How to use QTimer

mytimer.h:

    #ifndef MYTIMER_H
    #define MYTIMER_H

    #include <QTimer>

    class MyTimer : public QObject
    {
        Q_OBJECT
    public:
        MyTimer();
        QTimer *timer;

    public slots:
        void MyTimerSlot();
    };

    #endif // MYTIME

mytimer.cpp:

#include "mytimer.h"
#include <QDebug>

MyTimer::MyTimer()
{
    // create a timer
    timer = new QTimer(this);

    // setup signal and slot
    connect(timer, SIGNAL(timeout()),
          this, SLOT(MyTimerSlot()));

    // msec
    timer->start(1000);
}

void MyTimer::MyTimerSlot()
{
    qDebug() << "Timer...";
}

main.cpp:

#include <QCoreApplication>
#include "mytimer.h"

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
    QCoreApplication a(argc, argv);

    // Create MyTimer instance
    // QTimer object will be created in the MyTimer constructor
    MyTimer timer;

    return a.exec();
}

If we run the code:

Timer...
Timer...
Timer...
Timer...
Timer...
...

resources

1. It's good practice to give a parent to your QTimer to use Qt's memory management system.

2. update() is a QWidget function - is that what you are trying to call or not? http://qt-project.org/doc/qt-4.8/qwidget.html#update.

3. If number 2 does not apply, make sure that the function you are trying to trigger is declared as a slot in the header.

4. Finally if none of these are your issue, it would be helpful to know if you are getting any run-time connect errors.

Other way is using of built-in method start timer & event TimerEvent.

Header:

#ifndef MAINWINDOW_H
#define MAINWINDOW_H

#include <QMainWindow>

namespace Ui {
class MainWindow;
}

class MainWindow : public QMainWindow
{
    Q_OBJECT

public:
    explicit MainWindow(QWidget *parent = 0);
    ~MainWindow();

private:
    Ui::MainWindow *ui;
    int timerId;

protected:
    void timerEvent(QTimerEvent *event);
};

#endif // MAINWINDOW_H

Source:

#include "mainwindow.h"
#include "ui_mainwindow.h"
#include <QDebug>

MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent) :
    QMainWindow(parent),
    ui(new Ui::MainWindow)
{
    ui->setupUi(this);

    timerId = startTimer(1000);
}

MainWindow::~MainWindow()
{
    killTimer(timerId);
    delete ui;
}

void MainWindow::timerEvent(QTimerEvent *event)
{
    qDebug() << "Update...";
}