two functions run simultaneously

[alexlimlexart]

Is it possible to run or call two separate functions simultaneously? If it is then any sample? THANKS.

[czardas]

You can run two scripts simultaneously without any problem. I suspect that running two functions in the same script at the same time may be possible. What is more usual however is to interrupt a process using a second function, I think this counts. The answer to your question will most likely depend on what these functions are doing. Can you justify doing this. - realize that functions can be called from within other functions, so why would you want to call two functions at the same time?

Edited February 6, 2012 by czardas

[DicatoroftheUSA]

Have your checked out adlibregister() in the help file?

Very little truly is processed simultaneously, and from what Ive read autoit doesn't really do multi-threading. You could try running separate processes and have them talk to each other via a named pipe

Edited February 7, 2012 by DicatoroftheUSA

[guinness]

There is going to be some lag, but take a look at the functions you can create a separate .au3 file and then using your compiled script use the commandline /AutoIt3ExecuteScript to create a new process of that AutoIt code. I've sometimes done this when I've needed to download a new file but didn't want to halt the entire script just for that (and yes I do know about the background option in InetGet before someone asks.)

[alexlimlexart]

thanks for the quick replies. I have functions.. one that loads a list of file details (SQLite3), and the rest would be the regular functions for the interface. Now loading takes time since it has to read and load 1000 files or more... and everything halts until loading is finish. This is a serious lag.

Edited February 7, 2012 by alexlimlexart

[BrewManNH]

Other than running 2 scripts at the same time, there's no way to have 2 functions run at the same time. AdLibs don't run at the same time as other functions, they halt the running function, and run the new one, and then when that's done goes back to the original one if I understand it correctly.

[smartee]

alexlimlexart,

One way would be to run a separate script, as guinness suggested.

I put together a simple sample using a ListView to show how easily it can be done.

Main.au3

#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>

$Form1 = GUICreate("Demo1", 640, 480)
$ListView1 = GUICtrlCreateListView("", 5, 5, 630, 470)

; Call external script to populate ListView while application continues to load normally
$PID = Run(@AutoItExe & ' /AutoIt3ExecuteScript "' & @ScriptDir & 'DemoLoadValues.au3' & '"')

GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)

While 1
    $nMsg = GUIGetMsg()
    Switch $nMsg
        Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
            Exit
    EndSwitch
WEnd

DemoLoadValues.au3

#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>
#include <GuiListView.au3>

; Get a handle to the ListView from your calling script
$ListView1 = ControlGetHandle("Demo1", "", "[CLASS:SysListView32; INSTANCE:1]")

; Here is a simple populate simulation as a proof of concept.
; Your data source would be SQLite, I just used some literals for simplicity.
_GUICtrlListView_InsertColumn($ListView1, 0, "Product ID", 150)
_GUICtrlListView_InsertColumn($ListView1, 1, "Product Name", 200)
For $i = 0 To 2000
    _GUICtrlListView_AddItem($ListView1, "IJ" & $i + 1000)
    _GUICtrlListView_AddSubItem($ListView1, $i, "Product" & $i, 1)
Next

Hope this helps

[czardas]

Other than running 2 scripts at the same time, there's no way to have 2 functions run at the same time. AdLibs don't run at the same time as other functions, they halt the running function, and run the new one, and then when that's done goes back to the original one if I understand it correctly.

Indeed you're right, strictly speaking calling two functions simultaneously is impossible. However running simultaneous processes is possible. If you can trigger two processes to run at the same time it would give that impression. However you need a multi-core processor to truly be running them simultaneously.

Edited February 7, 2012 by czardas

[jchd]

alexlimlexart,

Beside the possibilities offered by the already posted answer, I'd look more closely at why you need such a solution in the first place.

You say querying and having something around 1000 row of your SQLite DB is slow, up to the point you feel the need to parallelize processing. In none of my experiences with SQLite fetching as little as 1000 row is anywhere snail slow as to cause the user take a coffee break. Well, I mean unless you have to run a formidable complex SQL statement or the DB is beyond hundereds of Gb with poor indexing. Both are unlikely for a context where an SQL select "... loads a list of file details".

