# Busy waiting

The timer should now be properly initialized. All that's left is to implement the delay function using the timer.

First thing we have to do is set the autoreload register (ARR) to make the timer go off in ms milliseconds. Because the counter operates at 1 KHz, the autoreload value will be the same as ms.

// Set the timer to go off in ms ticks
// 1 tick = 1 ms
tim7.arr.write(|w| w.arr(ms));


Next, we need to enable the counter. It will immediately start counting.

// CEN: Enable the counter
tim7.cr1.modify(|_, w| w.cen(true));


Now we need to wait until the counter reaches the value of the autoreload register, ms, then we'll know that ms milliseconds have passed. That condition is known as an "update" event and its indicated by the UIF bit of the status register (SR).

// Wait until the alarm goes off (the "update event" occurs)

This pattern of just waiting until some condition is met, in this case that UIF becomes 1, is known as "busy" waiting and you'll see it a few more times in this text :-).
Finally, we must clear (set to 0) this UIF bit. If we don't, next time we enter the delay function we'll think the update event has already happened and skip over the "busy" waiting part.
// Clear the "update" flag