Timer¶

The code in this notebook helps with measuring time.

Prerequisites

  • This notebook needs some understanding on advanced concepts in Python, notably
    • classes
    • the Python with statement
    • measuring time

Synopsis¶

To use the code provided in this chapter, write

>>> from debuggingbook.Timer import <identifier>

and then make use of the following features.

The Timer class allows you to measure elapsed real time (in fractional seconds). Its typical usage is in conjunction with a with clause:

>>> with Timer() as t:
>>>     some_long_running_function()
>>> t.elapsed_time()
0.019930540991481394

Measuring Time¶

The class Timer allows measuring the elapsed time during some code execution.

In [3]:
# ignore
from typing import Type, Any
In [4]:
def clock() -> float:
    """
    Return the number of fractional seconds elapsed since some point of reference.
    """
    return time.perf_counter()
In [6]:
class Timer:
    def __init__(self) -> None:
        """Constructor"""
        self.start_time = clock()
        self.end_time = None

    def __enter__(self) -> Any:
        """Begin of `with` block"""
        self.start_time = clock()
        self.end_time = None
        return self

    def __exit__(self, exc_type: Type, exc_value: BaseException,
                 tb: TracebackType) -> None:
        """End of `with` block"""
        self.end_time = clock()  # type: ignore

    def elapsed_time(self) -> float:
        """Return elapsed time in seconds"""
        if self.end_time is None:
            # still running
            return clock() - self.start_time
        else:
            return self.end_time - self.start_time  # type: ignore

Here's an example:

In [7]:
def some_long_running_function() -> None:
    i = 1000000
    while i > 0:
        i -= 1
In [8]:
print("Stopping total time:")
with Timer() as t:
    some_long_running_function()
print(t.elapsed_time())

Stopping total time:
0.020417874970007688
In [9]:
print("Stopping time in between:")
with Timer() as t:
    for i in range(10):
        some_long_running_function()
        print(t.elapsed_time())

Stopping time in between:
0.020398624998051673
0.04107737500453368
0.06481354200514033
0.08904879196779802
0.11017662496306002
0.13036508299410343
0.15074933297000825
0.17117312498157844

0.1922393330023624
0.2125453749904409

That's it, folks – enjoy!

Synopsis¶

The Timer class allows you to measure elapsed real time (in fractional seconds). Its typical usage is in conjunction with a with clause:

In [10]:
with Timer() as t:
    some_long_running_function()
t.elapsed_time()
Out[10]:
0.019930540991481394

Lessons Learned¶

  • With the Timer class, it is very easy to measure elapsed time.