Background rednet.receive() or so.pullEvent()

Hello, I know their is no true multitasking in computercraft but I thought that their must be a way to do something similar.

So my question is, how can I run a program which allows me to do one process (like running one function) Whilst I wait for a rednet response. One application of this I though out was having a turtle executing a program where it is digging or whatever until it receives a rednet message which could allow me to terminate the process remotely and have it execute another function. I thought this could also be useful for having a computer being able to run a shell or a program until it receives a rednet event making it do something else.

So I was wondering if anyone can help me out with running functions or programs almost simultaneously.

Look into the parallel API, if it doesn't do what you need then use it as a learning resource.

You are correct, there isn't true multitasking, but you can get very close with coroutines


The parallel API (Like Lupus pointed out above) is what is known as a coroutine manager, and lets you run 2 or more functions 'simultaneously'

It counts on each one yielding (calling 'os.pullEvent()') in some way, at which point it starts running the next one.

Or you could use os.pullEvent to pull a rednet_message event instead of rednet.receive:

rednet.open ("left") --modem side

while true do
  event = {os.pullEvent ()}

  if event [1] == "rednet_message" then
    print ("reveived", event [3], "from", event [2], "with protocol", event [4])
  else
    --do other stuff
  end
end

If you want, parallel api:

parallel.waitForAll(
function()
	--# os.pullEvent(...) or rednet.receive()
	... (other code)
end,
function()
	... (other code)
end
)

NOTE: You don't need to use waitForAll. You can use waitForAny. Also, if you use waitForAny, the parallel function will quit if a function errors (so nothing else that you put in parallel will run, waitForAll waits for all functions to quit/error), hence the name waitForAny. Also, put while true do around your code to make them run forever.