README

PyWT is a Python Waitable Timer implementation. Inspired on MS mechanism (with
the same name) but with a much greater functionality.
PyWT is a class which inherits threading.Thread. That's why it's an async timer.

The main goal of the class is to give a way of lauching any function with any number
of arguments in a highly flexible and predetermined manner. It means the class instance 
can be stopped, resumed, activated, deactivated at any time. Besides, all inner 
variables which has a setter function can be easily updated during execution.

Timer mechanisms are based on Message Queue and State Conditions. State Condition is a
state in which timer is now. In different states there are a different logic. For example,
base timer state is RUNNING. In SUSPENDED state, as it means, the timer is paused and 
waiting for other function invocation.

Main features:

- Several timer types: One-Time-Shot timer (timer function invokes only once), 
N-Repeatable timer (you can set a count variable, and a function will invokes <count> times)
and canonical Interrupted Timer (function invokes while the timer is active)

- Delayed timer start: you can start timer in non active state (IDLE state), and 
after some actions are performed, turn it on using activate function.

- Initial timer interval: inner variable, which allow you to define a delay for the first 
function invocation

- Pause/Resume feature: timer is stoppable. Also you can define a stop delay

- Precision feature: inner variable which defines timer 'resolution'. The less the value, 
the more accurate the timer is

- Runtime parameters changing: you can change almost all variables during timer execution

- Debugging support: by defining a DEBUG and PROFILE flags you can get a detail output
with a time mark feature

Examples

Assume, we have a simple function we want to repeatedly call, namely TimerFunction.

## Creating a One-Time-Shot timer (Second parameter is 0)
wtimer = WaitableTimer(5.0, 0, TimerFunction, StartCondition=TIMER_NO_ACTIVATE)
wtimer.start()
# ...
# Some code here
# ...
wtimer.Activate()


## Creating a canonical timer (the first invocation is in 5 second, others are in 1 second)
wtimer = WaitableTimer(5.0, 1.0, TimerFunction)
wtimer.start()

## Creating a repeatable timer (invoke the function only 4 times)
wtimer = WaitableTimer(2.0, 2.0, TimerFunction, TimerCount=4, StartCondition=TIMER_ACTIVATE)
wtimer.start()