How to create a timer object to replace pause function?

I want to create a timer function that will replace the pause function. I have a GUI that is controlling the operation of another program. I send commands to the other program, then need to wait a few seconds before sending the next command, then need to wait a few seconds in between polling the status. I'm currently using pause(5), but would like to use a timer instead so that I can still use the command window while the GUI is waiting. I couldn't find an example of how to set up a singleshot timer that replaces the pause function.

Here's an example of what my code looks like (with pseudocode for the functions that interact with the other program):

function CtrlOtherProgram
sendcmd('start simulation') % sendcmd is representative of subfcn that controls other program
pause(10) % give it ten seconds. Sending next cmd immediately causes errors
while strcmp('running',sendcmd('check status')) % while simulation is still running
     pause(5) % give a few seconds between polling, to avoid overwhelming other program
end
sendcmd('stop simulation')
pause(15)
end

How can I write a timer function/object that will replace pause(pausedur)? Unless I'm just misunderstanding timers, this seems like an example that should be included in the MATLAB help documentation.

Thanks!

Answer 1

[Joseph Cheng]

see my example for using/starting timer. In the linked question the question was how to change the colour of the button in a defined time. http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/123271-matlab-guide-change-color-while-loop-is-running

here you would need to swap out the timer function call back with some scheme to achieve the the desired timing. Suggestions flag variables which you can check the state of things the next time timer polls the call back function? if command sent and it has been 5 secs perform X.

[Andrew P]

Using the flag variable idea, it appears that I have to use either wait or pause command in a while loop

Here's how i tried implementing it:

function testingtimers
  delete(findobj('Name','TimerTesting'));
  handles.figure=figure('Name','TimerTesting'); %using figure 'UserData' to store variables

    tic
    handles.pausedur=5;
    handles.timerflag = 0;
    handles.pausetimer = 0;  timer('ExecutionMode','fixedRate','Period',1,'TimerFcn',{@PauseTimerCallback});
    set(handles.figure,'UserData',handles);

    start(handles.pausetimer)
    while ~handles.timerflag % check timer flag
        handles=get(handles.figure,'UserData');
    end
    stop(handles.pausetimer)
    delete(handles.pausetimer)
    pausetime = toc

    end

    function PauseTimerCallback(~,~,~)
    handles=get(gcf,'UserData');
    elapsetime=toc;
    if round(elapsetime)>= handles.pausedur
        handles.timerflag = 1;
        set(gcf,'UserData',handles) %set figure 'UserData' to pass data back to while loop
    end
    end %end PauseTimerCallback function

I can't think of how to wait for the timer callback to set a flag without using wait, pause, or continuously running through a while loop.

Do you know for sure whether it's actually possible to use a timer to give the same functionality as pause, but allowing other functions to execute (or me to use the command window) while it's waiting?

Thanks for your help!

[Joseph Cheng]

Here is a very quick thing i created. it doesn't exit the GUI eloquently. As you can see if you type in something into the controller box and hit command you can see it cycle in one letter into the Receiver. It checks to see if the time elapse since last "command" has been greater than 5 seconds. You probably do not want to go with what i did with Global variables but as a short demonstrations I chose some shortcuts.