[CS3 JS] How to Create a Timer?

[ekimber]

Within InDesign I need to be able to fire a periodic process to examine links from a JavaScript script. I have my own script running in its own engine.

I can't figure out how to create a timer that will run in the background and call the appropriate callback function periodically.

I've created a little process like this:

/**
* Sleeps for waitTime milliseconds then calls the callBack function.
*/
function timer(callBack, waitTime) {
$.writeln("timer(): callBack=" + callBack + ", waitTime=" + waitTime);
if (waitTime == undefined) waitTime = 2000;
$.writeln("timer(): sleeping for " + waitTime + "...");
$.sleep(waitTime);
$.writeln("timer(): awake, calling callBack");
try {
return callBack();
} catch (e) {
$.writeln("timer(): Exception from callBack.exec(): " + e);
}
return undefined;
}

function myCallBack() {
return Window.confirm("Callback called", true, "Continue looping");
}

while (true) {
if (!timer(myCallBack)) break;
}

And this works in the sense that my timer runs, but it runs as a blocking process, which is not what I want.

Is there something I'm missing or is this simply not possible in CS3 JavaScript? A search on "timer" in the InDesign forums didn't reveal anything, nor did the InDesign JavaScript Guide nor the Scripting Tools Guide.

Thanks,

Eliot

[_Dave_Saunders_]

It's not possible in JavaScript. You could use a platform-dependent scripting language to do the job and have it call the JavaScript.

You could attach your script to a suitable selection of menuActions so that the user unknowingly triggers your script each time he uses any of the menuActions.

Ideally, an idle message would be used so that the script runs when the user isn't doing anything (as opposed to when he is) but I don't think such a thing is accessible to JavaScript.

Dave

[_xbytor_]

Dave_Saunders@adobeforums.com wrote:
> It's not possible in JavaScript. You could use a platform-dependent scripting language to do the job and have it call the JavaScript.
>

It may be possible if the timer is in a separate engine or actually running in
Bridge. You would have to use BridgeTalk and make synchronous calls to the
callback object, but it may get you what you want.

Interesting problem. Please let us know how it turns out.

-X

[ekimber]

OK--it helps to know it's not possible. I can try the platform-specific route.

Thanks,

Eliot

[Guest]

I keep asking for app.scheduleTask in InDesign. It's an extremely handy utility.

APID has such a feature, you can use that as well.

Bob

[Kasyan Servetsky]

Hi Eliot,

Have a look at this thread: http://www.adobeforums.com/webx?128@@.59b6d3d2

Kasyan

[ekimber]

Hmm, I must have missed that thread when I initially searched on "timer" across the InDesign forums.

The "idle" event technique looks like just what I want.

Thanks,

Eliot

[Kasyan Servetsky]

When I wrote a JS script using idle event I encountered a problem: it worked, but the cursor was blinking annoyingly. So, I think it’s better to make a stay-open AS script if you are on Mac, or use VB’s Timer object if you are on PC.

Kasyan

[Kasyan Servetsky]

Eliot,

To illustrate what I mean here is an example:
Create a controller and attach this script to it, set Event Filter to 'idle'.

if (theItem.dataStore > 10){

   doSomething();

   theItem.dataStore = 0;

}

else

{

   theItem.dataStore = theItem.dataStore + 1;

}



function doSomething(){

   alert("Time is up.");

}

Kasyan

[ekimber]

I'm not sure what you mean by "create a controller"--can you point me to the relevant docs?

Thanks,

Eliot

[_Dirk_Becker_]

A flash movie could implement such a timer. You show that in ScriptUI and let it trigger the JS via the same mechanisms as used by PatchPanel.

http://labs.adobe.com/wiki/index.php/PatchPanel

Dirk

[Kasyan Servetsky]

1. Download and install Active Page Item Developer Toolkit.
http://www.rorohiko.com/wordpress/indesign-downloads/active-page-item-developer/
You'll have a demo period for 20 days or a month, I don't remember exactly.

2. Create a new document, open 'Active Page Item Developer' panel (Windows menu).

3. Copy the script from my previous post, draw an object - e.g. a rectangle and with the object selected enter 'idle' into Event Filter field, then press Tab and paste the script into the largest field.

You'll see an alert appearing every 10 seconds and the cursor flickering.