Setting a Calendar Object to ZERO

yes a simple integer counter would seem better for your counter, any reason why you use a Calendar instance?

any reason why you use a Calendar instance?
I have a command file that is timestamped according to plus time. My intention was to use a Calendar instance for plus
time so I could use the before and after methods of the Calendar to compare to the current calendar time.

For instance, lets say it is 1:00 p.m. My commands are scheduled to begin at +120 seconds after I receive an external
signal. One I receive the signal I start my plus count. I then will use the before and after methods of the Calendar to determine when I should send the commands. If the current time is 1:02:01 p.m. and my calendar instance is +121 seconds, I know I should send the command that was timestamped at +120 seconds.


I have tried to set the Calendar instance to zero (hours, minutes, seconds) but it will not start the clock, it stays at zero.

Will the system time work?
long startingTime  = System.currentTimeMillis();
This is in milisecons so you'll have to divide by 1000 to get the number of seconds
This does not meet my requirements. I need a plus count that starts counting from zero seconds on up.

Calendar alarm = Calendar.getInstance();
alarm.add(Calendar.SECONDS, plustime);

Ok, Moroni24, You have led me on the right path.

I have been able to generate a plus count and save it in a Calendar instance.

The problem that I'am having now is when I compare the two Calendar instances
they are never equal.

Shouldn't a Calendar instance be modifiable with a new time?

Here is my code.

    public void irigTimeUpdate(com.slrsc.optics.oics.events.IRIGEvent event)
    {
       
        currentTime = event.getTimestamp(); // get the current time
        plusCountTime = myTime.getPlusCountTime(10, event.getPlusTime());  // First parameter is the number of seconds to add to
                                                                                                               // the time the event occured, 2nd parameter is the
                                                                                                               // time the event occured.

       if (currentTime.equals(plusCountTime))
        {
           "Send out camera command"
        }
    }


  public Calendar getPlusCountTime(int plustime, Calendar LiftoffTime)
   {
       int seconds1 = LiftoffTime.get(Calendar.SECOND);
       seconds1 = seconds1 + plustime;
       LiftoffTime.set(Calendar.SECOND, seconds1);
       return LiftoffTime;
   }

to add a number of seconds to a Calendar use:

LiftoffTime.add(Calendar.SECONDS, plustime);

sorry that should have been:

LiftoffTime.add(Calendar.SECOND, plustime);

Ok, here it is

liftOffCount = myTime.getPlusCountTime(10, LiftOffTime); // get liftofftime + pluscount

   public Calendar getPlusCountTime(int plustime, long liftoffTime)
   {
         plusCount1 = pluscount1.getInstance();
         plusCount1.setTimeInMillis(liftoffTime);
         plusCount1.add(Calendar.SECOND, plustime);
         return plusCount1;
   }

    public void irigTimeUpdate(com.slrsc.optics.oics.events.IRIGEvent event)
    {
        myTimeStamp = event.getTimestamp();
        myPlusCount = event.getPlusTime();
        myPlusCountString = myTime.getPlusTimeSecondsString(myPlusCount);
 
        myTimeString = myTime.getSystemTimeString(myTimeStamp);
        irigDataMessage(myTimeString);
        plusCountDataMessage(myPlusCountString);
       
       
       
        if (myTimeStamp.after(liftOffCount))
        {
            liftOffDataMessage("SEND Command");
        }
    }