C++ / CLR make timer instance available to other functions without separate thread

Question

In a windows C++ CLR project, on pressing a button (start) I initialize a counter (a chrono timer):

private: System::Void start_Click(System::Object^ sender, System::EventArgs^ e) {  
	clock::time_point start_runtime = clock::now(); // I create a time point "start_runtime"  
        // stuff here  
}  

I am trying to get the time point "start_runtime" to be available in other functions:

double get_timer_seconds(clock::time_point timer_name) {  
	return std::chrono::duration_cast<milliseconds>(clock::now() - timer_name).count() / 1000.0;  
}  
void stop_script() {  
	double secs = get_timer_seconds(start_runtime); // <=== Error (active)	E0020	identifier "start_runtime" is undefined   
	MessageBox::Show(System::Convert::ToString("runtime: " + secs), "", MessageBoxButtons::OK, MessageBoxIcon::Exclamation);  
}  

Is there a way to make the time point created in a private function to be available in other functions without using a separate thread?

Thanks

Answer 1

Try something like this:

private:  
  
   clock::time_point& start_runtime = *new clock::time_point( );  
  
   System::Void start_Click( System::Object^ sender, System::EventArgs^ e)   
   {  
      start_runtime = clock::now( );  
      . . .  
   }  

But there is a series of useful .NET classes and functions that can be used in C++/CLR.