vz.thread v1.0.8

This package uses or may use at some point in the future ECMAScript 6 features. Use it on a compatible environment or transpile it with Traceur, Closure Compiler, es6-transpiler or equivalent. Please note that some of these have flaws and bugs, test your code carefully until you find a suitable tool for your task.

When cloning this repository, put the folder inside another named "node_modules" in order to avoid potential errors related to npm's dependency handling, and then run npm install on it.

No piece of software is ever completed, feel free to contribute and be humble.

vz Thread

Note: This package is supposed to be used in a browser context using a tool like browserify

Sample usage:

var Thread = require('vz.thread'),
    thread;

thread = new Thread(function(){
  
  // This code gets executed only once, at the start of the thread
  
  // Here we're creating a global variable *in the context of the thread*,
  // it's not visible outside of it, just like functions and variables of
  // outside the thread are not visible inside of it
  
  // Synchronous wait
  
  wait = function(time){
    var t0 = Date.now();
    while(t0 + time > Date.now());
  };
  
},function(data,answer){
  
  // This is the code that gets executed each time Thread.run is called
  // For this example, we're implementing a delayed echo
  
  wait(5000); // A synchronous wait, but since it's being called
              // in the thread it doesn't block parent execution
  
  answer(data); // With this call we return to the parent
                // the result of the operation implemented
                // in this thread
  
});

// Now let's use our thread!

thread.run('Hello world',function(answer){
  // answer == 'Hello world'
});

Reference

Thread object

Constructor(setup,handler)

setup()

A function, or an array of them, that gets executed at the start of the thread, in the context of it. Use it to initialize global variables and functions.

handler(data,answer)

A function that gets executed each time Thread.run is called.

data

The data passed to Thread.run

answer(data,transfer)

A function to be called with the result of the thread operation

####### data

Data to be sent to the upper thread, as a result of the operation

####### transfer

Array of Transferable items, their ownership will be transfered to the upper thread

Thread.run(data,transfer,callback,thisArg)

Executes the thread in an asynchronous manner

data

The data to be sent to the thread handler

transfer

Array of Transferable objects whose ownership will be transfered to the underlying thread

callback(data)

This function will be called when the answer function has been called from the thread

data

The data passed to the answer function

Thread.destroy()

Ends the thread and clean things up. After this call, the thread is no longer usable.