# Spark Core Time Based Event **URL:** \ **Category:** Getting Started\ **Created:** [February 3, 2015, 5:33am UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/spark-core-time-based-event/9769 "2015-02-03T05:33:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sriram155](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@sriram155](https://community.particle.io/u/sriram155)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:33am UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/spark-core-time-based-event/9769/1 "2015-02-03T05:33:41Z")
I’m quiet new to Spark Core. How can I create a time based event on my Spark Core? For instance, if I want to digitalWrite 7,HIGH at 8:30AM every morning for 30 seconds. Any help would be highly appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![harrisonhjones](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/community.particle.io/harrisonhjones/32/4132_2.png) [@harrisonhjones](https://community.particle.io/u/harrisonhjones)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:55am UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/spark-core-time-based-event/9769/2 "2015-02-03T05:55:06Z")
I would suggest you start here: [http://docs.spark.io/firmware/#libraries-time](http://docs.spark.io/firmware/#libraries-time) Something along the lines of: ```auto bool hasHappenedToday = false; void loop() { if((Time.hour() == 8) && (Time.isAM() == true) && (Time.minute() == 30) && (hasHappenedToday == false)) { digitalWrite(D7, HIGH); hasHappenedToday = true; delay(30000); } if(Time.hour() > 9) { hasHappenedToday = false; } } ``` ---
**Author:** ![sriram155](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@sriram155](https://community.particle.io/u/sriram155)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 6:37am UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/spark-core-time-based-event/9769/3 "2015-02-03T06:37:23Z")
Thanks @harrisonhjones. I’ve looked at the time library and I’m guessing that the above snippet has to have a Spark Time sync upon connection? I tried the above snippet with my existing time and it didn’t work. My time zone is GMT+8. Should I add any other lines of code so that my spark core knows my time zone and syncs with some online service to constantly update the time? ---
**Author:** ![sriram155](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@sriram155](https://community.particle.io/u/sriram155)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 7:03am UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/spark-core-time-based-event/9769/4 "2015-02-03T07:03:36Z")
@harrisonhjones, this is the modified version of your snippet I tried just now and it didn’t work. I’m a beginner and I’m not sure where I’m going wrong. Please help. ```auto bool hasHappenedToday = false; #define ONE_DAY_MILLIS (24 * 60 * 60 * 1000) unsigned long lastSync = millis(); void setup() { Spark.syncTime(); Time.zone(+8); Serial.begin(115200); } void loop() { if (millis() - lastSync > ONE_DAY_MILLIS) { // Request time sync from Spark Cloud Spark.syncTime(); lastSync = millis(); Serial.print(Time.now()); } if((Time.hour() == 3) && (Time.isPM() == true) && (hasHappenedToday == false)) //if((Time.hour() == 2) && (Time.isPM() == true) && (Time.minute() == 45) && (hasHappenedToday == false)) { digitalWrite(D7, HIGH); hasHappenedToday = true; delay(30000); } } ``` * * * _I’ve edited your post to properly format the code. Please check out [this post](http://community.spark.io/t/forum-tips-and-tricks/3999/2), so you know how to do this yourself in the future. Thanks in advance! ~Jordy_ ---
**Author:** ![ScruffR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/community.particle.io/scruffr/32/6952_2.png) [@ScruffR](https://community.particle.io/u/ScruffR)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 8:16am UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/spark-core-time-based-event/9769/5 "2015-02-03T08:16:22Z")
There are some things you could improve there. - `Spark.syncTime()` is called internally on boot-up, so you don’t really need it in `setup()` - but it doesn’t harm 😉 - Rather than doing it every 86 400 000 milliseconds (24h) you could do it at a given time - e.g. 00:00:00 - You don’t actually need to check for `AM/PM` since `Time.hour()` returns 0…23 (this will also be the cause that it didn’t work - 3:00PM = 15:00) - Instead of testing hours and minutes seperatly I’d calculate the number of minute (h\*60 + m) once per minute (60 000 ms) and then test against this (or for higher resolution incorporate seconds too) . This makes testing ‘between’ times a lot easier. - You need to reset `hasHappenedToday` - e.g. along with the 00:00:00 resync - You need to reset your `D7` pin - Try to avoid `delay(30000)` if you want your Core to do some other jobs too And if you want a full fledged alarming system, there is a `TimeAlarms` library available on the Web IDE or on GitHub [(https://github.com/bkobkobko/SparkTimeAlarms)](https://github.com/bkobkobko/SparkTimeAlarms) ---
**Author:** ![sriram155](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@sriram155](https://community.particle.io/u/sriram155)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 1:03pm UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/spark-core-time-based-event/9769/8 "2015-02-03T13:03:07Z")
@ScruffR, thanks for the wonderful headsup. Let me try out your suggestions and will update soon. Cheers! ---
**Author:** ![Moors7](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/community.particle.io/moors7/32/588_2.png) [@Moors7](https://community.particle.io/u/Moors7)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 1:54pm UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/spark-core-time-based-event/9769/9 "2015-02-03T13:54:13Z")
Depending on how accurate you want it to be, IFTTT might also work. It allows you to set times and days on which functions will be called. You could create a function to execute your action. This would require the least amount of work, although the timeAlarms library offers more flexibility. Depending on your user scenario, both options could be considered. ---
