after

Arguments

Returns

An integer timer number which may be used as the argument to cancel.

Description

This function specifies an action to be performed after a given period of time in seconds has elapsed. The number of seconds may be specified to arbitrary precision, but will be limited in fact by the timer resolution of the operating system. In most cases this is practically limited to 20 milliseconds (0.05 seconds).

The timer functions after, every and at all cause an action to occur at the specified time, regardless of what is happening at that time, except if the timer expires during garbage collection. In this case, the timer will be serviced as soon as the garbage collection finishes.

For Gamma to notice a timer, you must make a call to next_event.

Example

Gamma> after(30, #princ("Time's up!\n"));
1
Gamma> next_event();

(30 seconds pass)

Time's up!
nil
Gamma> 
		

See Also

at, every, cancel, _timers_ in Predefined Symbosl