Question

So I am trying to create a “strobe” light effect in my app.

To do this I need a time delay, one of 100ms the other of 20.

Here is the code I’m using.

Thread timer = new Thread();
    long longTime = 100;
    long shortTime = 20;
    for (int x = 0; x < 2000000; x++)
    {
        layout.setBackgroundColor(background);
        try {
            timer.sleep(longTime);
        } catch (InterruptedException e) {
            // TODO Auto-generated catch block
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        layout.setBackgroundColor(backgroundBlack);
        try {
            timer.sleep(shortTime);
        } catch (InterruptedException e) {
            // TODO Auto-generated catch block
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }

The issue I have is that when I click the button to call that code, nothing happens. So I’ve done a bit of debugging and am pretty sure it is the timing call. I have never programmed in Java before so I am unsure how to call a Thread Sleep.

Answer 1

You could use a Handler as below to achieve this.

public class Strobe extends Activity {

    private LinearLayout mLinearLayout;

    private Handler mHander = new Handler();

    private boolean mActive = false;
    private boolean mSwap = true;   

    private final Runnable mRunnable = new Runnable() {

        public void run() {         
            if (mActive) {
                if (mSwap) {                    
                    mLinearLayout.setBackgroundColor(Color.WHITE);
                    mSwap = false;
                    mHander.postDelayed(mRunnable, 20);
                } else {
                    mLinearLayout.setBackgroundColor(Color.BLACK);
                    mSwap = true;
                    mHander.postDelayed(mRunnable, 100);
                }
            }           
        }
    };

    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.main);
        mLinearLayout = (LinearLayout) findViewById(R.id.strobe);
        startStrobe();
    }

    private void startStrobe() {        
        mActive = true;
        mHander.post(mRunnable);
    }
}

Set a Theme to the Activity to make it full screen.

android:theme="@android:style/Theme.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen"