OnEvent mode benefits?

[SlowCoder74]

Message Loop - This is the default method that AutoIT uses, similar to C-style languages.  Involves including the message capture into the main loop.

Event Driven - VB style.  The main loop can process whatever (or nothing).  When an event is generated, the appropriate function is called to handle the event.

What are the benefits to using each of these modes?  Speed?  Code flow?

[BrewManNH]

With message loop you don't have to have as many functions as you normally would with OnEvent mode, message mode doesn't allow queing the messages from the controls, so you may miss some if you click too fast and your script is doing something else. I tend to use both myself, and I have no preference of one over the other.

[Melba23]

BrewManNH,

 

message mode doesn't allow queing the messages from the controls

Simce when? Try pressing ths button several times in quick succession - they are all honoured.

#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>

$hGUI = GUICreate("Test", 500, 500)
$cButton = GUICtrlCreateButton("Press", 10, 10, 80, 30)
GUISetState()

While 1
    Switch GUIGetMsg()
        Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
            Exit
        Case $cButton
            ConsoleWrite("Pressed at " & @SEC & @CRLF)
            Sleep(1000)
    EndSwitch
WEnd

SlowCoder74,

A major disadvantage of OnEvent mode is that you cannot pass parameters to functions - or not without a lot of faffing about. Like BrewmanNH I use both, but I tend to favour MessageLoop unless there is a really good reason to use OnEvent.

M23

[BrewManNH]

It didn't used to work that way, as the GUIGetMsg would clear the queue after getting the last message, at least that's how I remember it, but it's been a while since I've bothered checking I may have mis-remembered.

[SlowCoder74]

SlowCoder74,

A major disadvantage of OnEvent mode is that you cannot pass parameters to functions - or not without a lot of faffing about. Like BrewmanNH I use both, but I tend to favour MessageLoop unless there is a really good reason to use OnEvent.

M23

 Ah, so when is there a "really good reason" to use OnEvent?

[Melba23]

BrewmanNH,

 

It didn't used to work that way

It has since I started using AutoIt.

SlowCoder74,

 

when is there a "really good reason" to use OnEvent?

In the main script, as far as I am concerned, practically never - look at the Interrupting a running function tutorial in the Wiki to see one time it might be. But I often run the tray menu in TrayOnEvent mode.

M23

[Prime03]

BrewmanNH,

 

It has since I started using AutoIt.

SlowCoder74,

 

In the main script, as far as I am concerned, practically never - look at the Interrupting a running function tutorial in the Wiki to see one time it might be. But I often run the tray menu in TrayOnEvent mode.

M23

 

yay I've been looking for that interrupt documentation for a while, I can finally make a proper GUI end/pause button without using a hotkey or a bunch of flags! 

For whatever reason I tend to use OnEvent always... I think I just like the structure better.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Prime03

[Melba23]

Prime03,

Glad you found that tutorial useful - there are lots of others in the Wiki to discover.

M23