.. _plugins-timer:

Game Play Timer Plugin
======================

The timer plugin records the total time spent emulating each combination of a
system and a software list item, as well as the number of times each combination
has been launched.  To see the statistics, bring up the main menu (press **Tab**
during emulation by default), choose **Plugin Options**, and then choose
**Timer**.

This plugin records wall clock time (the real time duration elapsed while
emulation is running, according to the host OS) as well as emulated time.  The
elapsed wall clock time may be shorter than the elapsed emulated time if you
turn off throttling or use MAME’s “fast forward” feature, or it may be longer
than the elapsed emulated time if you pause the emulation of if the emulation is
too demanding to run at full speed.

The statistics are stored in the file **timer.db** in the **timer** folder
inside your plugin data folder (see the
:ref:`homepath option <mame-commandline-homepath>`).  The file is a SQLite3
database.