<doc>
  <legacy_id>1180</legacy_id>
  <name>ticks</name>
  <type>function</type>
  <syntax>
    <example>the ticks</example>
    <example>ticks()</example>
  </syntax>
  <library></library>
  <objects>
  </objects>
  <synonyms>
    <synonym>tick</synonym>
  </synonyms>
  <classification>
    <category>Math, Logic, &amp; Dates</category>
  </classification>
  <references>
    <command tag="wait">wait Command</command>
    <function tag="time">time Function</function>
    <function tag="milliseconds">milliseconds Function</function>
    <function tag="date">date Function</function>
    <keyword tag="ticks">ticks Keyword</keyword>
    <property tag="idleTicks">idleTicks Property</property>
  </references>
  <history>
    <introduced version="1.0">Added.</introduced>
  </history>
  <platforms>
    <mac/>
    <windows/>
    <linux/>
    <ios/>
    <android/>
  </platforms>
  <classes>
    <desktop/>
    <server/>
    <web/>
    <mobile/>
  </classes>
  <security>
  </security>
  <summary><glossary tag="return">Returns</glossary> the number of <function tag="ticks">ticks</function> since the start of the <glossary tag="eon">eon</glossary>.</summary>
  <examples>
    <example>the ticks</example>
    <example>put the ticks - startTicks into elapsedTicks</example>
  </examples>
  <description>
    <p>Use the <b>ticks</b> <control_st tag="function">function</control_st> to time <glossary tag="event">events</glossary> that must be checked more often than once per second.</p><p/><p><b>Value:</b></p><p>The <b>ticks</b> <control_st tag="function">function</control_st> <glossary tag="return">returns</glossary> a positive <keyword tag="integer">integer</keyword>.</p><p/><p><b>Comments:</b></p><p>Unlike HyperTalk's "ticks" function, the <b>ticks</b> function <glossary tag="return">returns</glossary> the total number of <function tag="ticks">ticks</function> since midnight GMT, January 1, 1970, rather than the total number of <function tag="ticks">ticks</function> since the last system startup.</p><p/><p>A tick is one-sixtieth of a second. If you don't need to time events with this much precision, use the <b>seconds</b> <control_st tag="function">function</control_st>. If you need to time <glossary tag="event">events</glossary> with greater <glossary tag="precision">precision</glossary>, use the <function tag="milliseconds">milliseconds</function> <control_st tag="function">function</control_st>.</p>
  </description>
</doc>