idle

Type

message

Summary

Sent periodically to the current card if no other message is being sent.

Syntax

idle

Description

Handle the idle message to check constantly on the status of an object, the content of a variable, and so forth, or to do periodic tasks.

The period between idle messages is specified by the idleRate and idleTicks properties.

note

Usually, it is easier and more efficient to use the send in time form of the send command than to use an idle handler, especially if a task needs to be executed at regular intervals. This example shows an idle handler that updates a clock timer:

    on idle -- avoid if possible
        global startTime
        if the seconds > startTime + 60 then -- 60 seconds have gone by
            put the time into field \"Clock Face\"
            put the seconds into startTime
        end if
        pass idle
    end idle

The following example does the same thing more efficiently, since it only needs to handle a single message every sixty seconds:

    on updateClock -- a better way
        put the time into field \"Clock Face\"
        send \"updateClock\" to me in 60 seconds
    end updateClock

Executing an idle handler slows down other LiveCode actions, so handle the idle message only in the rare cases where the send command cannot be used instead.

note

If there is no idle handler anywhere in the message path, no idle message is sent.

Related

property: idleRate, idleTicks, properties

command: send, wait

glossary: object, current card, variable, handler, handle, execute, message, message path, command

Compatibility and Support

Introduced

LiveCode 1.0

OS

mac

windows

linux

ios

android

Platforms

desktop

server

mobile