# timer

> [HTML Version](timerinfld.htm)

_timer_, when specified and non-zero, causes the field to time-out (returning _exitcode_=11) after the number of seconds specified (in _timer_). If _type_ **\!** is not specified, then _timer_ is not modified on exit from INFLD. This allows you to use a fixed time-out value on every field without having to reset it each time. 

However, if _type_ **\!** code is specified, then the elapsed time (in seconds) is returned in _timer_. Stand advised that although the elapsed time is quite accurate, the time-out period may become elongated by up to 15% due to heavy system activity. This should not cause any inconvenience, as long as you check for time-out by seeing if _exitcode_=11 and not by comparing the elapsed time (returned in _timer_) to the original _timer_ value. For example, if you set _timer_ to 30, and the field times out, the elapsed time (returned in _timer_) may actually be 29-32 seconds. So check the _exitcode_ to see if time-out occurred, and if you want to know the precise elapsed time, use the returned value of _timer_.

**Comments**

•	See [Timer-Related Codes](timer_related_codes.md) for a complete list of the _type_ codes that affect the timer feature.  

•	If you only care about the elapsed time (and don't want to time out), then you need to set the initial timer value to something suitably large. The elapsed time feature doesn't work if the initial timer value is 0. You would also probably want to disable the timer displays with the **/+** _type_ codes.