Zugg Software :: View topic - CPU-problems

Beginner Joined: 15 Jul 2003 Posts: 25 Location: Sweden

I use a complex script with triggers and aliases. My problem is that when fully active, it takes up about 25% of my CPU resources, and this is highly noticable in gameplay! zMUD stutters and the usually smooth text flow jumps. This of course delays my player input, further reducing the purpose of the script.

Are these levels of CPU usage normal? I am using zMUD 6.40 on an Athlon XP 1700+, with 512MB RAM

I am utilizing Reg Exp to the full extent, since I haven't been able to figure out a way to make normal zMUD patterns do what I need to do. Could this be a reason for the heavy CPU-usage? I also have a trigger that checks my MUD-prompt and changes two variables based on the result, though I doubt that one is the problem, even though the trigger is called frequently.
I am also using about 10 triggers which fires on Expressions of variables. Are these triggers much slower than ordinary triggers?

Since I assume that normal zMUD patterns are faster than Rex Exp, I'll explain why I have used Reg Exp and also encourage you to come up with a faster solution to my problem if you can:

The problem is that I need to make sure that a pattern is EITHER at the start of the line, or directly after my prompt:

You get hit by a rock.
500hp/500mana >You get hit by a rock.

I do this because in some cases, the information from the MUD is received in such a way that the CR is lost, and the text appended right after the prompt. It can even happen that the prompt itself ends up on the same line as a previous prompt, and that the new prompt is followed by a pattern, like:

500hp/500mana >500hp/500mana >You get hit by a rock.

I am sure you all have experienced this at one time or another.
Anyhow, I figured out that if I used a Rex Exp like:

^(<prompt pattern>)*You get hit by a rock.

that would allow me to do just this.

Now, is there some way to do the same with normal zMUD patterns?

If you have any tips or ideas about about what I am doing wrong, how I might improve the script's performance or anything at all, please let me know.

Cheers!

MASTER Joined: 28 Nov 2000 Posts: 4817 Location: USA

This is fairly simple with normal zMUD patterns. All it requires is that you get rid of the misconception that everything has to be squeezed into ONE pattern.
#TR {^You get hit by a rock.}
#TR {%dhp/%dmana ~>You get hit by a rock.}

GURU Joined: 26 Jul 2001 Posts: 1958 Location: Canada

Rules of thumb are:
a) more defined the trigger the better, avoid wildcards, help the non-match test as much asd possible
b) less amount of enabled things at one time the better
c) watch out of long processing of complicated #LOOPs

You could try do something like like push the tail end command to the next line:
500hp/500mana >500hp/500mana >You get hit by a rock.
#TRIGGER {^(%d)hp~/(%d)mana ~>(%d)hp~/(%d)mana ~>(*)$} {#VAR Hp %1;#VAR Mana %2;#VAR MaxHp %3;#VAR MaxMana %4;#SH %cr%5}

Beginner Joined: 15 Jul 2003 Posts: 25 Location: Sweden

LightBulb: the lower one will be insecure though, as to people being able to type:

say 1/2hp 3/4mana >You get hit by a rock.

I know I am being paranoid about this, but then again, why script non-bullet proof scripts if you can avoid it?

Also, there is no misconception; I was simply looking for the best possible solution, which I thought would be one trigger with a well functioning pattern.
However, if you are sure that two zMUD triggers are faster than one Reg Exp trigger, I will take your advice.

TonDiening: I was thinking of your idea about adding a CR to the end of the prompt, but thought it would space up the text too much. I'll try it though!

Thanks to you both for the feedback.

GURU Joined: 26 Jul 2001 Posts: 1958 Location: Canada

Am not near zMud so I chose the over safe: #SH %cr%5
Might be able to use something like: #SH %5

MASTER Joined: 28 Nov 2000 Posts: 4817 Location: USA

Fine. You can add an anchor.
#TR {^%dhp/%dmana ~>You get hit by a rock.}

SubAdmin Joined: 18 Nov 2001 Posts: 5182

My solution has always been to forcibly put a newline at the end of my prompt. I simply don't play on muds that don't provide this capability in a custom prompt.

If you wish to create a securing system while allowing your mud coders to slack off you can make a way.

First step is the securing alias:
#AL TestSecure {SecuredLine=%remove(%copy(%line,%1,%2),%line);#IF (@SecuredLine) {#IF (@SecuredLine=~ "(%dhp/%dmana ~>)") {#IF (%begins(@SecuredLine,%%1)) {SecuredLine=%remove(%%1,@SecuredLine)}};#IF (@SecuredLine) {#IF (@SecuredLine=~ "(%dhp/%dmana ~>)") {#IF (%begins(@SecuredLine,%%1)) {SecuredLine=%remove(%%1,@SecuredLine)}};#IF (@SecuredLine) {#IF (@SecuredLine=~ "(%dhp/%dmana ~>)") {#IF (%begins(@SecuredLine,%%1)) {SecuredLine=%remove(%%1,@SecuredLine)}}}}

Finally we create the secure trigger:
#TR {(You get hit by a rock.)$} {TestSecure %x1;#IF (@SecuredLine="") {#NOOP Line was secured up to 3 prompts;#NOOP I can now turn into the Incredible Hulk}}

Note the trigger captures everything into a single %## parameter, then passes the positional information to the securing alias. In order to do this with a trigger that requires you have many parameters just capture the first and last characters as well and use %word(%x1,1) %word(%x##,2) where ## is the last number.

SubAdmin Joined: 18 Nov 2001 Posts: 5182

Now that I got some of my Friday business out of the way...on to your CPU issues and speed problems.

RegEx is handled by a 3rd party library. I believe in Zugg's testing of it he found that it is slower then all other trigger types, but he can do nothing to accelerate it.

Expression triggers are not slower then regular triggers. They are checked every time a variable changes. Consider this simple example:
test=1
#TR {@test=1} {#ECHO @a} "" {exp}
a=0
#WHILE (@a<1000) {#ADD a 1;#ECHO preempted}

As you can see the expression trigger tests and, in this case, fires with every change in a. This pauses the activity of the loop to process the script for the trigger. Obviously slowing things down. If possible you should get rid of the expression triggers, or at the least disable (#T-) and enable (#T+) them when they really don't need to be active.

General programming rules regarding speed apply to zScript as well. Whenever you call into an alias from your script you make that script slightly slower then if you had placed all the alias's script inline. Creating a new variable takes longer then updating an existing one, loops eat time, if you can think of a way to do it without a loop (even if it uses 3 times as many variables) it will be faster.

Beginner Joined: 15 Jul 2003 Posts: 25 Location: Sweden

Thanks for your great feedback! I'll go into optimization now!

Beginner Joined: 15 Jul 2003 Posts: 25 Location: Sweden

Though.. what is #SH %5 supposed to do? I don't catch any %5 parameter..

Beginner Joined: 15 Jul 2003 Posts: 25 Location: Sweden

Just thought I'd show you my solution to the problem!

pattern:
^%dhp~/%dmana ~>(?)

command (part of it):
#IF (!%null( %2)) {#PSUB {%concat( %cr, %2)} %x2}

I will try it out now to see if it works!