[ThatOneGuy]

I have been reading threads on timer handles way too long tonight. I have a plugin I made that was working great til I started adding in new timers. However, I am newer to scripting, so I am a bit confused with how to handle them, and what different options are available.

Here is an example of the code I am using, but with some comments added, and a few things changed to be able to ask questions...

Code

new Handle:g_hTimer1 = INVALID_HANDLE;	//timer1 to repeat every 90 seconds throughout whole map
new Handle:g_hTimer2 = INVALID_HANDLE;  //timer2 to execute once after map start

public OnPluginStart()
{
	//start timer1
	g_hTimer1 = CreateTimer(90, Timer1_Monitor, INVALID_HANDLE, TIMER_REPEAT);
}

public OnPluginEnd()
{
	g_hTimer1 = INVALID_HANDLE;
	g_hTimer2 = INVALID_HANDLE;
}

public OnMapStart()
{
	//start timer2 - should be run once/map
	if(g_hTimer2 != INVALID_HANDLE)    // does the timer already exist?
	{ 
		KillTimer(g_hTimer2);            // Stop it before new one 
		g_hTimer2 = INVALID_HANDLE;
	} 
	g_hTimer2 = CreateTimer(30, Timer2_Monitor, INVALID_HANDLE);
}


public Action:Timer1_Monitor(Handle:timer)
{
	//ACTIONS TIMER EXECUTES HERE

	return Plugin_Continue;  //do i need this here? and if so, do i need it on the other two timers?
}

public Action:Timer2_Monitor(Handle:timer)
{
	//EXECUTE ACTIONS HERE
	
	//handle timer2 - found this on the forums somewhere....should i just use: g_hTimer2 = INVALID_HANDLE;   or should i use what is below?
	if(g_hTimer2 != INVALID_HANDLE && CloseHandle(g_hTimer2))
		g_hTimer2 = INVALID_HANDLE;
		
	//would it be better to use: return Plugin_Stop;    ?
}

public OnMapEnd()
{
	//SHOULD I CLOSE HANDLES HERE?
}

I am currently getting errors every time the timer executes, and I have crashed the server at least once.

Errors

[SM] Plugin "blah_blah.smx" encountered error 23: Native detected error
[SM] Invalid timer handle 13980330 (error 3) during timer end, displayed function is timer callback, not the stack trace
[SM] Unable to call function "Timer2_Monitor" due to above error(s).
[SM] Plugin "blah_blah.smx" encountered error 23: Native detected error
[SM] Invalid timer handle 13970383 (error 3) during timer end, displayed function is timer callback, not the stack trace
[SM] Unable to call function "Timer3_Monitor" due to above error(s).

Additionally, can someone clarify some differences between these:

CloseHandle(g_hTimer1)  //this kills the connection, freeing up the memory?
return Plugin_Stop;    //does this pretty much do the same, or would this alone leak memory?
g_hTimer1 = INVALID_HANDLE;    //keeps the server from crashing due to handle? not sure
KillTimer(g_hTimer1);       //kills the timer, but leaks memory if not closed?

Any help is much appreciated. If I can't get it figured out, I might just have to take them out of my plugin, as well as the features they trigger : /

-ToG

[Powerlord]

You don't have to save the Handles to timers unless you need to end them early. Incidentally, for timers 2 and 3, you probably want to not save the handles and pass the TIMER_FLAG_NO_MAPCHANGE flag to make sure they don't execute if the map changes before they fire.

Incidentally, it may be better to have the 90 second timer start and stop every time the map changes. That's up to you, though.

PHP Code:

new Handle:g_hTimer1 = INVALID_HANDLE;    //timer1 to repeat every 90 seconds throughout whole map

public OnPluginStart()
{
    //start timer1
    g_hTimer1 = CreateTimer(90, Timer1_Monitor, INVALID_HANDLE, TIMER_REPEAT);
}

public OnMapStart()
{
    CreateTimer(30, Timer2_Monitor, INVALID_HANDLE, TIMER_FLAG_NO_MAPCHANGE);
    CreateTimer(20, Timer3_Monitor, INVALID_HANDLE, TIMER_FLAG_NO_MAPCHANGE);
}

public Action:Timer2_Monitor(Handle:timer)
{
    //EXECUTE ACTIONS HERE
}

public Action:Timer3_Monitor(Handle:timer)
{
    //ACTIONS TIMER EXECUTES
}

public OnMapEnd()
{
    //SHOULD I CLOSE HANDLES HERE?
}

public Action:Timer1_Monitor(Handle:timer)
{
    //ACTIONS TIMER EXECUTES HERE

    return Plugin_Continue;  //do i need this here? and if so, do i need it on the other two timers?
} 


[ThatOneGuy]

