I need some sort of a Timer ..

Question

How are you doing ... I'm making a game for my gr 12 class, Target Practice crap, very simple. I don't know how to get the target to stay up for a certain amount of time, and then dissapear at a next random spot, OR dissapear if it's clicked on ... if you helped me, I would really appreciate it .. here's my code: (If anyone feels like ripping it off, I'd be honored :) )
import java.applet.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.applet.*;
import java.net.*;
import java.util.*;
public class GameVersion2 extends Applet implements Runnable
//Initial crap
private Image dbImage, top;
private int xPosition = 0, yPosition = 0;
private Random rand = new Random ();
private int scoreCount = 0, otherCounts = 0;
private int count = 0;
Date startTime;
Date clickTime;
public void start ()
Thread th = new Thread (this);
th.start ();
Thread th2 = new Thread (this);
th2.start (); // Stop thread for 20 milliseconds
public void init ()
dbImage = getImage (getCodeBase (), "warning.gif");
top = getImage (getCodeBase (), "Top.gif");
public void run ()
this.getXYPositions ();
public void getXYPositions ()
xPosition = 10 + (Math.abs (rand.nextInt ()) % 750); //determines where the picture will appear x wise; 10<x<760
yPosition = 120 + (Math.abs (rand.nextInt ()) % 340); //determines where the picture will appear y wise; 120<x<460
startTime = new Date ();
public void paint (Graphics g)
g.setColor (Color.blue);
g.drawRect (10, 120, 780, 370);
g.drawImage (top, 78, 2, this);
g.drawImage (dbImage, xPosition, yPosition, this);
g.drawString ("Your Score is: " + scoreCount, 20, 510);
g.drawString ("The time is " + startTime, 20, 580);
showStatus ("TargetPractice");
try
Thread.sleep (820);
catch (InterruptedException ex)
// do nothing
public boolean mouseDown (Event e, int x, int y)
if (((xPosition + 30) > x && x > xPosition) && ((yPosition + 30) > y && y > yPosition))
scoreCount++;
this.getXYPositions ();
repaint ();
else
this.getXYPositions ();
repaint ();
return true;

Answer 1

Hmmm,
looking at the comments above I'm not sure how much of this is your own code ... oh well, I've rewritten your Thread part so that you image now jumps around a bit. ActionEvents with a boolean are deprecated and you Date() method could be seriously improved too. Please look these up, do a search at the 'new to' forum or 'java programming' forum and try and implement them yourself (much more fun).
Ce la vie - and in good faith!import java.applet.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.applet.*;
import java.net.*;
import java.util.*;
public class junk extends Applet implements Runnable{
     //Initial crap
     private Image dbImage, top;
     private int xPosition = 0, yPosition = 0;
     private Random rand = new Random ();
     private int scoreCount = 0, missCount = 0;
     private int count = 0;
     Date startTime;
     Date clickTime;
   Thread picture = null;
   boolean started = true;
     public void init(){
          dbImage = getImage (getCodeBase (), "A.gif");
          top = getImage (getCodeBase (), "B.gif");
     public void start(){
      if(picture == null) {
         picture = new Thread(this, "junk");
         picture.start();
     public void run(){
      Thread thread = Thread.currentThread();
      while (picture == thread){
               try{
            while(started){
                       Thread.sleep (1000);
               getXYPositions();
               repaint();
               catch (InterruptedException ex){}
     public void getXYPositions(){
          xPosition = 10 + (Math.abs (rand.nextInt ()) % 750);
          yPosition = 120 + (Math.abs (rand.nextInt ()) % 340);
     public void paint(Graphics g){
          g.setColor (Color.blue);
          g.drawRect (10, 120, 780, 370);
          g.drawImage (top, 78, 2, this);
          g.drawString ("Your Score is: " + scoreCount, 20, 510);
          g.drawString ("Misses: " + missCount, 220, 510);
          g.drawString ("The time is " + startTime, 20, 580);
          showStatus ("TargetPractice");
          g.drawImage (dbImage, xPosition, yPosition, this);
     public boolean mouseDown(Event e, int x, int y){
          if (((xPosition + 30) > x && x > xPosition) &&
         ((yPosition + 30) > y && y > yPosition))    {
               scoreCount++;
               this.getXYPositions ();
               repaint ();
          else{
               this.getXYPositions ();
         missCount++;
               repaint ();
     return true;
}