[vJASS] Optimizing my spell

[dardas]

Well, hello.
I've made a vjass spell, using a struct, after a year of being away from WC in general.. Been quite a hassle, but managed to put something together,
the problem is, I'm not sure if its as efficient as possible.

Anyhow, about the spell:
Its a single unit ability, called Chained Dagger.
Technically, once cast on a unit, it gets replaced with a new ability for duration seconds.
after the duration is passed, it restores the original ability.
Right now it works quite well, but theres a 0.5 second lag or something around that at the first cast of the spell.

heres the code:

Chained Dagger

library ChainedDagger initializer onInit/*
*/  uses                                /*
*/      SpellEvent                      /*
*/      TimerUtils
    
    struct ChainedDagger
        
        public static integer Ability_Identifier = 'A001'
        public static integer NewAbility_Identifier = 'A002'
        public static integer AuraSpellBook_Identifier = 'A005'
        
        public static timer Timer
        public static real TimerSpeed = 0.032
        
        public static thistype array Instances
        public static integer Counter = 0
        
        public unit caster
        public unit target
        public real duration
        public integer id
        public boolean started
        
        public static method create takes unit caster, unit target, real duration returns thistype
            local thistype d = thistype.allocate()
            set d.caster = caster
            set d.target = target
            set d.duration = duration
            set d.id = d.assignIdentifier()
            set d.started = false
            return d
        endmethod
        
        public method assignIdentifier takes nothing returns integer
            set Instances[ChainedDagger.Counter] = this
            set ChainedDagger.Counter = ChainedDagger.Counter + 1
            return ChainedDagger.Counter - 1
        endmethod
        
        static method operator [] takes integer id returns thistype
            if (id >= Counter) then
                return -1
            endif
            return Instances[id]
        endmethod
        
        public method startCast takes nothing returns nothing
            local player p = GetOwningPlayer(.caster)
            
            call SetPlayerAbilityAvailable(p, ChainedDagger.Ability_Identifier, false)
            call UnitAddAbility(.caster, ChainedDagger.NewAbility_Identifier)
            call SetUnitAbilityLevel(.caster, ChainedDagger.NewAbility_Identifier, GetUnitAbilityLevel(.caster, ChainedDagger.Ability_Identifier))
            call UnitAddAbility(.target, ChainedDagger.AuraSpellBook_Identifier)
            
            set .started = true
            
            set p = null
        endmethod
        
        public method stopCast takes nothing returns nothing
            local player p = GetOwningPlayer(.caster)
            
            call SetPlayerAbilityAvailable(p, ChainedDagger.Ability_Identifier, true)
            call UnitRemoveAbility(.caster, ChainedDagger.NewAbility_Identifier)
            call UnitRemoveAbility(.target, ChainedDagger.AuraSpellBook_Identifier)
            
            set p = null
            call .destroy()
        endmethod
        
        private method destroy takes nothing returns nothing
            //Fix the indexing system
            local integer cnt = 0
            local integer max = ChainedDagger.Counter
            
            loop
            set ChainedDagger[cnt].id = ChainedDagger[cnt].id - 1
            set cnt = cnt + 1
            exitwhen cnt <= max
            endloop
            set ChainedDagger.Instances[.id] = -1
            
            //Remove the leaking data
            set .caster = null
            set .target = null
            set .started = false
        endmethod
        
        public static method onUpdate takes nothing returns nothing
            local integer data
            local thistype d
            
            if (ChainedDagger.Counter <= 0) then
                set ChainedDagger.Counter = 0
                call ReleaseTimer(ChainedDagger.Timer)
            endif
            
            set data = GetTimerData(ChainedDagger.Timer)
            
            set d = ChainedDagger[data]
            
            if (d.started == true) then
                set d.duration = d.duration - ChainedDagger.TimerSpeed
                if (d.duration <= 0) then
                    call d.stopCast()
                endif
            endif
            
            if (data < ChainedDagger.Counter - 1) then
                call SetTimerData(ChainedDagger.Timer, data + 1)
            else
                call SetTimerData(ChainedDagger.Timer, 0)
            endif
        endmethod
        
        public static method onSpellCast takes nothing returns nothing
            local unit caster = SpellEvent.CastingUnit
            local unit target = SpellEvent.TargetUnit
            local real duration = 3 // 3 seconds so I could test the lag thingy, it only happens on the first run.
                                    // there's going to be an equation used by it, but should suffice for now.
            
            local thistype d = thistype.create(caster, target, duration)
            call d.startCast()
            if (ChainedDagger.Counter == 1) then
                set ChainedDagger.Timer = NewTimerEx(0)
                call TimerStart(ChainedDagger.Timer, ChainedDagger.TimerSpeed, true, function ChainedDagger.onUpdate)
            endif
            
            set caster = null
            set target = null
        endmethod
        
    endstruct
    
    public function onInit takes nothing returns nothing
        call RegisterSpellCastResponse(ChainedDagger.Ability_Identifier, ChainedDagger.onSpellCast)
    endfunction
    
endlibrary

P.S: I've always been bad at explaining stuff, tell me if I should give more details regarding something.. ><
Thanks for the help in advance.

 

[defskull]

Why don't you preload the ability associated with it ?

 

[dardas]

The lag is really the least of my problems I guess, something in the code must've caused the lag, or wc became really screwed up in the year I was gone, lol.

 

[defskull]

Try this;

• SPELLS PRELOADING
  • Events
    • Map initialization
  • Conditions
  • Actions
    • Custom script: local unit u = CreateUnit(Player(15), 'hfoo', 0.00, 0.00, 0.00)
    • Custom script: call UnitAddAbility(u, 'A002')
    • Custom script: call UnitAddAbility(u, 'A005')
    • Custom script: call RemoveUnit(u)
    • Custom script: set u = null

You must preload the abilities associated with that spell to prevent lag on first cast.
The lag would occur at the Loading Screen (increasing its Loading Speed by bit).
Rather than lag on first cast, better for you to load it in Loading Screen right ?

I did not test it yet (because I don't have vJASS) but I highly anticipate it would be this as the solution to the first cast lag issues.

 

[PurgeandFire]

It might be because of TimerUtils. Vexorian updated it so that it would do the init on the first "NewTimer" call rather than on actual initialization. This was because people were complaining about the initialization method--that it would not work if you use the function in a module initializer. Vexorian opted to do an evaluation upon first call rather than doing a module initializer, so that might be why you get the lag.

Perhaps try using this instead?
http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/graveyard-418/system-timerutilsex-204500/

See if it fixes it.

Otherwise, it might be the ability as defskull said.

 

[dardas]

Meh, apparently defskull's idea fixed it, thats kinda odd, never happend to me before,
also, switched to TimerUtilsEx..

Well, is there any way to improve the code? The build of the struct, etc..
That was the actual question, after all xD

 

[defskull]

Meh, apparently defskull's idea fixed it, thats kinda odd, never happend to me before,

It only happens to abilities that has 4 levels and beyond.
Just like DotA, you preload abilities associated with that Hero when you picked the Hero, that is why there is a lag when a new Hero enters the map, it is actually preloading it.

 

[baassee]

Why is everything public? I mean it's in a library, the struct ain't private, thus you can reach the struct even without the public keyword.