iPhone SDK: UIButton repeat with repeat delay - iphone

Question

I've implemented a repeated task on button (UIButton) hold with the code from another Stack Overflow thread ( UIButton Touch and Hold ).
For various reasons, I'd like a repeat delay. definition of repeat delay
I can't quite wrap my head around how to do this however. I am relatively new to coding for the iPhone.

Answer 1

Inspired in the code you suggested you can go for something like this:
Make an NSTimer that will start up when the button is pressed and fire a method every x seconds.
Header (.h):
// Declare the timer and the needed IBActions in interface.
#interface className {
NSTimer * timer;
}
-(IBAction)theTouchDown(id)sender;
-(IBAction)theTouchUpInside(id)sender;
-(IBAction)theTouchUpOutside(id)sender;
// Give the timer properties.
#property (nonatomic, retain) NSTimer * timer;
Implementation file (.m):
// Synthesize the timer
// ...
Make an IBAction for "Touch Down" to start the timer that will fire the action method every 2 seconds. Then make another IBAction for "Touch Up Inside" and "Touch Up Outside" to invalidate the timer.
For example:
-(IBAction)theTouchDown {
self.timer = [NSTimer scheduledTimerWithTimeInterval:2.0
target:self
selector:#selector(action:)
userInfo:nil
repeats:NO];
}
-(IBAction)theTouchUpInside {
[self.timer invalidate];
self.timer = nil;
}
-(IBAction)theTouchUpOutside {
[self.timer invalidate];
self.timer = nil;
}
Then in that method fired by the NSTimer do whatever you need:
-(void)action:(id)sender {
// ...
}