<div class="intro" class="component">
<p>
AsyncQueue allows you create a chain of function callbacks executed via
<code>setTimeout</code> that are guaranteed to run in order. This can
enable progressive incremental rendering of your UI so your users can
begin to see and interact with your page while the infrastructure is
being built. Similarly, process-intensive operations that will lock up
the UI while the JavaScript is being executed can be broken up into
chunks, helping to keep your interface responsive.
</p>
</div>
{{>getting-started}}
<h2 id="using">Using AsyncQueue</h2>
<h3 id="interacting">Creating and interacting with an AsyncQueue</h3>
<p>
AsyncQueues manage an array of callbacks that can be either simple function
references or <a href="#callbacks">objects with specific keys</a>. The
primary methods on AsyncQueue are <code>add</code> and
<code>run</code>.
</p>
<p>
When <code>run()</code> is invoked, each callback is executed in turn,
either synchronously or via <code>setTimeout</code> (depending on the
configuration of the callback or of the AsyncQueue instance).
</p>
<p>
Queued callbacks can also be promoted to the top of the queue or removed
from it.
</p>
```
var q = new Y.AsyncQueue(callbackB, someTask, callbackA, callbackC);
q.add(callbackD, callbackE); // B, someTask, A, C, D, E
q.promote(callbackA); // A, B, someTask, C, D, E
q.remove(someTask); // A, B, C, D, E
q.run(); // execute A, then B, then C, then D, then E
```
<h4 id="stopping">Pausing and stopping an AsyncQueue</h4>
<p>
In addition to <code>run()</code>, AsyncQueue instances also have
<code>pause()</code> and <code>stop()</code> methods to interrupt the run
state.
</p>
<p>
To wait for an external process to complete, such as an XHR request, call
<code>pause()</code>, then <code>run()</code> again to resume
execution.
</p>
<p>
Call <code>stop()</code> to terminate execution and flush the AsyncQueue.
</p>
```
// Seed the instance with callbacks
var q = new Y.AsyncQueue(
// The second callback will pause the Queue and send an XHR for data
function () {
q.pause();
// Send the asynchronous XHR
Y.io(MyApp.getDataUri(), { on: {
success : function (xid,o) {
try {
var data = Y.JSON.parse(o.responseText);
}
catch (e) {
q.stop();
}
MyApp.processData(data);
// In the XHR callback, restart the AsyncQueue if successful
q.run();
},
failure : function () {
// Stop the AsyncQueue if anything goes wrong
q.stop();
}
}});
},
// The third callback will do partial updates until complete
{
fn: Y.bind(MyApp.updateUI,MyApp),
until: function () {
return MyApp.remainingData >= 0;
}
},
q.run();
```
<h4 id="callbacks">About AsyncQueue callbacks</h4>
<p>
AsyncQueue callbacks can be simple function references or object literals
with the following keys:
</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>property</th>
<th>description</th>
<th>default</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><code>fn</code></td>
<td><strong>Required</strong>. The callback function to execute.</td>
<td>(none)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>context</code></td>
<td>The context from which to execute the callback function.</td>
<td>The AsyncQueue instance</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>args</code></td>
<td>Array of arguments that will be passed as individual args to the callback function.</td>
<td>(none)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>timeout</code></td>
<td>Millisecond delay before each execution of this callback. Set to -1 to trigger synchronous execution.</td>
<td>10</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>iterations</code></td>
<td>The number of times to execute this callback before shifting it from the queue.</td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>until</code></td>
<td>A function that will return <code>true</code> when the current callback can be shifted from the queue.</td>
<td>a function that tests against <code>iterations</code></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>id</code></td>
<td>Name given to this callback for ease of reference.</td>
<td>(none)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>autoContinue</code></td>
<td>Set to <code>false</code> to automatically <code>pause()</code> after this callback.</td>
<td>true</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h4 id="defaults">Class- and instance-level callback defaults</h4>
<p>
AsyncQueue provides three places to configure callbacks (in decreasing
precedence order):
</p>
<ol>
<li>The callback object</li>
<li>The AsyncQueue instance's <code>defaults</code> collection</li>
<li>The class static <code>defaults</code> collection</li>
</ol>
```
// All AsyncQueue instances will execute all callbacks synchronously by default
var q = new Y.AsyncQueue();
// run every callback in this instance twice before moving to the next callback
q.add(functionA,
{
fn: functionB,
timeout: 100 // this callback will be executed asynchronously
});
// functionA executes twice immediately, then after 100 milliseconds functionB
// is executed, then after another 100ms functionB is executed again.
q.run();
```
<h4 id="sync">Synchronous mode for callback execution</h4>
<p>
One of the main goals of the AsyncQueue is to provide a mechanism to
prevent process-intensive operations from locking up the UI. By default,
AsyncQueue callbacks are executed via <code>setTimeout</code> to facilitate
this. The <code>timeout</code> configuration accepts -1 as a value to
trigger synchronous callback execution. Use this setting with caution.
</p>
<h4 id="chaining">About timeout chaining</h4>
<p>
Timeout chaining is a strategy to address the lack of <a
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thread_(computer_science)">multithreading</a>
in JavaScript. When complex or iterative code executes it can cause the
page to stop responding until the running JavaScript process completes; it
can also cause "non-responsive script" or "long-running script" dialogs to
be presented to the user. Both outcomes are detrimental to user
experience.
</p>
<p>
To address this, the operation can be split into chunks, and
<code>setTimeout</code> can be used to yield control back to other
operations between each chunk. A common use case for this technique is to
allow browser reflows to display DOM modifications incrementally while
batches of work are being done in JavaScript. For iterative functions, the
code can execute a portion of the overall work, then schedule itself to run
via <code>setTimeout</code>.
</p>
<p>The basic form of an iterative timeout chain is:</p>
```
(function () {
/* do a chunk of the work */
if (/* process completion check fails */) {
// Schedule myself for re-execution, picking up where I left off
setTimeout(arguments.callee,0);
}
})();
```
<p>
When dealing with <code>setTimeout</code>, it's easy to introduce race
conditions. Because all timeouts are scheduled against the same timer and
only one can run at a time, when two timeouts are separately scheduled, it
is possible for them to execute out of intended order.
</p>
<p>
AsyncQueue supports both "chunked operations" (by specifying callback
timeouts) and "iterative operations" (by specifying callback
<code>iterations</code> or <code>until</code> functions). Furthermore,
AsyncQueue manages the callback sequence and can therefore guarantee the
execution order, so you avoid race conditions.
</p>
<h4 id="events">Exposed events</h4>
<p>
AsyncQueue is based on EventTarget and instances emit the following events
throughout their lifecycle:
</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Event</th>
<th>When</th>
<th>Event payload</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><code>add</code></td>
<td>Callbacks are added to the AsyncQueue.</td>
<td><code>{ callbacks: (Array of callbacks added) }</code></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>promote</code></td>
<td>A callback is promoted.</td>
<td><code>{ callback : (callback) }</code></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>remove</code></td>
<td>A callback is removed.</td>
<td><code>{ callback : (callback) }</code></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>execute</code></td>
<td>A callback is executed.</td>
<td><code>{ callback : (callback) }</code></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>shift</code></td>
<td>A callback is shifted from the AsyncQueue.</td>
<td><code>{ callback : (callback) }</code></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>complete</code></td>
<td>After the last callback is finished executing. <em>NOT</em> fired after <code>stop()</code>.</td>
<td>(none)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>