Retrieves the number of milliseconds that have elapsed since the system was started, up to 49.7 days.
Syntax
DWORD WINAPI GetTickCount(void);
Parameters
This function has no parameters.
Return value
The return value is the number of milliseconds that have elapsed since the system was started.
Remarks
The resolution of the GetTickCount function is limited to the resolution of the system timer, which is typically in the range of 10 milliseconds to 16 milliseconds. The resolution of the GetTickCount function is not affected by adjustments made by the
GetSystemTimeAdjustment function.
The elapsed time is stored as a DWORD value. Therefore, the time will wrap around to zero if the system is run continuously for 49.7 days. To avoid this problem, use the GetTickCount64 function. Otherwise, check for an overflow condition when comparing times.
If you need a higher resolution timer, use a
multimedia timer or a
high-resolution timer.
To obtain the time elapsed since the computer was started, retrieve the System Up Time counter in the performance data in the registry key HKEY_PERFORMANCE_DATA. The value returned is an 8-byte value. For more information, see
Performance Counters.
To obtain the time the system has spent in the working state since it was started, use the QueryUnbiasedInterruptTime function.
Requirements
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Minimum supported client
| Windows 2000 Professional |
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Minimum supported server
| Windows 2000 Server |
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Header
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- Winbase.h (include Windows.h)
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Library
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- Kernel32.lib
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DLL
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- Kernel32.dll
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See also
-
Time Functions
-
Windows Time
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Build date: 9/7/2011