Question: I want to use a simple countdown timer starting at 30 seconds from when the function is run and ending at 0. No milliseconds. How can it be coded?

Answer: 
So far the answers seem to rely on code being run instantly. If you set a timer for 1000ms, it will actually be around 1008 instead.

Here is how you should do it:

```
function timer(time,update,complete) {
    var start = new Date().getTime();
    var interval = setInterval(function() {
        var now = time-(new Date().getTime()-start);
        if( now <= 0) {
            clearInterval(interval);
            complete();
        }
        else update(Math.floor(now/1000));
    },100); // the smaller this number, the more accurate the timer will be
}

```

To use, call:

```
timer(
    5000, // milliseconds
    function(timeleft) { // called every step to update the visible countdown
        document.getElementById('timer').innerHTML = timeleft+" second(s)";
    },
    function() { // what to do after
        alert("Timer complete!");
    }
);

```
Expanding upon the accepted answer, your machine going to sleep, etc. may delay the timer from working. You can get a true time, at the cost of a little processing. This will give a true time left. 

```
<span id="timer"></span>

<script>
var now = new Date();
var timeup = now.setSeconds(now.getSeconds() + 30);
//var timeup = now.setHours(now.getHours() + 1);

var counter = setInterval(timer, 1000);

function timer() {
  now = new Date();
  count = Math.round((timeup - now)/1000);
  if (now > timeup) {
      window.location = "/logout"; //or somethin'
      clearInterval(counter);
      return;
  }
  var seconds = Math.floor((count%60));
  var minutes = Math.floor((count/60) % 60);
  document.getElementById("timer").innerHTML = minutes + ":" + seconds;
}
</script>

```