal.
So I've come to idea that timer needs thread. To provide MCV example :
class Tester : public QObject
{
Q_OBJECT
public:
Tester(QObject* par = 0) : QObject(par)
{
}
public slots:
void greet()
{
qDebug()<<"hello";
}
};
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
QCoreApplication a(argc, argv);
QTimer* timer1 = new QTimer();
QThread* thread = new QThread();
Tester* tester = new Tester();
timer1->setInterval(500);
timer1->setSingleShot(false);
timer1->moveToThread(thread);
QObject::connect(thread, SIGNAL(started()), timer1, SLOT(start()));
QObject::connect(timer1, SIGNAL(timeout()), tester, SLOT(greet()));
QObject::connect(timer1, SIGNAL(timeout()), timer1, SLOT(deleteLater()));
QObject::connect(timer1, SIGNAL(destroyed()), thread, SLOT(quit()));
thread->start();
thread->wait();
delete thread;
delete tester;
return a.exec();
}
And this example does nothing. It does not greet me, so timeout is not called, and it does not end, so thread is not stopped. So questions are:
1. What is wrong with this code?
2. How properly use QTimer in multithreaded environment?
Just calling QTimer::setInterval doesn't start the QTimer. It just sets the interval in which the QTimer::timeout signal is emitted. You didn't start the QTimer. Use QTimer::start.
I think you're doing several mistakes here. You need to move the timer to thread after all the connections are made. Not sure how safe would be to start the timer when the thread starts because at that point, the timer would be in one thread and the thread object would be in another thread. QTimer must be started from the same thread in which it was created. The QThread object is just a thread handler and it lives in the thread in which was created. See the modifications I made to your example:
#include <QCoreApplication>
#include <QThread>
#include <QDebug>
#include <QTimer>
#include <QObject>
//#include "tester.h"
class Tester : public QObject
{
Q_OBJECT
public:
Tester(QObject* par = 0) : QObject(par)
{
}
public slots:
void greet()
{
qDebug()<<"hello";
}
};
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
QCoreApplication a(argc, argv);
QTimer* timer1 = new QTimer();
QThread* thread = new QThread();
Tester* tester = new Tester();
timer1->setInterval(500);
timer1->setSingleShot(false);
timer1->start();
QObject::connect(timer1, SIGNAL(timeout()), tester, SLOT(greet()));
timer1->moveToThread(thread);
thread->start();
return a.exec();
}
It's not the safest/best fix(memory leaks and other) but it is, i hope, an example on which you can build.
This would be in my opinion the right and without memory leaks way to use a QTimer in another QThread:
handler.h
#ifndef HANDLER_H
#define HANDLER_H
#include <QObject>
class QTimer;
class QThread;
class Tester;
class Handler : public QObject
{
Q_OBJECT
public:
explicit Handler(QObject *parent = 0);
~Handler();
void exec();
private:
QTimer* timer;
QThread* thread;
Tester* tester;
};
#endif // HANDLER_H
handler.cpp
#include "handler.h"
#include "tester.h"
#include <QThread>
#include <QDebug>
#include <QTimer>
#include <QObject>
#include <QCoreApplication>
Handler::Handler(QObject *parent) :
QObject(parent)
{
timer = new QTimer;
thread = new QThread(this);
tester = new Tester(this);
timer->setInterval(500);
timer->setSingleShot(false);
QObject::connect(timer, SIGNAL(timeout()), tester, SLOT(greet()));
QObject::connect(thread, SIGNAL(destroyed()), timer, SLOT(deleteLater()));
}
Handler::~Handler()
{
thread->wait();
}
void Handler::exec()
{
timer->start();
timer->moveToThread(thread);
thread->start();
}
tester.h
#ifndef TESTER_H
#define TESTER_H
#include <QObject>
class Tester : public QObject
{
Q_OBJECT
public:
Tester(QObject* par = 0);
public slots:
void greet();
};
#endif // TESTER_H
tester.cpp
#include "tester.h"
#include <QDebug>
Tester::Tester(QObject *parent) :
QObject(parent)
{
}
void Tester::greet()
{
qDebug()<<"hello";
}
main.cpp
#include <QCoreApplication>
#include "handler.h"
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
QCoreApplication a(argc, argv);
Handler handler;
handler.exec();
return a.exec();
}

Starting QTimer In A QThread

I am trying to start a QTimer in a specific thread. However, the timer does not seem to execute and nothing is printing out. Is it something to do with the timer, the slot or the thread?
main.cpp
#include "MyThread.h"
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
MyThread t;
t.start();
while(1);
}
MyThread.h
#ifndef MYTHREAD_H
#define MYTHREAD_H
#include <QTimer>
#include <QThread>
#include <iostream>
class MyThread : public QThread {
Q_OBJECT
public:
MyThread();
public slots:
void doIt();
protected:
void run();
};
#endif /* MYTHREAD_H */
MyThread.cpp
#include "MyThread.h"
using namespace std;
MyThread::MyThread() {
moveToThread(this);
}
void MyThread::run() {
QTimer* timer = new QTimer(this);
timer->setInterval(1);
timer->connect(timer, SIGNAL(timeout()), this, SLOT(doIt()));
timer->start();
}
void MyThread::doIt(){
cout << "it works";
}
As I commented (further information in the link) you are doing it wrong :
You are mixing the object holding thread data with another object (responsible of doIt()). They should be separated.