**Author:** ![harrisonhjones](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/community.particle.io/harrisonhjones/32/4132_2.png) [@harrisonhjones](https://community.particle.io/u/harrisonhjones)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/spark-core-time-based-event/9769/10 "2015-02-03T15:47:11Z")
Yes, I agree with all of @ScruffR’s points. Go with his suggestion over mine! ---
**Author:** ![BulldogLowell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/community.particle.io/bulldoglowell/32/4305_2.png) [@BulldogLowell](https://community.particle.io/u/BulldogLowell)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:46pm UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/spark-core-time-based-event/9769/11 "2015-02-03T17:46:13Z")
do you use Daylight Savings Time where you are? (GMT+8 maybe not) but for anyone who comes across this post, an easy way to adjust (this is USA eastern time example)… ```cpp void loop() { Time.zone(IsDST(Time.day(), Time.month(), Time.weekday())? -4 : -5); } ``` ```cpp bool IsDST(int dayOfMonth, int month, int dayOfWeek) { if (month < 3 || month > 11) { return false; } if (month > 3 && month < 11) { return true; } int previousSunday = dayOfMonth - dayOfWeek; //In march, we are DST if our previous sunday was on or after the 8th. if (month == 3) { return previousSunday >= 8; } //In november we must be before the first sunday to be dst. //That means the previous sunday must be before the 1st. return previousSunday <= 0; } ``` you can certainly work to get it to exact, if you want. ---
**Author:** ![sriram155](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@sriram155](https://community.particle.io/u/sriram155)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 1:25am UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/spark-core-time-based-event/9769/12 "2015-02-04T01:25:07Z")
@BulldogLowell, I’m on GMT+8 timezone. Thanks for the snippet anyways. ---
**Author:** ![sriram155](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@sriram155](https://community.particle.io/u/sriram155)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 1:25am UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/spark-core-time-based-event/9769/13 "2015-02-04T01:25:49Z")
@Moors7, I’ve tried IFTTT. However, it is not accurate. There is some delay in triggering the functions. ---
**Author:** ![sriram155](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@sriram155](https://community.particle.io/u/sriram155)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 1:31am UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/spark-core-time-based-event/9769/14 "2015-02-04T01:31:44Z")
@ScruffR, I’ve tried the SparkTimeAlarms library example. It is perfect for my scenario. However, I noticed that my functions are not working with this library. For instance, in the given example .ino file, I’m trying to use `digitalwrite(D7,HIGH)` for the Morning Alarm. When i use `spark serial monitor` in my terminal window, I can see that the Print statement works, however, the digitalwrite function doesn’t work. I’m assuming that the default Tinker app which is responsible for the `digitalread/write, analogread/write` is being overwritten when I flash the example code. Usually when I perform `spark list`, I used to see my spark ID, spark name and the available functions. Now (after flashing the example .ino file), I no longer see those functions available. Hence, I assume the script is not triggering my `digitalwrite(D7,HIGH)` function too. How can I fix this problem? Should I include the TimeAlarms library to my default tinker and flash it? ---
**Author:** ![sriram155](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@sriram155](https://community.particle.io/u/sriram155)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 1:36am UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/spark-core-time-based-event/9769/15 "2015-02-04T01:36:18Z")
Here is the script that I’m trying to use and unable to get the digitalWrite(D7,HIGH) to work when the alarm triggers: ``` #include "TimeAlarms/TimeAlarms.h" void setup() { Time.zone(+8); Serial.begin(9600); // create the alarms Alarm.alarmRepeat(9,20,0, MorningAlarm); // 8:30am every day Alarm.alarmRepeat(22,00,0,EveningAlarm); // 5:45pm every day Alarm.alarmRepeat(dowSaturday,8,30,30,WeeklyAlarm); // 8:30:30 every Saturday Alarm.timerRepeat(15, Repeats); // timer for every 15 seconds Alarm.timerOnce(10, OnceOnly); // called once after 10 seconds } void loop(){ digitalClockDisplay(); Alarm.delay(1000); // wait one second between clock display } // functions to be called when an alarm triggers: void MorningAlarm(){ Serial.println("Alarm: - turn lights off"); digitalWrite(D7,HIGH); delay(5000); digitalWrite(D7,LOW); } void EveningAlarm(){ Serial.println("Alarm: - turn lights on"); //digitalWrite(D7,HIGH); } void WeeklyAlarm(){ Serial.println("Alarm: - its Monday Morning"); } void ExplicitAlarm(){ Serial.println("Alarm: - this triggers only at the given date and time"); } void Repeats(){ Serial.println("15 second timer"); } void OnceOnly(){ Serial.println("This timer only triggers once"); } void digitalClockDisplay() { // digital clock display of the time Serial.print(Time.hour()); printDigits(Time.minute()); printDigits(Time.second()); Serial.println(); } void printDigits(int digits) { Serial.print(":"); if(digits < 10) Serial.print('0'); Serial.print(digits); } ``` ---
**Author:** ![harrisonhjones](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/community.particle.io/harrisonhjones/32/4132_2.png) [@harrisonhjones](https://community.particle.io/u/harrisonhjones)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 2:48am UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/spark-core-time-based-event/9769/16 "2015-02-04T02:48:42Z")
you need to designate D7 to be an output. At the beginning of your setup function (right after the `{` bracket) add the following line: `pinMode(D7, OUTPUT);` and you should be good to go ---
**Author:** ![sriram155](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@sriram155](https://community.particle.io/u/sriram155)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 3:25am UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/spark-core-time-based-event/9769/17 "2015-02-04T03:25:53Z")
@harrisonhjones, Awesome! It worked finally. Thank you so much everybody for helping me out. Cheers!