5 replies to this topic

[Javik]

(This is a noobish question for GUI event monitoring.)


Although this is from the example program for GUIGetMsg(), and it works, it seems like there is a serious problem.

While 1
        $msg = GUIGetMsg()
        Select
            Case $msg = $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
                MsgBox(0, "", "Dialog was closed")
                Exit
            Case $msg = $GUI_EVENT_MINIMIZE
                MsgBox(0, "", "Dialog minimized", 2)
            Case $msg = $GUI_EVENT_MAXIMIZE
                MsgBox(0, "", "Dialog restored", 2)
            Case $msg = $button_1
                MsgBox(0, "Default button clicked", "Radio " & $radioval1)
            Case $msg >= $radio_1 And $msg <= $radio_3
                $radioval1 = $msg - $radio_1
        EndSelect
    WEnd

If there is no GUI activity, the script is basically an infinite loop that runs with no delay.

While 1
        $msg = GUIGetMsg()
    WEnd

Yet the task manager CPU usage does not jump to 100% when running the program. That seems... odd.

It seems like the program design should be more event driven, so that if nothing is happening the program will sleep. Though apparently there is no such thing as

EventWait until GUIGetMsg()
        $msg = GUIGetMsg()
        [. . . code goes here to process event . . .]
EndEventWait

Is this really the normal programming practice for Windows GUI event loops? It just seems wrong to be using an infinite loop with no idle-time release mechanism.

Edited by Javik, 06 March 2012 - 08:08 PM.

[Jos]

Have you read the helpfile page about "GUI Concept"?

[Javik]

Have you read the helpfile page about "GUI Concept"?

Oh puh-leaze, nobody reads manuals.

We arrive here with just a vague idea of what we want to do, and hope the specific helpfiles and copied example scripts we're searching for, will provide enough detail to make our hackery work.

Thanks for the guidance.

[Jos]

Your question was valid and well formulated, but I just had the impression you hadn't read that page yet and believe is gives a good explanations of the fundamentals.
Don't hesitate to ask when things aren't clear yet.

[Javik]

(EDIT: I should just read the help files more thoroughly.)

GUIGetMessage


Remarks
This function automatically idles the CPU when required so that it can be safely used in tight loops without hogging all the CPU.

Edited by Javik, 06 March 2012 - 08:40 PM.

[Melba23]

Javik,

I assume there must be more going on in the background, either in how the script is compiled or how Windows runs the code

So obviously you did not read the page to which Jos pointed you?

"Usually a tight loop like the one shown would send the CPU to 100% - fortunately the GUIGetMsg function automatically idles the CPU when there are no events waiting. Do not put a manual sleep in the loop for fear of stressing the CPU - this will only cause the GUI to become unresponsive."

If you do not use GUIGetMsg, e.g. in an OnEvent idle loop, you do need a Sleep(10) in there.

M23