How to run Timer inside of Timer?

Question

I am having a app which use one loop to type the text in the time intervals. Now, I want the text to be typed with small spaces between each character.

I have tried this code but when I start the timers the typing keeps continuing inside of second timer. There is no spaces in my first times which timed my lines.

private List<char> charList = new List<char>();

public AutoTyper()
{
    InitializeComponent();

    tmrInterval.Tick += new EventHandler(Interval);
    tmrDelay.Tick += new EventHandler(Delay);
    tmrSpace.Tick +=new EventHandler(charSpaces);
    txtText.TextChanged += new EventHandler(TextChanged);
    tbType.SelectedIndexChanged += new EventHandler(IndexChanged);
}

private void Interval(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    if (cbPause.Checked == false)
    {
        SendKeys.Send(txtText.Text + "{enter}");

        if (tbType.SelectedTab == tbInterval)
        {
            tmrInterval.Interval = int.Parse(nudInterval.Value.ToString());
        }

        if (tbType.SelectedTab == tbRange)
        {
            tmrInterval.Interval = random.Next(int.Parse(nudMin.Value.ToString()), int.Parse(nudMax.Value.ToString()));
        }
    }
    else if (cbPause.Checked == true)
    {
        tmrSpace.Enabled = true;
    }
}

private void charSpaces(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    Random random = new Random();
    tmrSpace.Interval = random.Next(200, 400);

    foreach (char character in charList)
        SendKeys.Send(character.ToString());
    SendKeys.Send("{enter}");
}

Edit, I have tried to use thread sleep version so I have deleted the times. All I have now is following but it halts my PC.

private void Interval(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    if (cbPause.Checked == false)
    {
        SendKeys.Send(txtText.Text + "{enter}");

        if (tbType.SelectedTab == tbInterval)
        {
            tmrInterval.Interval = int.Parse(nudInterval.Value.ToString());
        }

        if (tbType.SelectedTab == tbRange)
        {
            tmrInterval.Interval = random.Next(
                int.Parse(nudMin.Value.ToString()), 
                int.Parse(nudMax.Value.ToString()));
        }
    }
    else if (cbPause.Checked == true)
    {
        Random random = new Random();

        foreach (char character in charList)
        {
            SendKeys.Send(character.ToString());
            Thread.Sleep(random.Next(400, 500));
        }

        SendKeys.Send("{enter}");
    }
}

Igby Largeman · Accepted Answer · 2012-01-06 21:00:49Z

1

If you want short spaces between each character I would just use a Thread.Sleep().

Random r = new Random();

foreach (char character in charList)             
{
    SendKeys.Send(character.ToString()); 
    // sleep for between 200 and 400 milliseconds
    Thread.Sleep(r.Next(200, 400));
}

Using a timer for something like this is overkill.

answered Jan 6, 2012 at 21:00

Igby Largeman

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8 Comments

Igby Largeman Over a year ago

There are some who will downvote any use of Thread.Sleep(). Nevetheless, I have used it many times and the world has failed to end.

Nick Vaccaro Over a year ago

Not seeing what the issue is with a timer either. Maybe the down-voter should comment. In the meantime, however... +1!

Igby Largeman Over a year ago

@Norla: Timers are normally used asynchronously. In this case the requirement is a synchronous delay. Using a timer to interrupt a process in this way seems overly complicated to me. (And clearly it was overly complicated to the OP, because his/her code is a mess that clearly won't work!)

Nick Vaccaro Over a year ago

Oh snap! Yeah, I actually just did something like this. Tried making text type to the screen like a typewriter. It worked fine by running (basically) your code in a new thread.

HelpNeeder Over a year ago

The thread sleep didn't seem to work causing my winform thread to be put on halt.

|

HelpNeeder · Accepted Answer · 2012-01-08 03:33:15Z

Using timer is much better option than pausing thread. This is how I have done it:

    private void Space(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        SendKeys.Send(txtText.Text.Substring(b++, 1));

        tmrSpace.Interval = random.Next(50, 150);

        if (b == txtText.TextLength)
        {
            tmrSpace.Enabled = false;
            SendKeys.Send("{enter}");
        }
    }

    private void Interval(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        if (cbPause.Checked)
        {
            b = 0;

            tmrSpace.Interval = random.Next(50, 150);
            tmrSpace.Enabled = true;
        }
        else
        {
            SendKeys.Send(txtText.Text + "{enter}");

            if (tbType.SelectedTab == tbRange) tmrInterval.Interval = random.Next(int.Parse(nudMin.Value.ToString()), int.Parse(nudMax.Value.ToString()));
        }
    }

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