Adding a delay between key pressing - c++

Question

I am using GetAsyncKeyState() to get the input every frame for a game that I'm making.
I want to move one x at each press, but not every frame, there has to be a delay. I currently I am doing this by having a cool down each time you press a key.
Here are some parts of my CoolDown class:
bool test(bool asumedStatus)
{
if(asumedStatus == status)
{
return true;
} else
{
return false;
}
}
void go()
{
if(currentCount == runFor)
{
status = OFF_COOLDOWN;
} else
{
currentCount++;
}
}
void start()
{
currentCount = 0;
status = ON_COOLDOWN;
}
controls gets called every frame to get the user input
void controls()
{
if(test(OFF_COOLDOWN))
{
if(KEY_L && !KEY_R && !KEY_U && !KEY_D)
{
left();
print();
cd.start();
}
else if(KEY_R && !KEY_L && !KEY_D && !KEY_U)
{
right();
print();
cd.start();
} else if(KEY_U && !KEY_L && !KEY_D && !KEY_R)
{
up();
print();
cd.start();
} else if(KEY_D && !KEY_L && !KEY_R && !KEY_U)
{
down();
print();
cd.start();
}
} else
{
cd.go();
}
}
Unfortunately, this does not work, the delay isn't there. Nothing changed.
Does someone have any ideas how I can accomplish this?

Answer 1

Here's how I would do it:
I use time to indicate frames, or ticks of the game.
I would make 2 variables:
startTime - Time point when the delay started
currentTime - Current time
Now, every tick, I'll update currentTime (by 1).
By taking the difference between those variables, you get the elapsed time since the start of the delay.
If the difference is greater than delay, then I have to reset the variables, to start all over again. So, setting startTime to currentTime, and setting currentTime to 0.
If the difference is less than delay, do nothing, because the delay isn't "done".
Something like:
startTime = 0;
currentTime = 0;
delay = 2000; //In frames/ticks
//Called every frame/tick
void update() {
++currentTime; //Update time
if (currentTime - startTime > delay) {
//Reset
startTime = currentTime;
currentTime = 0;
//Update whatever requires a delay
}
}