TimedLoop

struct moveUnit

    unit u

    //=====================================================
    // You need to code an onTimedLoop method before
    // implementing the module.
    //
    private method onTimedLoop takes nothing returns boolean
        //instance's timer expired:
        // This will just move a unit's x coordinate with
        // a speed of 100 until it reaches 5000.0

        call SetUnitX(u, GetUnitX(u) + 100.0* TimedLoop_PERIOD )
        // notice the use of the TimedLoop_PERIOD constant
        // since it may be tweaked by the user...


        if ( GetUnitX(u) >= 5000) then
            return TimedLoop_STOP
        endif

     return TimedLoop_CONTINUE

     //You are free to/should use false and true instead of the
     //constants.
    endmethod

    implement TimedLoop //This does the module magic

    static method create takes unit u returns moveUnit
     local moveUnit m= moveUnit.allocate()
        set m.u = u
        call m.startTimedLoop() //The module works by
        // creating a startTimedLoop method that will
        // do all the dirty work and end up calling
        // .onTimedLoop...
        //
     return m
    endmethod

endstruct
//call moveUnit.create(GetTriggerUnit()) and see...

library TimedLoop
//********************************************************
//* TimedLoop
//* ---------
//*
//* Requires jasshelper 0.9.G.1 or greater.
//*
//*   A library + module that are meant to make those
//* array + timer loops easy, yet still faster than
//* other alternatives meant to be easy (In other words
//* no TriggerEvaluate is involved).
//*
//* The OOPness is interesting.
//*
//*  Before implementing TimedLoop
//* your struct needs an onTimedLoop method that takes
//* nothing and returns boolean, if the method
//* returns false, the instance will get removed
//* from the loop and destroyed, else it will continue,
//* think of it as if the call asks the method a
//* question: "Should I continue the loop afterwards?"
//*
//* Alternatively, if you are not convinced, you may
//* use the TimedLoop_CONTINUE and TimedLoop_STOP
//* constants in the method's returns.
//* 
//*   After implementing TimedLoop, you can call
//* the startTimedLoop method to add the periodic event
//* to that instance, only call it once per instance.
//*
//* I recommend to call implement just bellow the
//* declaration of the onLoop method, else it will
//* actually use TriggerEvaluate, which is lame. Remind
//* me to implement a topsort in jasshelper.
//*
//*  If you feel the need to destroy the struct outside
//* the loop, well, you'll have to add a flag to it so
//* you send a message to onLoop to make it return false.
//* A more complicated module to allow that easily would
//* come later.
//*
//********************************************************

//========================================================
// config:

    globals
     public constant real    PERIOD = 0.025
     // A lower value and everything using the module will
     // look better, yet performance will drop.
    endglobals

//========================================================
// implementation:
//
   globals
    public constant boolean STOP     = false
    public constant boolean CONTINUE = true
   endglobals
   
   
   //===========================  
   module TimedLoop
   // god bless private module members.
   //
      private static thistype array V        // The array
      private static integer        N = 0    // The count
      private static timer          T = null // the timer, one per
                                             // struct that implements this
      
      private static method onExpire takes nothing returns nothing
       local integer  n    = 0
       local thistype this // yay for odd-sounding syntax constructs
       local integer  i    = 0
       
          loop
              exitwhen (i== thistype.N)
              set this = .V[i]
              if ( this.onTimedLoop() == CONTINUE ) then
                  set .V[n] = this
                  set n=n+1
              else
                  call this.destroy()
              endif
              set i=i+1
          endloop
          set thistype.N = n
          if (n== 0) then
              call PauseTimer(.T)
          endif
                 
      endmethod
      
      public method startTimedLoop takes nothing returns nothing
         set .V[.N] = this
         set .N=.N + 1
         if (.N == 1) then
             if (.T == null) then
                 set .T = CreateTimer()
             endif
             call TimerStart(.T, PERIOD, true, function thistype.onExpire)
         endif
      endmethod
     
   endmodule


endlibrary

//* nothing and returns boolean, if the method
//* returns false, the instance will get removed
//* from the loop and destroyed.