hazard3474 10 Posted December 30, 2013 (edited) Why sleep(2 + random 10)? I see it all the time in other's scripts but it doesn't make sense to me. I've tried searching this question and didn't come up with anything. If someone could elaborate it would be appreciated. Load balancing ? Stopping regular (and therefore) obvious slowdowns ? The specific example I'm looking at is: while {_run} do { sleep(2 + random 10); //code }; Everytime the sleep comes around the scripting engine has to calculate a new random number. Wouldn't it be more efficient to sleep with just a constant value? What's the code within the loop? That can possibly tell us alot about why there is a random sleep within the loop... is it to keep various loops staggered? Or to initiate a random event... or what? In any case, when writing a script, you'll know (should) when it would be beneficial as there is no lone reason to use a random sleep. The script is for automated vehicle respawn. I have highlighted in red the exact lines I am talking about. /////////////////////////////////// // Simple Vehicle Respawn Script v1.81 for Arma 3 // by Tophe of Östgöta Ops [OOPS] if (!isServer) exitWith {}; // Define variables _unit = _this select 0; _delay = if (count _this > 1) then {_this select 1} else {30}; _deserted = if (count _this > 2) then {_this select 2} else {120}; _respawns = if (count _this > 3) then {_this select 3} else {0}; _explode = if (count _this > 4) then {_this select 4} else {false}; _dynamic = if (count _this > 5) then {_this select 5} else {false}; _unitinit = if (count _this > 6) then {_this select 6} else {}; _haveinit = if (count _this > 6) then {true} else {false}; _hasname = false; //--------------------edited by [JSO]Hicks----------------------- _grupa = group _unit; _hasgroup = false; If (str(_grupa) == "<NULL-group>") then {_hasgroup = false;} else {_hasgroup = true;}; //-------------------end editing by Hicks------------------------ _unitname = vehicleVarName _unit; if (isNil _unitname) then {_hasname = false;} else {_hasname = true;}; _noend = true; _run = true; _rounds = 0; if (_delay < 0) then {_delay = 0}; if (_deserted < 0) then {_deserted = 0}; if (_respawns <= 0) then {_respawns= 0; _noend = true;}; if (_respawns > 0) then {_noend = false}; _dir = getDir _unit; _position = getPosASL _unit; _type = typeOf _unit; _dead = false; _nodelay = false; // Kronzky's code KRON_StrToArray = { private["_in","_i","_arr","_out"]; _in=_this select 0; _arr = toArray(_in); _out=[]; for "_i" from 0 to (count _arr)-1 do { _out=_out+[toString([_arr select _i])]; }; _out }; KRON_StrLen = { private["_in","_arr","_len"]; _in=_this select 0; _arr=[_in] call KRON_StrToArray; _len=count (_arr); _len }; KRON_Replace = { private["_str","_old","_new","_out","_tmp","_jm","_la","_lo","_ln","_i"]; _str=_this select 0; _arr=toArray(_str); _la=count _arr; _old=_this select 1; _new=_this select 2; _na=[_new] call KRON_StrToArray; _lo=[_old] call KRON_StrLen; _ln=[_new] call KRON_StrLen; _out=""; for "_i" from 0 to (count _arr)-1 do { _tmp=""; if (_i <= _la-_lo) then { for "_j" from _i to (_i+_lo-1) do { _tmp=_tmp + toString([_arr select _j]); }; }; if (_tmp==_old) then { _out=_out+_new; _i=_i+_lo-1; } else { _out=_out+toString([_arr select _i]); }; }; _out }; // End of Kronzky's code // Start monitoring the vehicle while {_run} do { [u][color="#FF0000"]sleep (2 + random 10);[/color][/u] if ((getDammage _unit > 0.8) and ({alive _x} count crew _unit >= 0)) then {_dead = true}; // Check if the vehicle is deserted. if (_deserted > 0) then { if ((getPosASL _unit distance _position > 10) and ({alive _x} count crew _unit == 0) and (getDammage _unit < 0.8)) then { _timeout = time + _deserted; sleep 0.1; waitUntil {_timeout < time or !alive _unit or {alive _x} count crew _unit > 0}; if ({alive _x} count crew _unit > 0) then {_dead = false}; if ({alive _x} count crew _unit == 0) then {_dead = true; _nodelay =true}; if !(alive _unit) then {_dead = true; _nodelay = false}; }; }; // Respawn vehicle if (_dead) then { if (_nodelay) then {sleep 0.1; _nodelay = false;} else {sleep _delay;}; if (_dynamic) then {_position = getPosASL _unit; _dir = getDir _unit;}; if (_explode) then {_effect = "M_AT" createVehicle getPosASL _unit; _effect setPosASL getPosASL _unit;}; sleep 0.1; deleteVehicle _unit; sleep 2; _unit = _type createVehicle _position; //--------edited by Hicks----Add crew ---------- --------------- if (_hasgroup) then {createVehicleCrew _unit}; //-------------------end editing by Hicks------------------------ _unit setPosASL _position; _unit setDir _dir; if (_haveinit) then { //_unit setVehicleInit format ["%1;", _unitinit]; //processInitCommands; // Modified by BearBison private ["_IDunit", "_sCommand"]; _IDunit = format["(objectFromNetID '%1')", netID _unit]; _sCommand=[format["%1",_unitinit],"this",format["%1",_IDunit]] call KRON_Replace; // End of code modified by BearBison // Modified by naong and AgentRev [call compile format["[{%1}]",_sCommand], "BIS_fnc_spawn", true, true] spawn BIS_fnc_MP; }; if (_hasname) then { //_unit setVehicleInit format ["%1 = this; this setVehicleVarName ""%1""",_unitname]; //processInitCommands; private "_sCommand"; _sCommand = format["[{(objectFromNetID '%1') setVehicleVarName '%2';}]", netID _unit, _unitname]; [call compile format["%1",_sCommand],"BIS_fnc_spawn", true, true] spawn BIS_fnc_MP; _unit call compile format ["%1=_This; PublicVariable '%1'",_unitname]; }; // End of code modified by naong _dead = false; // Check respawn amount if !(_noend) then {_rounds = _rounds + 1}; if ((_rounds == _respawns) and !(_noend)) then {_run = false;}; }; }; Without digging to hard, it looks like a random decision (pun intended) or to create a slight stagger as it's possible to have several of those loops running simultaneously (on the vehicles). I wouldn't put too much thought into it though. As i said, when you're writing your own code, you'll know when it's beneficial. I do it for a combo of what Iceman and Kremator mentioned. Slight delay is good for randomness and it randomizes the chance for a bottleneck. Which means less chance for a periodic bottleneck.One random number generation per second is like what? 5 cycles in 3000000? If you just have one vehicle, you can erase the random function.If you have multiple vehicle and you are unlucky, they will be all destroyed in the same frame, and it will do a lag when they will respawn. Of course you can think it will never arrive. Thank you all for the answers. I consider this topic resolved. Edited December 30, 2013 by hazard3474 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kremator 1065 Posted December 30, 2013 Load balancing ? Stopping regular (and therefore) obvious slowdowns ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iceman77 19 Posted December 30, 2013 One reason it's used to to create random intervals within a loop or script. Let's say for example you've a loop that plays random sounds. You can make it 'sleep' for a random duration to create sounds sporadically / intermittently. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hazard3474 10 Posted December 30, 2013 Load balancing ? Stopping regular (and therefore) obvious slowdowns ? The specific example I'm looking at is: while {_run} do { sleep(2 + random 10); //code }; Everytime the sleep comes around the scripting engine has to calculate a new random number. Wouldn't it be more efficient to sleep with just a constant value? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iceman77 19 Posted December 30, 2013 (edited) What's the code within the loop? That can possibly tell us alot about why there is a random sleep within the loop... is it to keep various loops staggered? Or to initiate a random event... or what? In any case, when writing a script, you'll know (should) when it would be beneficial as there is no lone reason to use a random sleep. Edited December 30, 2013 by Iceman77 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hazard3474 10 Posted December 30, 2013 What's the code within the loop? That can possibly tell us alot about why there is a random sleep within the loop... is it to keep various loops staggered? Or to initiate a random event... or what? In any case, when writing a script, you'll know (should) when it would be beneficial as there is no lone reason to use a random sleep. The script is for automated vehicle respawn. I have highlighted in red the exact lines I am talking about. /////////////////////////////////// // Simple Vehicle Respawn Script v1.81 for Arma 3 // by Tophe of Östgöta Ops [OOPS] if (!isServer) exitWith {}; // Define variables _unit = _this select 0; _delay = if (count _this > 1) then {_this select 1} else {30}; _deserted = if (count _this > 2) then {_this select 2} else {120}; _respawns = if (count _this > 3) then {_this select 3} else {0}; _explode = if (count _this > 4) then {_this select 4} else {false}; _dynamic = if (count _this > 5) then {_this select 5} else {false}; _unitinit = if (count _this > 6) then {_this select 6} else {}; _haveinit = if (count _this > 6) then {true} else {false}; _hasname = false; //--------------------edited by [JSO]Hicks----------------------- _grupa = group _unit; _hasgroup = false; If (str(_grupa) == "<NULL-group>") then {_hasgroup = false;} else {_hasgroup = true;}; //-------------------end editing by Hicks------------------------ _unitname = vehicleVarName _unit; if (isNil _unitname) then {_hasname = false;} else {_hasname = true;}; _noend = true; _run = true; _rounds = 0; if (_delay < 0) then {_delay = 0}; if (_deserted < 0) then {_deserted = 0}; if (_respawns <= 0) then {_respawns= 0; _noend = true;}; if (_respawns > 0) then {_noend = false}; _dir = getDir _unit; _position = getPosASL _unit; _type = typeOf _unit; _dead = false; _nodelay = false; // Kronzky's code KRON_StrToArray = { private["_in","_i","_arr","_out"]; _in=_this select 0; _arr = toArray(_in); _out=[]; for "_i" from 0 to (count _arr)-1 do { _out=_out+[toString([_arr select _i])]; }; _out }; KRON_StrLen = { private["_in","_arr","_len"]; _in=_this select 0; _arr=[_in] call KRON_StrToArray; _len=count (_arr); _len }; KRON_Replace = { private["_str","_old","_new","_out","_tmp","_jm","_la","_lo","_ln","_i"]; _str=_this select 0; _arr=toArray(_str); _la=count _arr; _old=_this select 1; _new=_this select 2; _na=[_new] call KRON_StrToArray; _lo=[_old] call KRON_StrLen; _ln=[_new] call KRON_StrLen; _out=""; for "_i" from 0 to (count _arr)-1 do { _tmp=""; if (_i <= _la-_lo) then { for "_j" from _i to (_i+_lo-1) do { _tmp=_tmp + toString([_arr select _j]); }; }; if (_tmp==_old) then { _out=_out+_new; _i=_i+_lo-1; } else { _out=_out+toString([_arr select _i]); }; }; _out }; // End of Kronzky's code // Start monitoring the vehicle while {_run} do { [u][color="#FF0000"]sleep (2 + random 10);[/color][/u] if ((getDammage _unit > 0.8) and ({alive _x} count crew _unit >= 0)) then {_dead = true}; // Check if the vehicle is deserted. if (_deserted > 0) then { if ((getPosASL _unit distance _position > 10) and ({alive _x} count crew _unit == 0) and (getDammage _unit < 0.8)) then { _timeout = time + _deserted; sleep 0.1; waitUntil {_timeout < time or !alive _unit or {alive _x} count crew _unit > 0}; if ({alive _x} count crew _unit > 0) then {_dead = false}; if ({alive _x} count crew _unit == 0) then {_dead = true; _nodelay =true}; if !(alive _unit) then {_dead = true; _nodelay = false}; }; }; // Respawn vehicle if (_dead) then { if (_nodelay) then {sleep 0.1; _nodelay = false;} else {sleep _delay;}; if (_dynamic) then {_position = getPosASL _unit; _dir = getDir _unit;}; if (_explode) then {_effect = "M_AT" createVehicle getPosASL _unit; _effect setPosASL getPosASL _unit;}; sleep 0.1; deleteVehicle _unit; sleep 2; _unit = _type createVehicle _position; //--------edited by Hicks----Add crew ---------- --------------- if (_hasgroup) then {createVehicleCrew _unit}; //-------------------end editing by Hicks------------------------ _unit setPosASL _position; _unit setDir _dir; if (_haveinit) then { //_unit setVehicleInit format ["%1;", _unitinit]; //processInitCommands; // Modified by BearBison private ["_IDunit", "_sCommand"]; _IDunit = format["(objectFromNetID '%1')", netID _unit]; _sCommand=[format["%1",_unitinit],"this",format["%1",_IDunit]] call KRON_Replace; // End of code modified by BearBison // Modified by naong and AgentRev [call compile format["[{%1}]",_sCommand], "BIS_fnc_spawn", true, true] spawn BIS_fnc_MP; }; if (_hasname) then { //_unit setVehicleInit format ["%1 = this; this setVehicleVarName ""%1""",_unitname]; //processInitCommands; private "_sCommand"; _sCommand = format["[{(objectFromNetID '%1') setVehicleVarName '%2';}]", netID _unit, _unitname]; [call compile format["%1",_sCommand],"BIS_fnc_spawn", true, true] spawn BIS_fnc_MP; _unit call compile format ["%1=_This; PublicVariable '%1'",_unitname]; }; // End of code modified by naong _dead = false; // Check respawn amount if !(_noend) then {_rounds = _rounds + 1}; if ((_rounds == _respawns) and !(_noend)) then {_run = false;}; }; }; Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iceman77 19 Posted December 30, 2013 Without digging to hard, it looks like a random decision (pun intended) or to create a slight stagger as it's possible to have several of those loops running simultaneously (on the vehicles). I wouldn't put too much thought into it though. As i said, when you're writing your own code, you'll know when it's beneficial. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zapat 56 Posted December 30, 2013 I do it for a combo of what Iceman and Kremator mentioned. Slight delay is good for randomness and it randomizes the chance for a bottleneck. Which means less chance for a periodic bottleneck. One random number generation per second is like what? 5 cycles in 3000000? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mariodu62 5 Posted December 30, 2013 If you just have one vehicle, you can erase the random function. If you have multiple vehicle and you are unlucky, they will be all destroyed in the same frame, and it will do a lag when they will respawn. Of course you can think it will never arrive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
