Running Two Things in Parallel

[datadaddy]

I'm a relative newbie using the programs feature in the admin console (still)

 

I want to do something like this (simplified for explanation)

 

Start Program1 based on some event

    Do some stuff in Program1

    Have Program1 call Program2

          Do some stuff in Program2

    Have Program1 call Program3

          Do some stuff in Program3

 

Both Program2 and Program3 have the need for a timer/delay

 

Can they execute at the same time ?

 

It feels like the natural behavior would be the Program2 would finish before Program3 is called and starts

 

thanks

[oberkc]

It is my understanding that such programs could run simultaneously, and that there is nothing that would temporarily halt program 1 while progrsms 2 or 3 are running. (Perhaps this is the difference between single-, and multi-threaded code?). Do not think of programs 2 and 3 as subroutines to program 1.

[stusviews]

If programs 2 & 3 are disabled, then they won't run until/unless they're triggered by another program.

[andyf0]

If programs 2 & 3 are disabled, then they won't run until/unless they're triggered by another program.

 

That not what the OP asked. You can still run a program from within a program whether it is disabled or not.

[datadaddy]

okay, this statement from oberkc is what I'm really asking...

 

"It is my understanding that such programs could run simultaneously,

and that there is nothing that would temporarily halt program 1 while progrsms 2 or 3 are running."

 

Is this true ?

in other words after program 1 calls program 2 it doesn't wait for program 2 to return before continuing (and calling program 3)

 

Any expert that can verify this ?

 

I suppose I could cobble together a test to verify it

[andyf0]

oberkc is correct. Programs that are run from within programs will be spawned off and execution on the original program will continue.

[oberkc]

Any expert that can verify this ?

While I am unsure what one must be to be considered an "expert", I can say that I generally do not reply with guesses.  One cannot help but learn a few things by hanging around smart people.

 

Consider, too, that within individual programs, steps are indeed executed in order.  Many have referred to this as "atomic", I believe.  Given this, it should be possible to achieve what I assume is your desired effect.  Consider a slight modification to your logic:

 

Start Program1 based on some event

    Do some stuff in Program1

    Have Program1 call Program2

          Do some stuff in Program2

    Have Program2 call Program3  <<note the change here

          Do some stuff in Program3

[MikeD]

I'm a relative newbie using the programs feature in the admin console (still)

 

I want to do something like this (simplified for explanation)

 

Start Program1 based on some event

    Do some stuff in Program1

    Have Program1 call Program2

          Do some stuff in Program2

    Have Program1 call Program3

          Do some stuff in Program3

 

Both Program2 and Program3 have the need for a timer/delay

 

Can they execute at the same time ?

 

It feels like the natural behavior would be the Program2 would finish before Program3 is called and starts

 

thanks

Both programs would be called essentially at the same time. Although one follows the other in Program1's Then or Else clause, Program1 does not wait for Program2 to finish before Program3 runs. You also must decide how you are going to run the programs, Run(If), Run(Then), or Run(Else) of Program2 & Program3. A Run(If) will allow you to trigger the program to run based on a condition, while Run(Then) or Run(Else) will execute the statements regardless of a condition.

[datadaddy]

Thanks guys...oberkc, I didn't mean to imply you weren't an "expert"

when you started with "It is my understanding..." I wasn't sure of your confidence level

thanks again....

[oberkc]

when you started with "It is my understanding..." I wasn't sure of your confidence level

No apology needed.  I recognize that my responses indicate some level of uncertainty (and intended to do so).  I just hate to suggest that I have first-hand knowledge of the innards of the ISY, since I do not work for them, and have no special inside knowledge.

 

I am simply a fan and interested in how things work.

[stusviews]

That not what the OP asked. You can still run a program from within a program whether it is disabled or not.

 

But it's pertinent to what the OP seems to want, that is, running programs sequentially rather than concurrently.

[jtara92101]

I thought OP WANTED to run simultaneously?

 

If you want to run two programs sequentially, set some variable at the end of the first program, and have the second program test for it in if. If you want to run several programs sequentially, you might step a variable.

 

See also recent discussion on implementing a state machine.

 

Again, running a program is NOT calling a function or subroutine. When you start a program it is off to the races, on it's own. It does not block the invoking (NOT "calling") program from continuing.

 

ISY programs (IMO) should be very small and very atomic. Do one thing. One very small thing.

[stusviews]

The closest to getting programs to run concurrently is to use a single variable as a trigger for both programs, as you indicated, but it should be a state variable, not an integer variable.

[larryllix]

No apology needed.  I recognize that my responses indicate some level of uncertainty (and intended to do so).  I just hate to suggest that I have first-hand knowledge of the innards of the ISY, since I do not work for them, and have no special inside knowledge.

 

I am simply a fan and interested in how things work.

....but his fan is plugged into an OnOff module, and can control that too.