// AnimateObject.java
package util;


public abstract class AnimateObject implements Runnable
{
   public AnimateObject ()
   {
      mySpirit = new Thread(this);
      myAnimated = false;
   }

   public void start ()
   {
      mySpirit.start();
      myAnimated = true;
   }

   public void stop ()
   {
      myAnimated = false;
   }

   public void run ()
   {
      while (myAnimated)
      {
         act();
         mySpirit.yield();
      }
   }

   abstract public void act ();
   
   public void pause (int howLong)
   {
      try
      {
         Thread.sleep(howLong);
      }
      catch (InterruptedException e)
      {
         // nothing to do about it
      }
   }

   private Thread mySpirit;
   private boolean myAnimated;
}