#NEWLINE# def timer( self , key ) : #NEWLINE# #INDENT# '\n        Gets a timer based on a key, creates a new one if it does not exist.\n\n        :param key: name of the metric\n        :type key: C{str}\n\n        :return: L{Timer}\n        ' #NEWLINE# if ( key not in self . _timers ) : #NEWLINE# #INDENT# self . _timers [ key ] = Timer ( clock = self . _clock ) #NEWLINE# #UNINDENT# return self . _timers [ key ]