Displaying a stop watch that is binded to a text box.

[Guest]

I was wondering if there could be a stop watch displayed that would start
once the cursor is inside this one text box in a form and stops once another
button is pressed. It is basically a text box used for write ups, where i am
trying to track the time a person takes to write a report up. If anyone could
help, that be great!

 

[Ron2006]

Here is some code relative to displaying a clock/time (digital) on the
form.

If you have a hidden txtbox with the start time then you could change
the visible time by subtracting the hidden one from the visible one on
the update. When you stopped the time, the visible one would then have
the time involved.

You may want to consider simply converting the display instead to just
be a number that you increment on the timerevent. Change the interval
to be the number that represents 30 seconds and then have the display
"time" just be a decimal number that you add .5 to at the timer
interval. When you start set the display to 0 and the timer interval
to 30 seconds. At the interval add .5 and then when you stop move 0 to
the timer interval and save the accumulated number to whereever you
want.

Things to think about.
Can they restart the counter/timer by moving off the record? or hitting
start again (enter the first field again)? What if they accidentally
tab into the start? If you use the table field to hold the data, what
if their computer crashes or the network connection goes south, can
they restart. If they do restart, is it accumulative or replacing.

The juggling act is how to allow for crashes but cut back on mis-use -
particularly if they are being judged on it.

Create a clock on a form
Author(s)
Dev Ashish


To put a simple text clock on a form, create a Label called
lblClock on the form, set the form's TimerInterval to 1000, and the
following code behind the Timer Event.

You can also create two command buttons called cmdClockStart and
cmdClockEnd and attach respective code to each to have the clock run on
demand.

'***************** Code Start ***************
Private Sub Form_Timer()
Me!lblClock.Caption = Format(Now, "dddd, mmm d yyyy, hh:mm:ss
AMPM")
End Sub

Private Sub cmdClockStart_Click()
Me.TimerInterval = 1000
End Sub

Private Sub cmdClockEnd_Click()
Me.TimerInterval = 0
End Sub
'***************** Code End ***************

 

[Guest]

Hey Ron,
Thanks for the instant reply. I had already set a clock by the box,
hence thanks for the code anyway. The employees are going to be judged on the
amount of time they take to write in this particular text box, since it is
going to be a part of the incentive program that is going on. I am just
trying to see if i can somehow create this stop watch which would record the
time it is taking for them to write up. You did bring up some good points

- If they do hit the tab button by mistake then they would have to come back
to the text box and start from where they left...
- If they do loose network connection then they would have to start over
again.

The problem i am facing trying to make this work is a couple of things which
i want to clarify and see what others have to say...

This a OrderActivity Form. Which means all the activities related with this
order are going to be put in here. It has check boxes, drop downs and one
main text box where the final report is written up.
If you break the process down in steps---
They go into the form on clicking on a button of another form( Main order
form). The OrderActivity Form opens up and they check boxes, select things
from drop downs and then start their write ups in the text box.
They then press another button for our agent performance grading page, they
check the appropriate boxes and close the window.
They then generate a report which has info from this form and the write up.
Then they close the form.


I want to get the timer working with this form but there are other things to
look at.
There are times when this form could be visited by other employees incase
clients need a quick verbal on the order and where things stand as of that
minute. Hence i can't get the timer on just the form cuz it might reset.
I don't want it to reset, nor do i want start, stop and reset buttons. They
should have no control over the timer. To reduce the time spent by employees
in writing up, i am helping in skiptrace efforts where ready made info on the
web will be feeded into this text box so that they don't have to go looking
for extra info. Now adding this might start the timer because it is being
inputted into that text box. The problem is there are alot of dependencies on
getting this timer working. I need an easier way to tackle this problem
without giving them any control over resetting it.

 

[Ron2006]

You have your work cut out for you...........

Defining what to time and then when to time it.

If you have a logon ID and a creator ID then that could stop you from
timing it when someone else is looking at it for a quote-whatever. But
if the same person if only looking now instead of entering, you would
still have the problem.

Are you wanting to only time it when it is a new record, maybe?

Can they make changes once the order is setup and do you want to time
that?

A new order button to only then allow changes (start timer then). New
order as opposed to new record. Corrections/changes?

Decisions, Decisions.

Good Luck