CODEWITHSUNDEEP
dm-script
MikNor
MikNor

Reputation: 11

How can I force update UI before program flow continues?

For example, for the following code:

OpenOutputWindow()
Sleep(2)

The output window only opens AFTER sleeping for 2 seconds. Why does this happen and how does one work around it? Do I need multiple threads?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 44

Answers (1)

BmyGuest
BmyGuest

Reputation: 2949

Yes, your assumption is correct. UI updates of the software are generally performed on the "main thread" of the application. A script is, by default, also run on the main-thread and hence blocks those updates until some CPU cycles are made available for this.

Sometimes this can be achieved by calling dedicated Update commands (such as UpdateImage() or ShowImage() etc.) but this does not work for the text-output in the output window.

If the script is run on a separate thread, then you don't see this. You can put a script into a separate thread like this (old method):

// $BACKGROUND$
OpenOutputWindow()
ClearResults()
Result("\nbefore sleep")
Sleep(2)
Result("\nafter sleep")

Note that the first line needs to be exactly like this, including the space and capitalization. It also needs to be the first line.

or you can do it like that (new, object oriented way):

class CMyClass
{
    void MyMethod(object self)
    {
        OpenOutputWindow()
        ClearResults()
        Result("\nbefore sleep")
        Sleep(2)
        Result("\nafter sleep")
    }
}
StartThread( Alloc(CMyClass), "MyMethod" )

Upvotes: 0

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