function varargout = display_time_delay(timerVal)

% function delay = display_time_delay(timerVal)

%

% Function formats the elapsed time for the timer in "timerVal"

% If no timer is provided as input, then the current timer will be used.

% The formated time is either displayed in the command window, or if an output argument is requested, it is returned as output

%

% Input:

% timerVal - (optional) value of an active timer, as created by fucntion "tic"

% If the timerVal argument is not provided, then the current timer will be

% used. If none exists, the function will throw an error.

% Output:

% delay - (optional) character vector, containing the time delay in the format: 'Elapsed time: hh:mm:ss' (hours:minutes:seconds)

%

%--- retrieve the time delay

if exist('timerVal','var')

tt = toc(timerVal);

else

tt = toc;

end

%--- split in hours, minutes and seconds

hh=floor(tt/3600);

mm=floor(mod(tt,3600)/60);

ss=round(mod(tt,60));

%--- format and output the time delay

% fprintf('Elapsed time: %dh %dmin %dsec\n', hh, mm, ss)

delay = sprintf('Elapsed time: %02d:%02d:%02d\n', hh, mm, ss);

if nargout>0

varargout{1} = delay;

else

fprintf(delay)

end