Originally Posted by Powerlord You don't have to save the Handles to timers unless you need to end them early. Incidentally, for timers 2 and 3, you probably want to not save the handles and pass the TIMER_FLAG_NO_MAPCHANGE flag to make sure they don't execute if the map changes before they fire. Incidentally, it may be better to have the 90 second timer start and stop every time the map changes. That's up to you, though. Spoiler PHP Code: new Handle:g_hTimer1 = INVALID_HANDLE;    //timer1 to repeat every 90 seconds throughout whole map public OnPluginStart() {     //start timer1     g_hTimer1 = CreateTimer(90, Timer1_Monitor, INVALID_HANDLE, TIMER_REPEAT); } public OnMapStart() {     CreateTimer(30, Timer2_Monitor, INVALID_HANDLE, TIMER_FLAG_NO_MAPCHANGE);     CreateTimer(20, Timer3_Monitor, INVALID_HANDLE, TIMER_FLAG_NO_MAPCHANGE); } public Action:Timer2_Monitor(Handle:timer) {     //EXECUTE ACTIONS HERE } public Action:Timer3_Monitor(Handle:timer) {     //ACTIONS TIMER EXECUTES } public OnMapEnd() {     //SHOULD I CLOSE HANDLES HERE? } public Action:Timer1_Monitor(Handle:timer) {     //ACTIONS TIMER EXECUTES HERE     return Plugin_Continue;  //do i need this here? and if so, do i need it on the other two timers? }

So, what if the map were to change before the two non-repeating timers finished? Wouldnt that leak memory? It were be preferable to close the repeating timer on map change as well, then restart on map start. I'm not sure what the ideal way to close the handle is....

Originally Posted by ThatOneGuy Additionally, can someone clarify some differences between these: CloseHandle(g_hTimer1) //this kills the connection, freeing up the memory? return Plugin_Stop; //does this pretty much do the same, or would this alone leak memory? g_hTimer1 = INVALID_HANDLE; //keeps the server from crashing due to handle? not sure KillTimer(g_hTimer1); //kills the timer, but leaks memory if not closed?

So, would I move the CreateTimer for Timer1 to OnMapStart(), then close in OnMapEnd() like this?

new Handle:g_hTimer1 = INVALID_HANDLE;	//timer1 to repeat every 90 seconds throughout whole map

public OnPluginStart()
{
	//blah
}

public OnPluginEnd()
{
	g_hTimer1 = INVALID_HANDLE;
	g_hTimer2 = INVALID_HANDLE;
}

public OnMapStart()
{
	//start timer1
	g_hTimer1 = CreateTimer(90, Timer1_Monitor, INVALID_HANDLE, TIMER_REPEAT);
	
	//start timer2 - should be run once/map
	CreateTimer(30, Timer2_Monitor, INVALID_HANDLE, TIMER_FLAG_NO_MAPCHANGE);
}


public Action:Timer1_Monitor(Handle:timer)
{
	//ACTIONS TIMER EXECUTES HERE

	return Plugin_Continue;
}

public Action:Timer2_Monitor(Handle:timer)
{
	//EXECUTE ACTIONS HERE
}

public OnMapEnd()
{
	CloseHandle(g_hTimer1);
	g_hTimer1 = INVALID_HANDLE;
}

Thanks for the reply

[Powerlord]

Originally Posted by ThatOneGuy So, what if the map were to change before the two non-repeating timers finished? Wouldnt that leak memory? It were be preferable to close the repeating timer on map change as well, then restart on map start. I'm not sure what the ideal way to close the handle is....

Timer handles automatically close when:

1. The map changes and the timer has the TIMER_FLAG_NO_MAPCHANGE flag.
2. Timers without the TIMER_REPEAT flag run.
3. Repeating timers return Plugin_Stop.

If you have a variable for said timers, you need to make sure you set it to INVALID_HANDLE when any of these happen.

Originally Posted by ThatOneGuy So, would I move the CreateTimer for Timer1 to OnMapStart(), then close in OnMapEnd() like this? new Handle:g_hTimer1 = INVALID_HANDLE; //timer1 to repeat every 90 seconds throughout whole map public OnPluginStart() { //blah } public OnPluginEnd() { g_hTimer1 = INVALID_HANDLE; g_hTimer2 = INVALID_HANDLE; } public OnMapStart() { //start timer1 g_hTimer1 = CreateTimer(90, Timer1_Monitor, INVALID_HANDLE, TIMER_REPEAT); //start timer2 - should be run once/map CreateTimer(30, Timer2_Monitor, INVALID_HANDLE, TIMER_FLAG_NO_MAPCHANGE); } public Action:Timer1_Monitor(Handle:timer) { //ACTIONS TIMER EXECUTES HERE return Plugin_Continue; } public Action:Timer2_Monitor(Handle:timer) { //EXECUTE ACTIONS HERE } public OnMapEnd() { CloseHandle(g_hTimer1); g_hTimer1 = INVALID_HANDLE; } Thanks for the reply

Yes.