May I ask you some background detail about your DB schema (including any pragma in force) and the code you use for querying?

I strongly suspect the issue can essentially vanish by fine-tunning the SQL[ite] part.

[alexlimlexart]

Thanks guys for all replies. Jchd, you are probably right but I am now looking into smartee's sample code.

I will be collecting certain inpatient info's from different wards all over the hospital so...

this is assumed that it will reach to about 1000 - 5000 patients in one year.

As a noob in this field (because I am a nurse not a programmer), i fear of losing data so made my Sqlite is very simple.

Each patient will have its own DB3 file and it contains one table and one row and maybe adding one more

table in the future...

The application I am working on right now will do file list to array then read each file, query single row using for loop and

display them in the listview. This is the first approach i could think of fearing of losing huge data if i put it in one DB3 file.

The application will be used by several nurses over the intranet and so making several instances of it from different computers.

The factor that is probably causing the lag is reading several files and not reading a single db3 file but i am more confident in this approach..

Any other suggestions would really help. THANKS!

Edited February 7, 2012 by alexlimlexart

[JohnQSmith]

If you're storing patient records, you should probably be looking at a more robust database development solution. Worrying about losing data by having it in a single database file versus separate file for each patient is only one of the factors you should be looking at. How are you securing your data? What is your backup strategy?

And most importantly is, to me at least, what hospital is going to be using this? No offense intended to either the AutoIt development team or to Richard Hipp and the SQLite development team, but I don't want to be a patient there if you are creating a patient tracking solution using AutoIt and SQLite as your development platform.

[jchd]

Alex,

You got about the same fear about DBs that your patients feel right before their surgery!

What you've chosen is clearly a terrible solution from a thechnical viewpoint, even if I fully understand why you decided on that.

JohnQSmith is partly right in that a centralized client-server setup is highly recommended in your context. But I also understand that you might not have the admin rights to implement that.

What I disagree is about the alledged lack of robustness of SQLite compared to what comes immediately to mind: MySQL. The latter has many issues that aren't at all on par with a reliable client-server engine. From this point of view, SQLite has much less problems! PostgreSQL is order of magnitude more reliable and stable, but requires even more technical knowledge to setup. Granted, with that low requirements, MySQL can do the job we're talking about easily.

Anyway, it isn't my intention to run into a DB engine flamewar. The problem at hand is that the OP has little choice to implement a satisfactory setup. The AutoIt-SQLite couple isn't the right tool for the job and any client-server engine will demand more priviledges than the OP currently has.

My advice if I may emit one would be to discuss the issue with administrators and hierarchy. If the application is worth its salt, they should find a way to build a decently robust, riskless, supported approach with low setup cost.

Edited February 7, 2012 by jchd

[DicatoroftheUSA]

Other than running 2 scripts at the same time, there's no way to have 2 functions run at the same time. AdLibs don't run at the same time as other functions, they halt the running function, and run the new one, and then when that's done goes back to the original one if I understand it correctly.

He did not say what the problem he was trying to solve, so I will exercise my psychic ability more. Thanks for the correction.

Edited February 7, 2012 by DicatoroftheUSA

[alexlimlexart]

Again thanks guys... Well.. I don't have admin rights. This is outside IT department.. mainly involving a small team of nurses that are assigned from different wards. Security isn't an issue because they are the only ones who have access to it. My application will be saved in a shared folder with permissions. Users will only range from 5-10. I chose Autoit and SQlite since these are free and easy to learn at my level of knowledge. If ever this app will be used until next year or so.. then they will be getting huge data...

Situtation:

All db3 files will be staying in one folder (inpatient and discharged file). After my app loads up the db3 files (with sqlite open then shutdown) I tried moving a "no longer needed" db3 file from folder to another folder, but it wouldn't coz its locked.. ending up all db3 in the same place.. and so the app needs to read all files every time it starts.

Edited February 7, 2012 by alexlimlexart

[jchd]

I'll be back to you about this. Please find a good source for some patience.

[alexlimlexart]

Thank you jchd. In fact, i am very thankful of you. I can wait. =)