Multithreaded Timers C# with Example

System.Threading.Timer - Simplest multithreaded timer. Contains two methods and one constructor. 
Example: A timer calls the DataWrite method, which writes "multithread executed..." after five seconds have 
elapsed, and then every second after that until the user presses Enter: 
using System; 
using System.Threading; 
class Program 
{ 
static void Main() 
{ 
// First interval = 5000ms; subsequent intervals = 1000ms 
Timer timer = new Timer (DataWrite, "multithread executed...", 5000, 1000); 
Console.ReadLine(); 
timer.Dispose(); // This both stops the timer and cleans up. 
} 
static void DataWrite (object data) 
{ 
// This runs on a pooled thread 
Console.WriteLine (data); // Writes "multithread executed..." 
} 
} 
Note : Will post a separate section for disposing multithreaded timers. 
Change - This method can be called when you would like change the timer interval. 
Timeout.Infinite - If you want to fire just once. Specify this in the last argument of the constructor. 
System.Timers - Another timer class provided by .NET Framework. It wraps the System.Threading.Timer. 
Features: 
IComponent - Allowing it to be sited in the Visual Studio’s Designer ’s component tray 
Interval property instead of a Change method 
Elapsed event instead of a callback delegate 
Enabled property to start and stop the timer (default value = false) 
Start & Stop methods in case if you get confused by Enabled property (above point) 
AutoReset - for indicating a recurring event (default value = true) 
SynchronizingObject property with Invoke and BeginInvoke methods for safely calling methods on WPF 
elements and Windows Forms controls 
Example representing all the above features: 
using System; 
using System.Timers; // Timers namespace rather than Threading 
class SystemTimer 
{ 
static void Main() 
{ 
Timer timer = new Timer(); // Doesn't require any args 
timer.Interval = 500; 
 

timer.Elapsed += timer_Elapsed; // Uses an event instead of a delegate 
timer.Start(); // Start the timer 
Console.ReadLine(); 
timer.Stop(); // Stop the timer 
Console.ReadLine(); 
timer.Start(); // Restart the timer 
Console.ReadLine(); 
timer.Dispose(); // Permanently stop the timer 
} 
static void timer_Elapsed(object sender, EventArgs e) 
{ 
Console.WriteLine ("Tick"); 
} 
} 
Multithreaded timers - use the thread pool to allow a few threads to serve many timers. It means that callback 
method or Elapsed event may trigger on a different thread each time it is called. 
Elapsed - this event always fires on time —regardless of whether the previous Elapsed event finished executing. 
Because of this, callbacks or event handlers must be thread-safe. The accuracy of multithreaded timers depends on 
the OS, and is typically in the 10 –20 ms. 
interop - when ever you need greater accuracy use this and call the Windows multimedia timer. This has accuracy 
down to 1 ms and it is defined in winmm.dll. 
timeBeginPeriod - Call this first to inform OS that you need high timing accuracy 
timeSetEvent - call this after timeBeginPeriod to start a multimedia timer. 
timeKillEvent - call this when you are done, this stops the timer 
timeEndPeriod - Call this to inform the OS that you no longer need high timing accuracy. 
You can find complete examples on the Internet that use the multimedia timer by searching for the keywords 
dllimport winmm.dll timesetevent.