Program is pausing!!!

[Steve Stunning]

Need some ideas on how to step things up....

I have a large amount of code in a timer that it ran every 1/2 second. It must be done this often...

The problem I have is if I am moving the form, the timer kicks in and the program pauses. Same thing for when I am typing in a text box.

How can I have that code run every 1/2 second w/o the pausing???


Thanks in advance!!!

[MartinLiss]

Try putting one or more DoEvents commands in your timer code. The DoEvents should be placed within time-consuming code such as looping or screen painting, etc.

[Sam Finch]

in any loops in your code insert the line DoEvents, this lets VB handle everything that needs doing, and then continued with your code

eg This is a bit of code that paints a parrern your form (if it's 255 pixels by 255 pixels and it's scalemoed is pixels, otherwise it's pretty useless)

For i = 1 to 255

    For j = 1 to 255

        Form1.PSet (i,j), RGB(255 * Rnd, i, j)

    Next j 

Next i

this takes a couple of seconds during which you can't move your form or click buttons

if you insert the line DoEvents

For i = 1 to 255

    DoEvents

    For j = 1 to 255

        Form1.PSet (i,j), RGB(255 * Rnd, i, j)

    Next j 

Next i

then the code will run a little slower but you can move your form etc.

Be carefull about doing this in a timer however, if your timer is set to 500 ms and the code takes 600 ms to operate then the first execution of the code will pause and wait for the second to start, then this execution will be interupted by the next and soon you will have hundreds of executions open and you will slowly run out of memory. If this code was in a timer I would do this

Private Sub Timer1_Timer()

Static boolCodeRunning As Boolean

Dim i As Integer
Dim j As Integer

If Not boolCodeRunning Then

    boolCodeRunning = True

    For i = 0 To 255
    
        DoEvents
        
        For j = 0 To 255
    
    
            Picture1.PSet (i, j), RGB(255 * Rnd, i, j)
    
        Next j
    
    Next i

    boolCodeRunning = False

End If

End Sub

this prevents the code from running twice at the same time, if it hasn't finished then it just skips.