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diff --git a/docs/modding/squirrel/handling-threads-and-waits.md b/docs/modding/squirrel/handling-threads-and-waits.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2086dbd --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/modding/squirrel/handling-threads-and-waits.md @@ -0,0 +1,65 @@ +Timers and infinite statements +========================== +When using timers or infinite statements such as `while(true)` or `wait` it is important to use `thread` before the function in order to prevent crashes or freezes. + +What is `thread`? +----------- +The `thread` term is used to tell squirrel to run the following function **separately** from the rest of the game, while in a simple scripts code is run sequentially(line 1,2,3 etc) +if a line of code would last forever or need to function in parallel to normal gameplay, such as a `wait` command, it is important to use `thread` or the game will get stuck processing that line indefinitely +and will not move to the next lines, causing crashes or freezes. + +How do i use `thread`? +------------- +Using thread is fairly simple, if we have a function called `delayannouncement` that chooses one player as "it" 10 seconds after spawning we cannot use this function on its own, instead calling it with a thread by simply calling + +`thread delayannouncement()` + +The same applies to a `while(true)` function, for example `almostover` a function that checks every 5 seconds to see if the game has 2 or less minutes left and announces it if so. + + `thread almostover()` + + Example Script + ----------- + lets try implement both of our scripts from the previous 2 sections, as well as a callback to trigger the script. + + First, lets add our callback to the gamemodes core function. + + ```cpp + global function GamemodeTag_Init + + + void function GamemodeTag_Init(){ + AddCallback_GameStateEnter( eGameState.Playing, MatchStart ) + } + ``` +Then lets define the function matchstart and have it simply thread our two important functions. + ```cpp + void Matchstart{ + thread delayannouncement() + thread almostover() + } + ``` +This script waits 10 seconds, picks a player and announces that player as "it" however being `it` currently does nothing, we will define that later. + ```cpp + void delayannouncement(){ + wait 10.0 + string chosenplayer = GetPlayerArray()[RandomInt(GetPlayerArray().len())] + string message = chosenplayer + " is it!" + foreach ( entity player in GetPlayerArray() ) + SendHudMessage( player, message, -1, 0.4, 255, 0, 0, 0, 0, 3, 0.15 ) +} +``` +This function will now repeat endlessly, waiting 5 seconds before each repeat. make sure to add a `return` or `break` statement to prevent the message looping every 5 seconds after, unless you want that +```cpp + void almostover(){ + while(true){ + if(GameTime_TimeLeftSeconds() < 120){ + foreach ( entity player in GetPlayerArray() ) + SendHudMessage( player, "Two minutes left!", -1, 0.4, 255, 0, 0, 0, 0, 3, 0.15 ) + break + } + wait 5.0 + } + } + ``` +You have now created and threaded both functions. |