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docs/md/process.md
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# Crash Course: cooperative scheduler
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<!--
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@cond TURN_OFF_DOXYGEN
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-->
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# Table of Contents
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* [Introduction](#introduction)
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* [The process](#the-process)
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* [Adaptor](#adaptor)
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* [The scheduler](#the-scheduler)
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@endcond TURN_OFF_DOXYGEN
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# Introduction
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Sometimes processes are a useful tool to work around the strict definition of a
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system and introduce logic in a different way, usually without resorting to the
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introduction of other components.
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`EnTT` offers a minimal support to this paradigm by introducing a few classes
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that users can use to define and execute cooperative processes.
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# The process
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A typical process must inherit from the `process` class template that stays true
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to the CRTP idiom. Moreover, derived classes must specify what's the intended
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type for elapsed times.
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A process should expose publicly the following member functions whether needed
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(note that it isn't required to define a function unless the derived class wants
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to _override_ the default behavior):
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* `void update(Delta, void *);`
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It's invoked once per tick until a process is explicitly aborted or it
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terminates either with or without errors. Even though it's not mandatory to
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declare this member function, as a rule of thumb each process should at
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least define it to work properly. The `void *` parameter is an opaque pointer
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to user data (if any) forwarded directly to the process during an update.
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* `void init();`
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It's invoked when the process joins the running queue of a scheduler. This
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happens as soon as it's attached to the scheduler if the process is a top
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level one, otherwise when it replaces its parent if the process is a
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continuation.
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* `void succeeded();`
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It's invoked in case of success, immediately after an update and during the
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same tick.
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* `void failed();`
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It's invoked in case of errors, immediately after an update and during the
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same tick.
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* `void aborted();`
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It's invoked only if a process is explicitly aborted. There is no guarantee
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that it executes in the same tick, this depends solely on whether the
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process is aborted immediately or not.
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Derived classes can also change the internal state of a process by invoking
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`succeed` and `fail`, as well as `pause` and `unpause` the process itself. All
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these are protected member functions made available to be able to manage the
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life cycle of a process from a derived class.
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Here is a minimal example for the sake of curiosity:
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```cpp
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struct my_process: entt::process<my_process, std::uint32_t> {
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using delta_type = std::uint32_t;
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my_process(delta_type delay)
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: remaining{delay}
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{}
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void update(delta_type delta, void *) {
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remaining -= std::min(remaining, delta);
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// ...
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if(!remaining) {
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succeed();
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}
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}
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private:
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delta_type remaining;
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};
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```
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## Adaptor
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Lambdas and functors can't be used directly with a scheduler for they are not
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properly defined processes with managed life cycles.<br/>
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This class helps in filling the gap and turning lambdas and functors into
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full-featured processes usable by a scheduler.
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The function call operator has a signature similar to the one of the `update`
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function of a process but for the fact that it receives two extra arguments to
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call whenever a process is terminated with success or with an error:
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```cpp
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void(Delta delta, void *data, auto succeed, auto fail);
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```
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Parameters have the following meaning:
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* `delta` is the elapsed time.
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* `data` is an opaque pointer to user data if any, `nullptr` otherwise.
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* `succeed` is a function to call when a process terminates with success.
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* `fail` is a function to call when a process terminates with errors.
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Both `succeed` and `fail` accept no parameters at all.
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Note that usually users shouldn't worry about creating adaptors at all. A
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scheduler creates them internally each and every time a lambda or a functor is
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used as a process.
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# The scheduler
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A cooperative scheduler runs different processes and helps managing their life
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cycles.
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Each process is invoked once per tick. If it terminates, it's removed
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automatically from the scheduler and it's never invoked again. Otherwise it's
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a good candidate to run one more time the next tick.<br/>
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A process can also have a child. In this case, the parent process is replaced
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with its child when it terminates and only if it returns with success. In case
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of errors, both the parent process and its child are discarded. This way, it's
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easy to create chain of processes to run sequentially.
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Using a scheduler is straightforward. To create it, users must provide only the
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type for the elapsed times and no arguments at all:
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```cpp
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entt::scheduler<std::uint32_t> scheduler;
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```
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It has member functions to query its internal data structures, like `empty` or
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`size`, as well as a `clear` utility to reset it to a clean state:
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```cpp
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// checks if there are processes still running
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const auto empty = scheduler.empty();
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// gets the number of processes still running
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entt::scheduler<std::uint32_t>::size_type size = scheduler.size();
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// resets the scheduler to its initial state and discards all the processes
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scheduler.clear();
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```
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To attach a process to a scheduler there are mainly two ways:
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* If the process inherits from the `process` class template, it's enough to
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indicate its type and submit all the parameters required to construct it to
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the `attach` member function:
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```cpp
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scheduler.attach<my_process>(1000u);
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```
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* Otherwise, in case of a lambda or a functor, it's enough to provide an
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instance of the class to the `attach` member function:
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```cpp
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scheduler.attach([](auto...){ /* ... */ });
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```
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In both cases, the return value is an opaque object that offers a `then` member
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function to use to create chains of processes to run sequentially.<br/>
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As a minimal example of use:
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```cpp
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// schedules a task in the form of a lambda function
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scheduler.attach([](auto delta, void *, auto succeed, auto fail) {
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// ...
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})
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// appends a child in the form of another lambda function
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.then([](auto delta, void *, auto succeed, auto fail) {
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// ...
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})
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// appends a child in the form of a process class
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.then<my_process>(1000u);
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```
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To update a scheduler and therefore all its processes, the `update` member
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function is the way to go:
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```cpp
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// updates all the processes, no user data are provided
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scheduler.update(delta);
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// updates all the processes and provides them with custom data
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scheduler.update(delta, &data);
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```
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In addition to these functions, the scheduler offers an `abort` member function
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that can be used to discard all the running processes at once:
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```cpp
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// aborts all the processes abruptly ...
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scheduler.abort(true);
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// ... or gracefully during the next tick
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scheduler.abort();
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```
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