parallel

Provides a simple implementation of multitasking.

Functions are not actually executed simultaniously, but rather this API will automatically switch between them whenever they yield (eg whenever they call coroutine.yield, or functions that call that - eg os.pullEvent - or functions that call that, etc - basically, anything that causes the function to "pause").

Each function executed in "parallel" gets its own copy of the event queue, and so "event consuming" functions (again, mostly anything that causes the script to pause - eg sleep, rednet.receive, most of the turtle API, etc) can safely be used in one without affecting the event queue accessed by the other.

Changes

• New in version 1.2

waitForAny(...)Source

Switches between execution of the functions, until any of them finishes. If any of the functions errors, the message is propagated upwards from the parallel.waitForAny call.

Parameters

1. ... function The functions this task will run

Usage

• Print a message every second until the q key is pressed.

  local function tick()
      while true do
          os.sleep(1)
          print("Tick")
      end
  end
  local function wait_for_q()
      repeat
          local _, key = os.pullEvent("key")
      until key == keys.q
      print("Q was pressed!")
  end
  
  parallel.waitForAny(tick, wait_for_q)
  print("Everything done!")
  

waitForAll(...)Source

Switches between execution of the functions, until all of them are finished. If any of the functions errors, the message is propagated upwards from the parallel.waitForAll call.

Parameters

1. ... function The functions this task will run

Usage

• Start off two timers and wait for them both to run.

  local function a()
      os.sleep(1)
      print("A is done")
  end
  local function b()
      os.sleep(3)
      print("B is done")
  end
  
  parallel.waitForAll(a, b)
  print("Everything done!")