How to measure processing time in Python

keywords: python, process time, python class

...if you need to measure a time during your python processing here is one helper class

'''
Created on 11. okt. 2012
@author: Stipica Pavicic
'''

import time
class Timer(object):
    '''
    timer starts with class initialisation
    '''

    def __init__(self):
        self.t1= time.time()
        self.t2= time.time()
        
    def getElapsedlTime(self):
        # gets total elapsed from class initialsation
        self.delta=time.time()-self.t1
        if self.delta > 60:
            self.delta = "Time elapsed:    %6.3f  min" % (self.delta/60) 
        else:
            self.delta = "Time elapsed:    %6.3f  sec" % (self.delta)
        return self.delta
        
    def getTimeDifference(self):
        # gets time elapsed from previous reading (for first reading this is equal to total time elapsed getElapsedlTime() 
        self.delta=time.time()-self.t2
        self.t2 = time.time()
        if self.delta > 60:
            self.delta = "Time difference: %6.3f  min" % (self.delta/60) 
        else:
            self.delta = "Time difference: %6.3f  sec" % (self.delta)
        return self.delta        

Using this class it is possible to get total time form class initialisation to some desired moment getElapsedlTime() or you can get time difference from some previous time reading getTimeDifference()

Just make sure that the class Timer is available in your script and you can use it just like in next example.

'''
Created on 11. okt. 2012
@author: Stipica Pavicic
'''

import time
from my.process_timer import Timer

print " ... initialise your timer"
measure=Timer()

print " ... begin some processing"
time.sleep(1.1)

# ... get elapsed time
print measure.getTimeDifference()
print measure.getElapsedlTime() 

print " ... some processing"
time.sleep(1.2)

# ... get elapsed time
print measure.getTimeDifference()
print measure.getElapsedlTime()

print " ... some processing"
time.sleep(1.3)

# ... get elapsed time
print measure.getTimeDifference()
print measure.getElapsedlTime()

Here is output:

 ... initialise your timer
 ... begin some processing
Time difference:  1.100  sec
Time elapsed:     1.100  sec
 ... some processing
Time difference:  1.200  sec
Time elapsed:     2.300  sec
 ... some processing
Time difference:  1.300  sec
Time elapsed:     3.600  sec

... enjoy