A useful hint (sleep(0))

[MarauderIIC]

If you're developing something that needs to continuously loop but also doesn't need a framerate limiter (ie, a server) and you don't want it to eat all your CPU, try implementing your heartbeat like this:

Code: Select all

while (run) {
    doGameLogic();
    sendOutput();
#ifdef __WIN32
    Sleep(0); //windows
#else
    sleep(0); //UNIX
#endif
}

Of course you only need a particular #ifdef block for your OS (unless you're developing multiplatform). Sleep(0) essentially tells the OS that your program can be interrupted (Sleep(milliseconds) pauses execution for milliseconds' worth of time). I had a server at one point (MrAdventure) that was eating 99-100% CPU without this, but went down to something reasonable (I think like 20-40%?) after doing this.

If you're using SDL, I think SDL_Delay() is multiplatform, but I'm not sure if it works in the same fashion.

[LeonBlade]

What does sleep do?
What do you pass in?

[M_D_K]

Sleep(0) essentially tells the OS that your program can be interrupted.

Thats what it does. It stops program execution for the amount of time you tell it in milliseconds(5000 = 5 seconds).

[LeonBlade]

Gotcha... thanks for the tip

[dandymcgee]

Interesting heh I've always assumed such a parameter would simply cause a syntax error.

[Arce]

BP is the same, and wou1d use the 'de1ay' command w/ parameter of O.

[eatcomics]

BP is the same, and wou1d use the 'de1ay' command w/ parameter of O.

Arce, maybe you need an ipod touch, you wouldn't be missing any buttons...

[dandymcgee]

My L, J, and 0 keys are broken.

I was wondering why the quality of your posts has been slowly decreasing lately. Get a new keyboard!

[trufun202]

I have to do the same thing in .NET with a Windows Service. If I have a delegate that's processing a request, I first do a Thead.Sleep(0) to avoid hangups.

[MarauderIIC]

My L, J, and 0 keys are broken.

:lol: I was wondering why the quality of your posts has been slowly decreasing lately. Get a new keyboard!

I wrote that. I exercised my administrative privilege.
Glad to know it's used in industry, trufun, thanks :D

[Arce]

I have to do the same thing in .NET with a Windows Service. If I have a delegate that's processing a request, I first do a Thead.Sleep(0) to avoid hangups.

Huh, wow...I thought I was just being a cheap cunt? Didn't know that was actually what you're 'supposed' to do. xD

[LuciDreamTheater]

Interesting heh I've always assumed such a parameter would simply cause a syntax error.

It's a function that takes an integer as its only parameter, so it wouldn't cause a syntax error. This is true for all functions in C++ that take an integer, unless I'm mistaking.

I suppose that if you forced the compiler to treat warnings as errors, then there might be an signed/unsigned mismatch. Who knows...

[Ginto8]

I suppose that if you forced the compiler to treat warnings as errors, then there might be an signed/unsigned mismatch. Who knows...

It shouldn't... 0 isn't negative, and the range of a normal unsigned int is from 0 to 4,294,967,295, not 1 to 4,294,967,295...

[LuciDreamTheater]

Yeah, you're right.

[dandymcgee]

I suppose what I was referring to is technically a run-time error not a syntax error.. either way I didn't know you could pass zero