#ifndef STEVE_HEARTBEAT_GUARD
#define STEVE_HEARTBEAT_GUARD

#include <ctime>

/*
 * Heartbeater.
 * create one, and use it to give user-feedback for really
 * tight loops.
 */
class Heartbeat  
{
public:
	//--------------------------------
	// Call this function constantly (like, every iteration of your loop).
	//	If it returns true, that means you should perform a "beat".
	//	And a beat means, output some status message
	//	e.g. "Raytraced 123/1234 pixels"
	//	NOTE: If it returns TRUE, then it will assume you
	//	performed the beat.  Thus, the next immediate call will
	//	always yield FALSE (until enough time has elapsed)
	//--------------------------------
	bool OK_to_beat();

	Heartbeat(time_t secs = 1);
	virtual ~Heartbeat();
	time_t min_secs_per_beat;

private:
	time_t last_beat_time;
};

#endif /* STEVE_HEARTBEAT_GUARD */