Possible to update variable every xxx seconds?

Area51 · 03/29/15, 07:14 AM

Trying to find an efficient way to update a variable every 10 seconds... any help appreciated.

Ayantir · 03/29/15, 07:34 AM

Lua Code:

myvar = "foo"
every10s() -- <-- will set myvar to something
myvar= "plonk"
 
-- 10s after value "plonk" will be overriden.
 
function every10s()
     myvar="something"
     zo_callLater(every10s(), 10 * 10000)
end

Garkin · 03/29/15, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by Ayantir

Lua Code:

myvar = "foo"
zo_callLater(function() myvar="something" end, 10 * 1000)

This will be called only once. If you want call function every 10 seconds, use:

Lua Code:

local function MyFunction()
    --do something
end
 
EVENT_MANAGER:RegisterForUpdate("someUniqueIdentifier", 10000, MyFunction) --10000 milliseconds = 10 seconds

EDIT:

Originally Posted by Ayantir

Lua Code:

myvar = "foo"
every10s()
 
function every10s()
     myvar="something"
     zo_callLater(every10s(), 10 * 10000)
end

Even if this will work, I can't recommend this solution. It will basically register for update after 10 seconds, the same way as I did in my code, then it will unregister function for update and then again register for update... To much unnecessary steps involved.

How is zo_callLater defined?

Lua Code:

local ZO_CallLaterId = 1
 
function zo_callLater(func, ms)
    local id = ZO_CallLaterId
    local name = "CallLaterFunction"..id
    ZO_CallLaterId = ZO_CallLaterId + 1
 
    EVENT_MANAGER:RegisterForUpdate(name, ms,
        function()
            func(id)
            EVENT_MANAGER:UnregisterForUpdate(name)
        end)
    return id
end

Ayantir · 03/29/15, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by Garkin

This will be called onlt once. If you want call function every 10 seconds, use:

Lua Code:

local function MyFunction()
    --do something
end
 
EVENT_MANAGER:RegisterForUpdate("someUniqueIdentifier", 10000, MyFunction) --10000 milliseconds = 10 seconds

Yeah, I edited

Bour both snips are working also. there are others..

Area51 · 03/29/15, 07:40 AM

Thank you both

Exactly what i needed.

SpellBuilder · 03/31/15, 05:39 PM

I have connected question, so not to create separate thread I will ask here:

Is there any "sleep()" function? For example I want to blink with some color for 500ms and then return it's state to original one. Right now I am doing it with double nested zo_callLater() functions (second one is needed to simulate dead-time before next blink can happen). Now after reading this thread I realize, that maybe this is not very efficient way to do things, and I do not need really my function to be non-blocking. I can live normally with blocking execution of the function in which I would have two "sleep()" functions if it exists.

circonian · 03/31/15, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by SpellBuilder

I have connected question, so not to create separate thread I will ask here:

Is there any "sleep()" function? For example I want to blink with some color for 500ms and then return it's state to original one. Right now I am doing it with double nested zo_callLater() functions (second one is needed to simulate dead-time before next blink can happen). Now after reading this thread I realize, that maybe this is not very efficient way to do things, and I do not need really my function to be non-blocking. I can live normally with blocking execution of the function in which I would have two "sleep()" functions if it exists.

Is your sleep() function the function that does the blinking or is it for something else? I'm not sure what you mean about having two "sleep()" functions.

I'm not sure, but I think this is what you want:
I'm guessing that your blinking is done in the sleep() function.

Lua Code:

EVENT_MANAGER:RegisterForUpdate("blinkingUpdate", 500, sleep)

Every 500ms it will call the function sleep. So if that is what handles your blink code, it would run every 500 ms.

Whenever your done with it and want it to stop running you just call:

Lua Code:

EVENT_MANAGER:UnregisterForUpdate("blinkingUpdate")

merlight · 03/31/15, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by SpellBuilder

... and I do not need really my function to be non-blocking. I can live normally with blocking execution of the function in which I would have two "sleep()" functions if it exists.

You really don't want to block the whole game for half a second

Using RegisterForUpdate with 500ms ticks is the way to go.

SpellBuilder · 03/31/15, 08:23 PM

Well, right now I have following code

Lua Code:

local g_powerError = false
 
local function doBlink(backdrop)
    if g_powerError then return end
        
    g_powerError = true
 
    -- save original center colour and colour to red
    local r,g,b = backdrop:GetCenterColor()
    backdrop:SetCenterColor( 0.4, 0, 0, 0.9 )
 
    -- make a delayed call to return original colour
    zo_callLater(function()
        backdrop:SetCenterColor( r, g, b, 0.9 )
        zo_callLater(function() g_powerError = false end, 200)
    end, 300 )
end

This function can be called in some event handler. It will change color of a control to red for 300ms, but then still will have another 200ms deadtime before it can blink again due to external call. It means that all other calls to doBlink() while it is "working" will be ignored.

What I wanted to do is something like this:

Lua Code:

local g_powerError = false
 
local function doBlink(backdrop)
    if g_powerError then return end
        
    g_powerError = true
 
    -- save original center colour and colour to red
    local r,g,b = backdrop:GetCenterColor()
    backdrop:SetCenterColor( 0.4, 0, 0, 0.9 )
 
    sleep(300)
 
    backdrop:SetCenterColor( r, g, b, 0.9 )
 
    sleep(200)
 
    g_powerError = false
 
end

But I guess, that I should either stick with initial zo_callLater version, or simply directly use EVENT_MANAGER to do same work manually and do not abuse global ZO_CallLaterId counter.

Garkin · 03/31/15, 11:11 PM

Originally Posted by SpellBuilder

But I guess, that I should either stick with initial zo_callLater version, or simply directly use EVENT_MANAGER to do same work manually and do not abuse global ZO_CallLaterId counter.

It is exactly as you said. There is no sleep command, all you have is EVENT_MANAGER:RegisterForUpdate(...), zo_callLater(...) which uses mentioned EVENT_MANAGER's method or OnUpdate event for top level controls.

But if you want to try something different, you can use animation. Either alpha animation for overlay texture or color animation for your control.

Lua Code:

--esing function used to modify animation progress. Progress is a number between 0 and 1.
local function easingFunc(progress)
    --animate from 0 to 100% in the first 50ms - progress 0-0.1
    if progress <= 0.1
        return progress * 10
    --next 200ms return 100% - progress > 0.1 and progress <= 0.3
    elseif progress > 0.1 and progress <= 0.3 then
        return 1
    --next 50ms animate from 100% to 0% - progress > 0.3 and progress < 0.4
    elseif progress > 0.3 and progress <= 0.4 then
        return 1 - ((progress - 0.3) * 10)
    end
    --last 100ms return 0%
    return 0
end
 
local function CreateBlinkAnimation(control)
    local timeline = ANIMATION_MANAGER:CreateTimeline()
    timeline:SetPlaybackType(ANIMATION_PLAYBACK_ONE_SHOT)
    local animation = timeline:InsertAnimation(ANIMATION_COLOR, control, 0)
    --here you have to set some actual color values
    animation:SetColorValues(startR, startG, startB, startA, endR, endG, endB, endA)
    animation:SetDuration(500) --milliseconds
    animation:SetEasingFunction(easingFunc)
 
    return timeline
end
 
local function doBlink(control)
    if not control.timeline then
        control.timeline = CreateBlinkAnimation(control)
    end
 
    if not control.timeline:IsPlaying() then
        control.timeline:PlayFromStart()
    end
end