QueryPerformanceCounter function (profileapi.h)

Retrieves the current value of the performance counter, which is a high resolution (<1us) time stamp that can be used for time-interval measurements.

BOOL QueryPerformanceCounter(
  [out] LARGE_INTEGER *lpPerformanceCount
);

[out] lpPerformanceCount

A pointer to a variable that receives the current performance-counter value, in counts.

If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero.

If the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call GetLastError. On systems that run Windows XP or later, the function will always succeed and will thus never return zero.

For more info about this function and its usage, see Acquiring high-resolution time stamps.

// Gets the current number of ticks from QueryPerformanceCounter. Throws an
// exception if the call to QueryPerformanceCounter fails.
static inline int64_t GetTicks()
{
    LARGE_INTEGER ticks;
    if (!QueryPerformanceCounter(&ticks))
    {
        winrt::throw_last_error();
    }
    return ticks.QuadPart;
}

Acquiring high-resolution time stamps

Conceptual

GetSystemTimePreciseAsFileTime

KeQueryPerformanceCounter

QueryPerformanceFrequency

Reference

Time

Timers