embeded elseifs or just ifs

beaudoin_n

Hi,

Has anybody experimented of the advantages of using otherwise versus simply stating another rule

Example
rule if attribute a = 1
behavior
otherwise
rule if attribute a =2
behavior
otherwise
...

or simply rule1 if attribute a =1
behavior

rule 2 if attribute a = 2
behavior

How is performance affected ?
Are there known issues
Cases were it might cause bugs ?

Thanks

Hunnenkoenig

I never really understood else if rules, so it would interest me too.

firemaplegames

Anything to save CPU cycles is key. Using Otherwise where appropriate is good practice.

You want the processor to check as few conditions as possible.

So in your second scenario, if your attribute IS 1, the second Rule still has to be checked, wasting resources.

beaudoin_n

thanks

Ok now i wish for a case function

Hunnenkoenig

Thank you for explanation. Now I have to check all my rules :-P

beaudoin_n

Arghhh ! Joe i need your help

I have this positionning done on one of 5 spots
and i check if i am not in any i try to find the first available.

Somehow i got it all messed up

It has a first rule that states (if out of bounds)
then i had embedded ifs to check if the first spot value is false
then otherwise if second spot is false
etc...

So looks like i have to keep the otherwise statements... i also had a mini timer but now it seems that with more objects on the screen it starts behaving weird

is the speed of the timer in any way affected by the overall performance ?

beaudoin_n

any more detailed explanation about the "run to completion" attribute ?

synthesis

run to completion forces a rule to run to completion once it is executed.

Example:
If myMainSwitchingAttribute = True
then... (run to completion checked)

-- myMainSwitchingAttribute = False
-- myOtherTrailingAttributes are still executed (even though the function rule is no longer valid)

If myMainSwitchingAttribute = True
then... (run to completion is NOT checked)

-- myMainSwitchingAttribute = False
-- myOtherTrailingAttributes are NOT executed and are ignored (because the mainSwitchingAttribute was changed and the function is no longer valid)

beaudoin_n

How about with the timer rule ? how does the run to completion rule work then ?

synthesis

The same principle is true. If it is checked...the timer will continue to execute no matter what until it is finished...which can be dangerous to processing drain if its an "Every" timer rule. (which is in line with what FMG is saying)

Clean and efficient rule structures are key to optimizing performance.

firemaplegames

Run to completion will make sure that the Timer finishes, even if the condition is no longer valid. Like synthesis said, do not use it with an "every" Timer. Here are two examples:

Rule
When Touch is Pressed
Timer
After 3 seconds
Change Attribute self.hasbeenPressed To TRUE

Rule
When Touch is Pressed
Timer
After 3 seconds Run To Completion
Change Attribute self.hasbeenPressed To TRUE

In the first scenario, if I remove my finger from the button before 3 seconds, the Timer will not fire.
Whereas it will in the second scenario...