Countdown timer with LCD coding question

[vmpr]

Hello newbie here, I am working on a countdown timer that starts when you press the button attached. The code works without the button, but I’ve been struggling to get the button to start the timer, now it just removes 2 seconds and stops again. It’s displayed on an lcd, which I’ve gotten to work so far. i think the problem is within the code since the pushbutton stops once no longer pressed.

If anyone could help I’d really appreciate it, I’ve been fighting with it for a couple of days now. thanks! Code below:

//LCD
#include <LiquidCrystal.h>

//TIMER
int S = 59;  // count seconds
int M = 1;   // count minutes
int H = 0;   // count hours

//initialize the library with the numbers of the interface pins
const int rs = 12, en = 11, d4 = 5, d5 = 4, d6 = 3, d7 = 2;
LiquidCrystal lcd(rs, en, d4, d5, d6, d7);

//BUTTON
#define BUTTON_PIN 10
byte lastButtonState = LOW;

unsigned long debounceDuration = 50;  // millis
unsigned long lastTimeButtonStateChanged = 0;

void setup() {
  //LCD
  // set up the LCD's number of columns and rows:
  lcd.begin(16, 2);
  // Print a message to the LCD.
  lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
  lcd.print("VMPR");
  lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
  lcd.print("Presents...");
  delay(1500);
  lcd.clear();

  lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
  lcd.print("Uitstelleritus");
  lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
  lcd.print("Deletus");
  //uitstelleritus deletus

  //BUTTON
  pinMode(BUTTON_PIN, INPUT);
}

void loop() {

  if (millis() - lastTimeButtonStateChanged > debounceDuration) {
    byte buttonState = digitalRead(BUTTON_PIN);
    if (buttonState != lastButtonState) {
      lastTimeButtonStateChanged = millis();
      lastButtonState = buttonState;

      lcd.clear();

      lcd.setCursor(3, 0);
      lcd.print("OR ELSE...");
      lcd.setCursor(6, 1);
      lcd.print(":");
      lcd.setCursor(9, 1);
      lcd.print(":");

      S--;
      delay(1000);

      if (S < 0) {
        M--;
        S = 59;
      }
      if (M < 0) {
        H--;
        M = 59;
      }
      if (H < 0) {
        H = 0;
        M = 1;
        S = 59;
      }
      if (M > 9) {
        lcd.setCursor(7, 1);
        lcd.print(M);
      } else {
        lcd.setCursor(7, 1);
        lcd.print("0");
        lcd.setCursor(8, 1);
        lcd.print(M);
        lcd.setCursor(9, 1);
        lcd.print(":");
      }

      if (S > 9) {
        lcd.setCursor(10, 1);
        lcd.print(S);
      } else {
        lcd.setCursor(10, 1);
        lcd.print("0");
        lcd.setCursor(11, 1);
        lcd.print(S);
        lcd.setCursor(12, 1);
        lcd.print(" ");
      }

      if (H > 9) {
        lcd.setCursor(4, 1);
        lcd.print(H);
      } else {
        lcd.setCursor(4, 1);
        lcd.print("0");
        lcd.setCursor(5, 1);
        lcd.print(H);
        lcd.setCursor(6, 1);
        lcd.print(":");
      }
    }
  }
}

[kolaha]

chatGPT?

[Delta_G]

An if statement controls all the lines in braces behind it (or a single line if there's no braces.

if (someCondition) {
       //ALL THE CODE IN HERE
       //ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE NEXT
       //CLOSING BRACE IS CONTROLLED
       //BY THE IF STATEMENT
}  //  It stops here.  

//  Code here runs whether the if is true or not.  It is outside the { and }.  

If you look at your code, all of the stuff that decrements the time and displays it to the screen happens INSIDE that if statement. So only when you press the button. Look at your braces and figure out what should and should not be conditional on the button being pressed. If you want it to happen even when the button isn't being pressed then it needs to be outside of that if statement.