#Exact time interval using "time.sleep"

Keyword

Python , module , method , precise , interval time , time.sleep , threading , queue , matplotlib FuncAnimation , update

Overview

We often use "time.sleep" in our measurements, but "time.sleep" gives us the approximate time requested, but not the exact time. Here, it provides a software to set the time interval precisely by adjusting the sleep period using "time.sleep".

[!TIPS]

1. The default system clock tickon a Windows OS is 15.625 msec -- 1/64 second. So that is the degree of time accuracy.

Case#1

Case#1 is when using "time.sleep" , "threading", and "queue".¹ 　I'll adjust the "time.sleep" period at the end of a series of threading processes. It is processing at every one second.

Case#2

Case#2 is when not using "threading". For example, when using "matplotlib FuncAnimation" method. "FuncAnimation" calls a time interval, which cannot be changed, but "FuncAnimation" also calls an "external update function", and in that function you can adjust a time interval using "time.sleep" method.

Hardware Environment

1. PC: windows PC

Software Environment

1. OS: Windows11
2. Python: Version 3.9.13
3. Libraries: numpy, matplotlib

Known issue

1. None

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Footnotes

1. How to run and verify periodically in Python, described in Japanese) ↩