$sequence_point()

Synopsis

$sequence_point()

Technical

Returns EPIC's current event-loop entry counter as a decimal integer. The process-wide counter starts at zero and is incremented at the beginning of every call to the client's io() event loop, including nested calls.

The function only reads the counter. It does not evaluate its input, increment the counter, or force an event-loop pass. Arguments are ignored by the C handler, although normal EPIC function-argument expansion still happens before it runs.

Practical

Use this as a debugging marker to compare when script code runs relative to event-loop entries. Consecutive calls without intervening event processing return the same value. Commands such as /pause and /wait can reenter the event loop and therefore change it while a script is waiting.

This is not elapsed time, a count of script statements, or a count of IRC messages. One event-loop entry can process multiple events, and nested entries also count. Values belong to the current client process and restart with a new process.

Returns

The current counter, formatted as a signed decimal integer. There are no options or special error results. No IRC connection is required.

Reading the function does not require /xdebug sequence_points. That debug flag separately enables sequence-point status display and status refreshes; it does not control whether the counter increments.

Examples

$sequence_point() returns the current value. $sequence_point(ignored) returns the same value if no event-loop entry occurs between the calls.

Registration and function_sequence_point(): source/functions.c. Counter initialization and increments in io(): source/irc.c. Debug flag: source/debug.c. Status display: source/status.c.