C++ Game countdown timer [closed] - c++

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Closed 10 years ago.
I would like to ask how can I make a console game when I need the user to input some string within a period of time? (I've tried to use Sleep function but it will make the screen freeze for a period of time which I don't want to)
Example : A Pop Quiz

Answer 1

I think this can be done without multithreading (A very simple version of a timer)
You can try to write something like this and modify it to serve your needs:
Please note that the code is not complete. You need to edit it so it match your needs. However, this should give you an idea.
int main()
{
time_t begin, end;
char input;
bool flag = true;
begin = time();
while (flag)
{
if(kbhit())
ch = getch();
end = time();
if(difftime(end, begin) > NEEDED_TIME_IN_SECONDS)
flag = false; //The user didn't enter it in within the wanted period of time
}
}
Some documentations:
double difftime(time_t time2, time_t time1)
Return difference between two times
Calculates the difference in seconds between time1 and time2.
getch() Prompts the user to press a character and that character is not printed on screen.
kbhit() It returns a non-zero integer if a key is in the keyboard buffer. It will not wait for a key to be pressed.

Answer 2

Try this code if you use windows:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <time.h>
#include <conio.h>
#include <windows.h>
#include <string>
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
#define KB_UP 72
#define KB_DOWN 80
#define KB_LEFT 75
#define KB_RIGHT 77
#define KB_ESCAPE 27
#define KB_F8 66
#define KB_ENTER 13
unsigned int x_hours=0;
unsigned int x_minutes=0;
unsigned int x_seconds=0;
unsigned int x_milliseconds=0;
unsigned int totaltime=0,count_down_time_in_secs=0,time_left=0;
clock_t x_startTime,x_countTime;
int KeyBoard_code,input_count=0;
int caret_x=0,caret_y=0;
char keyboard_buffer[100]={' '};
char answer_buffer[100]={' '};
char correct_answer[ ]="foo bar";
int is_from_keyboard(int ch);
void start_timer();
void delta_time_update_timer();
void gotoxy(int x, int y);
void clrscr(void);
void setcolor(WORD color);
void keyboard_input();
int main ()
{
count_down_time_in_secs= 4; // 1 minute is 60sec (60x1min), 1 hour is 3600 (60x60min)
start_timer();
delta_time_update_timer();
gotoxy(1 , 2);
printf( "\nWhat is the answer to the bla bla of bla bla? ");
gotoxy(1,5);printf( "Answer? >");
while (time_left>0)
{
keyboard_input();
delta_time_update_timer();
}
gotoxy(1 , 12);
printf( "\n\n\nTime's out\n\n\n");
return 0;
}
void start_timer()
{
x_startTime=clock(); // start clock
}
void delta_time_update_timer()
{
x_countTime=clock(); // update timer difference
x_milliseconds=x_countTime-x_startTime;
x_seconds=(x_milliseconds/(CLOCKS_PER_SEC))-(x_minutes*60);
x_minutes=(x_milliseconds/(CLOCKS_PER_SEC))/60;
x_hours=x_minutes/60;
time_left=count_down_time_in_secs-x_seconds; // update timer
gotoxy(1 , 1);
printf( "\nYou have %d seconds left ",time_left,count_down_time_in_secs);
gotoxy(1,5);
}
void keyboard_input()
{
if (kbhit())
{
KeyBoard_code = getch();
caret_x++;
gotoxy(10+caret_x,5+caret_y);
printf( "%c",KeyBoard_code);
input_count++;
keyboard_buffer[input_count]=(char)KeyBoard_code;
switch (KeyBoard_code)
{
case KB_ESCAPE:
break;
case KB_ENTER:
memcpy(answer_buffer, keyboard_buffer,sizeof(keyboard_buffer));
gotoxy(1 ,7);
printf( "Your answer is %s ",answer_buffer);
gotoxy(1,5);printf( "Answer? > ");
gotoxy(1 ,9);
printf( "The correct answer is %s ", correct_answer);
caret_x=0;
input_count=0;
start_timer();
count_down_time_in_secs= 7;
delta_time_update_timer();
memset(keyboard_buffer,32,sizeof(keyboard_buffer));
memset(answer_buffer,32,sizeof(answer_buffer));
break;
case KB_LEFT:
break;
case KB_RIGHT:
break;
case KB_UP:
break;
case KB_DOWN:
break;
}
}
}
void setcolor(WORD color)
{
SetConsoleTextAttribute(GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE),color);
return;
}
void gotoxy(int x, int y)
{
static HANDLE hStdout = NULL;
COORD coord;
coord.X = x;
coord.Y = y;
if(!hStdout)
{
hStdout = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
}
SetConsoleCursorPosition(hStdout,coord);
}
void clrscr(void)
{
static HANDLE hStdout = NULL;
static CONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO csbi;
const COORD startCoords = {0,0};
DWORD dummy;
if(!hStdout)
{
hStdout = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo(hStdout,&csbi);
}
FillConsoleOutputCharacter(hStdout,
' ',
csbi.dwSize.X * csbi.dwSize.Y,
startCoords,
&dummy);
gotoxy(0,0);
}
int is_from_keyboard(int ch)
{
if ( ch>=31 && ch<128) return 1;
else return -1;
}