how to stop app from 'stalling'

Monkey Forums/Monkey Programming/how to stop app from 'stalling'

slenkar

(Posted 2012) [#1]

I dont have a smartphone I can use, but some people were saying it was best to load in resources in the main loop or the phone will think the program has crashed if it remains unresponsive for too long.

So when Im saving my game it remains unresponsive for about 20 seconds which is understandable, but I just wondered if there is a way of inserting some code to keep the phone or pc updated, like OnUpdate does

matty

(Posted 2012) [#2]

Just a thought -

20 seconds is a long time to wait on a phone - that must be a lot of data...what happens if the user receives a phone call in that time?

I don't know what your game is, but is there some other way of storing the data, perhaps with less precision or by some other means that doesn't involve saving specific game data but rather a 'code' that lets the load sequence build an equivalent state from scratch?

skid	(Posted 2012) [#3]

20 seconds to save your game is not understandable, it's incomprehensible. I agree you need to rethink your strategy.

Paul - Taiphoz

(Posted 2012) [#4]

Yeah that is long.

Are you saving more than one file , maybe you could condense your save to a single file.

dawlane

(Posted 2012) [#5]

@slenkar: I do all my data initialisation in the OnUpdate() method. I have a global integer variable that I use for testing various states of the application. Here's a bit of code that I'm using in a game I'm writting.

In the OnUpdate method.

       'Before any other code to be executed
                'Update the game timer 
		clock.Update()
			
		'Wait Until all media and data are loaded
		If game_status_flags & GS_INITIALISE
			Self.Initialise()
			Return 0
		Endif

My Initialised code

'Initialise game data
	Method Initialise:Void()
		
		'If the media loaded flag isn't set then set a timer trigger for approx. 2 seconds
		'to allow the game media time to load
		If game_status_flags & GS_MEDIA_LOADED = 0
			clock.SetTrigger(b0_general, 2)			
			Self.LoadAudio()  'Set GS_MEDIA_LOADED to 1 within the method called
		EndIf
		
		'If the media load time is up check to see if the "MEDIA LOADED" flag is true
		'if so then clear the "INITIALISE" and "MEDIA LOADED" flags and switch to the main title screen
		'otherwise give the load routine more time (approx. 2 more seconds)
		If trigger_flags & t0_general And game_status_flags & GS_MEDIA_LOADED
			game_status_flags &= ~(GS_INITIALISE|GS_MEDIA_LOADED)
			Self.switch = GS_TITLE1
		ElseIf game_status_flags & GS_MEDIA_LOADED = 0
			clock.SetTrigger(b0_general, 2)
		EndIf
	End Method

The method I'm using for timing events is a combination of integer bit flag for trapping events (the "t" in t0_general) and an array to store the millisecond to that event interval (the "b" in b0_general is the array index). The number after the "t/b" indicates the bit/index position.

In my OnRender method I just test to see if that bit (GS_INITIALISE) is set and draw a splash screen.

20 seconds is a long time to wait on a phone - that must be a lot of data...what happens if the user receives a phone call in that time?

It's amazing I was just thinking of that type of situation last night. My solution would be to use a Int variable as a status flag and unset various bits to signify if a load/save had completed successfully. If say the application was suspended for any reason it would be just a case of testing these bits when the application was resumed and continue loading the data from the beginning of the interrupted load/save file.

slenkar

(Posted 2012) [#6]

hmm im making a strategy/rpg game, maybe I dont need to keep track of every limb of every character hehehhe

NoOdle

(Posted 2012) [#7]

maybe I dont need to keep track of every limb of every character hehehhe

LOL no wonder it takes so long!

dawlane

(Posted 2012) [#8]

hmm im making a strategy/rpg game, maybe I dont need to keep track of every limb of every character hehehhe

LOL. You may have to if your targeting mobile devices. Even more so for the newer apple variety gives me a head ache just thinking of those.