---
name: "SoTimerSensor"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "coin"
version: "1:4.0.10-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/SoTimerSensor"
---

# SoTimerSensor(3)

The SoTimerSensor class is a sensor which will trigger at given intervals.

## NAME

SoTimerSensor - The **SoTimerSensor** class is a sensor which will trigger at given intervals.

## SYNOPSIS

\#include \<Inventor/sensors/SoTimerSensor.h\>

Inherits **SoTimerQueueSensor**.

### Public Member Functions

**SoTimerSensor** (void)\
 **SoTimerSensor** (SoSensorCB \***func**, void \*data)\
 virtual **~SoTimerSensor** (void)\
 void **setBaseTime** (const **SbTime** &base)\
 const **SbTime** & **getBaseTime** (void) const\
 void **setInterval** (const **SbTime** &interval)\
 const **SbTime** & **getInterval** (void) const\
 virtual void **schedule** (void)\
 virtual void **unschedule** (void)\
 void **reschedule** (const **SbTime** &schedtime)\

Public Member Functions inherited from **SoTimerQueueSensor** **SoTimerQueueSensor** (void)\
 **SoTimerQueueSensor** (SoSensorCB \***func**, void \*data)\
 virtual **~SoTimerQueueSensor** (void)\
 const **SbTime** & **getTriggerTime** (void) const\
 virtual SbBool **isScheduled** (void) const\

Public Member Functions inherited from **SoSensor** **SoSensor** (void)\
 **SoSensor** (SoSensorCB \***func**, void \*data)\
 virtual **~SoSensor** (void)\
 void **setFunction** (SoSensorCB \*callbackfunction)\
 SoSensorCBPtr **getFunction** (void) const\
 void **setData** (void \*callbackdata)\
 void \* **getData** (void) const\
 void **setNextInQueue** (**SoSensor** \*next)\
 **SoSensor** \* **getNextInQueue** (void) const\

### Additional Inherited Members

Static Public Member Functions inherited from **SoSensor** static void **initClass** (void)\

Protected Member Functions inherited from **SoTimerQueueSensor** void **setTriggerTime** (const **SbTime** &time)\

Protected Attributes inherited from **SoTimerQueueSensor** SbBool **scheduled**\

Protected Attributes inherited from **SoSensor** SoSensorCB \* **func**\
 void \* **funcData**\

## Detailed Description

The **SoTimerSensor** class is a sensor which will trigger at given intervals.

Use sensors of this class when you want a job repeated at a certain interval, without explicitly needing to reschedule the sensor (i.e. **SoTimerSensor** automatically reschedules itself after it has been triggered).

**SoTimerSensor** instances are commonly used to trigger animation updates at a constant frame rate.

## Constructor & Destructor Documentation

### SoTimerSensor::SoTimerSensor (void )

Default constructor. Sets up an interval of 1/30th of a second.

### SoTimerSensor::SoTimerSensor (SoSensorCB \* func, void \* data)

Constructor taking as parameters the sensor callback function and the userdata which will be passed to the callback.

**See also**

**setFunction()**, **setData()**

### SoTimerSensor::~SoTimerSensor (void ) \[virtual\]

Destructor.

## Member Function Documentation

### void SoTimerSensor::setBaseTime (const SbTime & baseref)

Set the *base* trigger time.

If you use this method, the trigger times will be on intervals from the given value.

Without an explicitly set base time, the next trigger invocation after a trigger has happened will be on the current time plus the interval time. Note that this will of course cause the timer to drift.

**See also**

**getBaseTime()**

### const SbTime & SoTimerSensor::getBaseTime (void ) const

Returns the base trigger time.

**See also**

**setBaseTime()**

### void SoTimerSensor::setInterval (const SbTime & intervalref)

Sets the time interval between each time the sensor triggers.

**See also**

**getInterval()**

### const SbTime & SoTimerSensor::getInterval (void ) const

Returns the timer trigger interval.

**See also**

**setInterval()**

### void SoTimerSensor::schedule (void ) \[virtual\]

Overrides the virtual **schedule()** method to be able to set up the base time, if this was not done by the user.

If no base time was set, base time will then equal the current time.

**See also**

**unschedule()**, **isScheduled()**

Reimplemented from **SoTimerQueueSensor**.

### void SoTimerSensor::unschedule (void ) \[virtual\]

Overrides the virtual **unschedule()** method to handle **unschedule()** calls during triggering.

Reimplemented from **SoTimerQueueSensor**.

### void SoTimerSensor::reschedule (const SbTime & schedtime)

Set new trigger time based on the given schedule time, and schedules the sensor for triggering.

## Author

Generated automatically by Doxygen for Coin from the source code.