There is no need to subclass QThread in your case. Worse, you are overriding the run method without any consideration of what it was doing.
This portion of code should be enough
QThread* somethread = new QThread(this);
QTimer* timer = new QTimer(0); //parent must be null
timer->setInterval(1);
timer->moveToThread(somethread);
//connect what you want
somethread->start();
Now (Qt version >= 4.7) by default QThread starts a event loop in his run() method. In order to run inside a thread, you just need to move the object. Read the doc...
m_thread = new QThread(this);
QTimer* timer = new QTimer(0); // _not_ this!
timer->setInterval(1);
timer->moveToThread(m_thread);
// Use a direct connection to whoever does the work in order
// to make sure that doIt() is called from m_thread.
worker->connect(timer, SIGNAL(timeout()), SLOT(doIt()), Qt::DirectConnection);
// Make sure the timer gets started from m_thread.
timer->connect(m_thread, SIGNAL(started()), SLOT(start()));
m_thread->start();
A QTimer only works in a thread that has an event loop.
http://qt-project.org/doc/qt-4.8/QTimer.html
In multithreaded applications, you can use QTimer in any thread that has an event loop. To start an event loop from a non-GUI thread, use QThread::exec(). Qt uses the timer's thread affinity to determine which thread will emit the timeout() signal. Because of this, you must start and stop the timer in its thread; it is not possible to start a timer from another thread.
You can use the emit signal and start the timer inside the emitted slot function
main.cpp
#include "MyThread.h"
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
MyThread t;
t.start();
while(1);
}
MyThread.h
#ifndef MYTHREAD_H
#define MYTHREAD_H
#include <QTimer>
#include <QThread>
#include <iostream>
class MyThread : public QThread {
Q_OBJECT
public:
MyThread();
QTimer *mTimer;
signals:
start_timer();
public slots:
void doIt();
void slot_timer_start();
protected:
void run();
};
#endif /* MYTHREAD_H */
MyThread.cpp
#include "MyThread.h"
using namespace std;
MyThread::MyThread() {
mTimer = new QTimer(this);
connect(this,SIGNAL(start_timer()),this, SLOT(slot_timer_start()));
connect(mTimer,SIGNAL(timeout()),this,SLOT(doIt()));
}
void MyThread::run() {
emit(start_timer());
exec();
}
void MyThread::doIt(){
cout << "it works";
}
void MyThread::slot_timer_start(){
mTimer->start(1000);
}
You need an event loop to have timers. Here's how I solved the same problem with my code:
MyThread::MyThread() {
}
void MyThread::run() {
QTimer* timer = new QTimer(this);
timer->setInterval(1);
timer->connect(timer, SIGNAL(timeout()), this, SLOT(doIt()));
timer->start();
/* Here: */
exec(); // Starts Qt event loop and stays there
// Which means you can't have a while(true) loop inside doIt()
// which instead will get called every 1 ms by your init code above.
}
void MyThread::doIt(){
cout << "it works";
}
Here's the relevant piece of the documentation that none of the other posters mentioned:
int QCoreApplication::exec()
Enters the main event loop and waits until exit() is called. Returns
the value that was set to exit() (which is 0 if exit() is called via
quit()). It is necessary to call this function to start event
handling. The main event loop receives events from the window system
and dispatches these to the application widgets. To make your
application perform idle processing (i.e. executing a special function
whenever there are no pending events), use a QTimer with 0 timeout.
More advanced idle processing schemes can be achieved using
processEvents().
I have created an example that calls the timer within a lambda function:
#include <QCoreApplication>
#include <QObject>
#include <QTimer>
#include <QThread>
#include <QDebug>
#include <memory>
int main(int argc, char** argv)
{
QCoreApplication app(argc, argv);
QThread* thread = new QThread(&app);
QObject::connect(thread, &QThread::started, [=]()
{
qInfo() << "Thread started";
QTimer* timer1 = new QTimer(thread);
timer1->setInterval(100);
QObject::connect(timer1, &QTimer::timeout, [=]()
{
qInfo() << "Timer1 " << QThread::currentThreadId();
});
timer1->start();
});
thread->start();
QTimer timer2(&app);
QObject::connect(&timer2, &QTimer::timeout, [=]()
{
qInfo() << "Timer2 " << QThread::currentThreadId();
});
timer2.setInterval(100);
timer2.start();
return app.exec();
}