[[timer-component]]
= Timer Component
:docTitle: Timer
:artifactId: camel-timer
:description: Generate messages in specified intervals using java.util.Timer.
:since: 1.0
:supportLevel: Stable
:component-header: Only consumer is supported
:core:

*Since Camel {since}*

*{component-header}*

The Timer component is used to generate message exchanges when a
timer fires You can only consume events from this endpoint.

== URI format

[source]
----
timer:name[?options]
----

Where `name` is the name of the `Timer` object, which is created and
shared across endpoints. So if you use the same name for all your timer
endpoints, only one `Timer` object and thread will be used.

You can append query options to the URI in the following format,
`?option=value&option=value&...`

*Note:* The IN body of the generated exchange is `null`. So
`exchange.getIn().getBody()` returns `null`.

[TIP]
====
*Advanced Scheduler*

See also the xref:quartz-component.adoc[Quartz] component that supports much more
advanced scheduling.
====


== Options

// component options: START
The Timer component supports 2 options, which are listed below.



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|===
| Name | Description | Default | Type
| *bridgeErrorHandler* (consumer) | Allows for bridging the consumer to the Camel routing Error Handler, which mean any exceptions occurred while the consumer is trying to pickup incoming messages, or the likes, will now be processed as a message and handled by the routing Error Handler. By default the consumer will use the org.apache.camel.spi.ExceptionHandler to deal with exceptions, that will be logged at WARN or ERROR level and ignored. | false | boolean
| *basicPropertyBinding* (advanced) | Whether the component should use basic property binding (Camel 2.x) or the newer property binding with additional capabilities | false | boolean
|===
// component options: END


// endpoint options: START
The Timer endpoint is configured using URI syntax:

----
timer:timerName
----

with the following path and query parameters:

=== Path Parameters (1 parameters):


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|===
| Name | Description | Default | Type
| *timerName* | *Required* The name of the timer |  | String
|===


=== Query Parameters (14 parameters):


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|===
| Name | Description | Default | Type
| *bridgeErrorHandler* (consumer) | Allows for bridging the consumer to the Camel routing Error Handler, which mean any exceptions occurred while the consumer is trying to pickup incoming messages, or the likes, will now be processed as a message and handled by the routing Error Handler. By default the consumer will use the org.apache.camel.spi.ExceptionHandler to deal with exceptions, that will be logged at WARN or ERROR level and ignored. | false | boolean
| *delay* (consumer) | Delay before first event is triggered. | 1s | long
| *fixedRate* (consumer) | Events take place at approximately regular intervals, separated by the specified period. | false | boolean
| *includeMetadata* (consumer) | Whether to include metadata in the exchange such as fired time, timer name, timer count etc. This information is default included. | true | boolean
| *period* (consumer) | If greater than 0, generate periodic events every period. | 1s | long
| *repeatCount* (consumer) | Specifies a maximum limit of number of fires. So if you set it to 1, the timer will only fire once. If you set it to 5, it will only fire five times. A value of zero or negative means fire forever. | 0 | long
| *exceptionHandler* (consumer) | To let the consumer use a custom ExceptionHandler. Notice if the option bridgeErrorHandler is enabled then this option is not in use. By default the consumer will deal with exceptions, that will be logged at WARN or ERROR level and ignored. |  | ExceptionHandler
| *exchangePattern* (consumer) | Sets the exchange pattern when the consumer creates an exchange. The value can be one of: InOnly, InOut, InOptionalOut |  | ExchangePattern
| *basicPropertyBinding* (advanced) | Whether the endpoint should use basic property binding (Camel 2.x) or the newer property binding with additional capabilities | false | boolean
| *daemon* (advanced) | Specifies whether or not the thread associated with the timer endpoint runs as a daemon. The default value is true. | true | boolean
| *pattern* (advanced) | Allows you to specify a custom Date pattern to use for setting the time option using URI syntax. |  | String
| *synchronous* (advanced) | Sets whether synchronous processing should be strictly used, or Camel is allowed to use asynchronous processing (if supported). | false | boolean
| *time* (advanced) | A java.util.Date the first event should be generated. If using the URI, the pattern expected is: yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss or yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss. |  | Date
| *timer* (advanced) | To use a custom Timer |  | Timer
|===
// endpoint options: END


== Exchange Properties

When the timer is fired, it adds the following information as properties
to the `Exchange`:

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|===
|Name |Type |Description

|`Exchange.TIMER_NAME` |`String` |The value of the `name` option.

|`Exchange.TIMER_TIME` |`Date` |The value of the `time` option.

|`Exchange.TIMER_PERIOD` |`long` |The value of the `period` option.

|`Exchange.TIMER_FIRED_TIME` |`Date` |The time when the consumer fired.

|`Exchange.TIMER_COUNTER` |`Long` |The current fire counter. Starts from 1.
|===

== Sample

To set up a route that generates an event every 60 seconds:

[source,java]
----
from("timer://foo?fixedRate=true&period=60000").to("bean:myBean?method=someMethodName");
----

The above route will generate an event and then invoke the
`someMethodName` method on the bean called `myBean` in the
Registry.

And the route in Spring DSL:

[source,xml]
-----
<route>
  <from uri="timer://foo?fixedRate=true&amp;period=60000"/>
  <to uri="bean:myBean?method=someMethodName"/>
</route>
-----

== Firing as soon as possible

*Since Camel 2.17*

You may want to fire messages in a Camel route as soon as possible you
can use a negative delay:

[source,xml]
----
<route>
  <from uri="timer://foo?delay=-1"/>
  <to uri="bean:myBean?method=someMethodName"/>
</route>
----

In this way the timer will fire messages immediately.

You can also specify a repeatCount parameter in conjunction with a
negative delay to stop firing messages after a fixed number has been
reached.

If you don't specify a repeatCount then the timer will continue firing
messages until the route will be stopped. 

== Firing only once

*Since Camel 2.8*

You may want to fire a message in a Camel route only once, such as when
starting the route. To do that you use the repeatCount option as shown:

[source,xml]
----
<route>
  <from uri="timer://foo?repeatCount=1"/>
  <to uri="bean:myBean?method=someMethodName"/>
</route>
----


include::camel-spring-boot::page$timer-starter.adoc[]
