cron.lua/README.md
2012-10-29 00:41:01 +01:00

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cron.lua
========
`cron.lua` are a set of functions for executing actions at a certain time interval.
API
===
* `cron.after(time, callback)` will execute callback after the given amount of time units. Returns an identifier (`id`)
* `cron.every(time, callback)` will repeat the same action periodically. Returns an identifier (`id`)
* `cron.cancel(id)` will stop a timed action from happening, and will interrupt the periodical execution of a periodic action.
* `cron.reset()` removes all timed and periodic actions, and resets the time passed back to 0.
* `cron.update(dt)` is needed to be executed on the main program loop. `dt` is the amount of time that has passed since the last iteration. When `cron.update` is executed, cron will check the list of pending actions and execute them if needed.
* `cron.tagged(tag1, tag2, tag3 ...)` filters other cron methods (`cron.after`, `cron.every`, `cron.update` & `cron.cancel` but not `cron.reset`) so that they create clocks with specific tags/ act on clocks with specific tags.
Examples
========
local cron = require 'cron'
local function printMessage()
print('Hello')
end
-- the following calls are equivalent:
cron.after(5, printMessage)
cron.after(5, print, 'Hello')
cron.update(5) -- will print 'Hello' twice
-- this will print the message periodically:
local id = cron.every(10, printMessage)
cron.update(5) -- nothing
cron.update(4) -- nothing
cron.update(12) -- prints 'Hello' twice
cron.cancel(id) -- stops the execution the element defined by id. Works with periodical or one-time actions.
cron.reset() -- stops all the current actions, both timed ones and periodical ones.
Some tag examples:
-- This has the same effect of cron.after(2, showMenu), except that the
-- time entry is tagged with the tags 'main-menu' and 'menu'
cron.tagged('main-menu', 'menu').after(2, showMenu)
-- This updates the time entries tagged with the tag 'menu', but not the rest
cron.tagged('menu').update(2)
-- cron.cancel does not admit filtering via tags, but it admits tags as params
-- the previous call is equivalent to this one:
cron.tagged('main-menu').cancel()
Gotchas / Warnings
==================
* `cron.lua` does *not* implement any hardware or software clock; you will have to provide it with the access to the hardware timers, in the form of periodic calls to `cron.update`
* `cron` does not have any defined time units (seconds, milliseconds, etc). You define the units it uses by passing it a `dt` on `cron.update`. If `dt` is in seconds, then `cron` will work in seconds. If `dt` is in milliseconds, then `cron` will work in milliseconds.
Installation
============
Just copy the cron.lua file somewhere in your projects (maybe inside a /lib/ folder) and require it accordingly.
Remember to store the value returned by require somewhere! (I suggest a local variable named `cron`)
local cron = require 'cron'
Also, make sure to read the license file; the text of that license file must appear somewhere in your projects' files.
Specs
=====
This project uses "telescope":https://github.com/norman/telescope for its specs. If you want to run the specs, you will have to install telescope first. Then run:
tsc spec/*