Timer

A persistent timer class that allows restarting timers automatically after server restarts.

The timer takes care of housekeeping and scheduling, and the mod needs to only take care of loading+starting, and storing the timer.

The timer uses game time (seconds) for its precision, and this will account for game pauses or game shutdown accordingly. If the game is not running, the timers are all paused as well and accrue no further elapsed time.

Creating a timer

t = Timer(func(elapsed), timerdata)

Creates a new timer that will call function func. The elapsed time since start of the timer, or since the last timer event is passed as a number to the function.

timerdata Is a table that contains either default values for the timer, or a storage ref and storage key name to use for storing and retrieving the timer data in case the timer was saved before.

timerdata = {
    storage = <mod storage ref>,
      -- Optional. handle to mod storage API. See
      -- `minetest.get_mod_storage()` documentation in minetest
      -- engine API documentation.
    key = <string>,
      -- Optional. string name of key used. This will be the name
      -- of the key used to store and load timer data, and should
      -- not be used in other fashion.
    interval = <number>,
      -- Required. Specifies the default interval value for
      -- new timers. Not used when the timer was previously saved.
    repeats = <bool>,
      -- Optional. Specifies whether the timer should repeat, or
      -- stop after expiring once. If omitted, defaults to `true`.
    active = <bool>,
      -- Do not specify. Used for internal state keeping.
    elapsed = <number>,
      -- Do not specify. Used for internal state keeping.
}

If storage and key members are available, the timer code will attempt to retrieve the timer data from the storage location and key passed, and other parameters are ignored. If the timer was started, it will be automatically started again.

If the storage did not contain saved timer data, the timer is created from the default parameters passed, but not started.

If no storage ref or key was passed, the timer will not be started, but will be created with the default interval and (optional) repeats value.

Demo

A full timer demo that demonstrates the code's use is included as a runnable mod under the folder timerdemo in the source code tree. To use it, copy the whole folder into your mod folder and enable it in your worlds config.

Methods

start()

• starts the timer if it wasn't already started.

stop()

• stops the timer if it wasn't already stopped.

set_interval(interval)

• Changes the interval value of the timer. If the timer is active, and the interval value passed is larger than the elapsed timer, the timer will expire immediately.

get_interval()

• Returns the current timer interval value.

set_repeats(repeats)

• Changes the timer to repeat if repeats == true, or stop repeating. otherwise.

get_repeats()

• Returns whether the timer is repeating.

get_elapsed()

• Returns the current timer elapsed value.

is_active()

• Returns whether the timer is currently running.

expire()

• Expires the timer manually and executes the function associated with it. The elapsed time will be reset to 0.

to_table()

• Returns the state data of the timer in table format. This table can be passed back to the Timer initializer as described above under "Creating a Timer"

save()

• Stores the timer data into the previously passed storage ref at the key key. If storage or key were not passed at initialization time causes an assert().