itk::TimeStamp Class Reference
[ITK System Objects]

#include <itkTimeStamp.h>

Detailed Description

Generate a unique, increasing time value.

TimeStamp records a unique time when the method Modified() is executed. This time is guaranteed to be monotonically increasing. Classes use this object to record modified and/or execution time. There is built in support for the binary < and > comparison operators between two TimeStamp objects.

Warning:: On most platforms, this class uses a lock-free incremental counter. The Modified function can safely be called simultaneously by multiple threads on different instances of the class. However, calling the Modified function by different threads on the same instance of the class can lead to some unexpected behavior. The global counter will always be correct but the local m_ModifiedTime might not (see http://www.itk.org/mailman/private/insight-developers/2009-February/011732.html for more detail).

Definition at line 49 of file itkTimeStamp.h.


Public Types
typedef TimeStamp	Self
Public Member Functions
void	Delete ()
unsigned long	GetMTime () const
void	Modified ()
	operator unsigned long () const
	TimeStamp ()

bool	operator< (TimeStamp &ts)
bool	operator> (TimeStamp &ts)
Static Public Member Functions
static const char *	GetNameOfClass ()
static Self *	New ()

Member Typedef Documentation

typedef TimeStamp itk::TimeStamp::Self

Standard class typedefs.

Definition at line 53 of file itkTimeStamp.h.

Constructor & Destructor Documentation

itk::TimeStamp::TimeStamp ( ) [inline]

Constructor must remain public because classes instantiate TimeStamps implicitly in their construction.

Definition at line 61 of file itkTimeStamp.h.

Member Function Documentation

void itk::TimeStamp::Delete ( ) [inline]

Destoy this instance.

Definition at line 65 of file itkTimeStamp.h.

unsigned long itk::TimeStamp::GetMTime ( void ) const [inline]

Return this object's Modified time.

Definition at line 82 of file itkTimeStamp.h.

static const char* itk::TimeStamp::GetNameOfClass ( ) [inline, static]

The class name as a string.

Definition at line 69 of file itkTimeStamp.h.

void itk::TimeStamp::Modified ( )

Set this objects time to the current time. The current time is just a monotonically increasing unsigned long integer. It is possible for this number to wrap around back to zero. This should only happen for processes that have been running for a very long time, while constantly changing objects within the program. When this does occur, the typical consequence should be that some filters will update themselves when really they don't need to.

Referenced by itk::MatrixOffsetTransformBase< TScalarType, 3, 3 >::SetMatrix(), itk::MatrixOffsetTransformBase< TScalarType, 3, 3 >::SetVarInverseMatrix(), and itk::MatrixOffsetTransformBase< TScalarType, 3, 3 >::SetVarMatrix().

static Self* itk::TimeStamp::New ( ) [static]

Create an instance of this class. We don't want to use reference counting.

itk::TimeStamp::operator unsigned long ( ) const [inline]

Allow for typcasting to unsigned long.

Definition at line 93 of file itkTimeStamp.h.

bool itk::TimeStamp::operator< ( TimeStamp & ts ) [inline]

Support comparisons of time stamp objects directly.

Definition at line 88 of file itkTimeStamp.h.

References m_ModifiedTime.

bool itk::TimeStamp::operator> ( TimeStamp & ts ) [inline]

Support comparisons of time stamp objects directly.