ticks

returns the number of ticks since the start of the eon.

# Metadata

Platforms: desktop, server, mobile OS: mac, windows, linux, ios, android Introduced: 1.0 Security:

# Syntax

the ticks

# Examples

the ticks

put the ticks - startTicks into elapsedTicks

# Description

Use the ticks function to time events that must be checked more often than once per second.

Unlike HyperTalk's "ticks" function, the ticks function returns the total number of ticks since midnight GMT, January 1, 1970, rather than the total number of ticks since the last system startup.

A tick is one-sixtieth of a second. If you don't need to time events with this much precision, use the seconds function. If you need to time events with greater precision, use the milliseconds function.

# Tags

math,

# See

- **keyword:** ticks, integer - **property:** idleTicks - **command:** wait - **function:** time, milliseconds, date, ticks - **control structure:** function - **glossary:** precision, eon, return, event