time and arrays

FireBird34 has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Stuck on something here, and I can't figure out how to do this properly... Given:

@array = ('name0','name1','name2','name3','name4');
[download]

How would I be able to knock off $array[0], so that the array will look like:

@array = ('name1','name2','name3','name4');
[download]

after X seconds?

This program is run through a consol (program doesn't die unless the user kills it), if that helps.

Any advice on this? Thanks.

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Re: time and arrays by robartes (Priest) on Jan 31, 2003 at 20:48 UTC
If you don't need to do anything else while you are waiting your X seconds, you simply use sleep before shifting the array: `my $seconds=10; sleep $seconds; my $element=shift @array;` [download] If, however, you want to spend your waiting time usefully, set an alarm: `$SIG{ALRM}= sub {shift @array}; my $seconds=10; alarm $seconds; do_useful_stuff(); # after 10 seconds, @array gets shifted, no matter what you are doing +at that point.` [download] Note that this code is untested, but should give you an idea on how to proceed. Update: First I define $seconds, than I don't use it. Fixed that :). CU Robartes-	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re: time and arrays by FireBird34 (Pilgrim) on Jan 31, 2003 at 21:13 UTC
Thanks all =) Robartes, that code is exactally what I needed (I needed to do "useful stuff" while it was counting). Thanks again =)	[reply]
•Re: Re: time and arrays by merlyn (Sage) on Jan 31, 2003 at 23:43 UTC
I needed to do "useful stuff" while it was counting Then you probably ought to look in to POE. -- Randal L. Schwartz, Perl hacker Be sure to read my standard disclaimer if this is a reply.	[reply]
Re: •Re: Re: time and arrays by zengargoyle (Deacon) on Feb 01, 2003 at 00:18 UTC
•Re: Re: •Re: Re: time and arrays by merlyn (Sage) on Feb 01, 2003 at 00:34 UTC
Re: time and arrays by Hofmator (Curate) on Jan 31, 2003 at 20:40 UTC
`sleep $X; shift @array;` [download] -- Hofmator	[reply] [d/l]
Re: time and arrays by dempa (Friar) on Jan 31, 2003 at 20:47 UTC
Well, you can use shift to knock off the first element in the array. It's difficult to say how you should do it after X seconds without seeing the rest of the code. I guess sleep could be used but as I said it's difficult to know if it's possible without the rest of the code. (I mean, sleep will cause your program to "halt" (bad word, I know) for X seconds. Maybe use SIGALRM and alarm()?) -- dempa	[reply]
Re: time and arrays by boo_radley (Parson) on Jan 31, 2003 at 21:18 UTC
well, yes, but what are you doing? Sometimes it's helpful to say "my goal is to process the 0th element of @array every 10 seconds because I've got this time sensitive process going on in the real world, and it relies on my script feeding it $array[0]." rather than giving a specific example of an ambiguously purposed algorithm.	[reply]