User Guide
Data Types & Signal Flow
Event Data
How it Works
Like triggered data, Event data only flows through a schematic when something occurs that causes a change. Until this happens sections of
event data remain in a steady state.
When an event does occur a message called an Event is sent out through output connectors on one or more components. The Event flows
through the links until it reaches another component.
This all sounds very similar to the Trigger system. However, there are two important differences. First the Event carries data with it. The
Trigger system only signals that a change has occurred, components then call back (to the left) to calculate their values. Events carry data
with them. Once an event arrives at a component there is no calling back.
The second difference is that Events are scheduled. When an event is first created it is given a time stamp and will only be executed when
that time is reached. This means that you can specify exactly when you want an event to occur. This timing integrates fully with the stream
data so that you can schedule events to occur at a precise sample.
Currently the Event data only applies to the Ruby component. See the Ruby Component section for more information.
Event Data Types
Outside of the Ruby Component only one data type uses the Event system, Ruby Value.
In Ruby all data is considered to be an object. Numbers are objects, strings are objects, arrays are objects. Outside of Ruby code, objects all
have the same type: VALUE so when you pass Ruby objects between Ruby components you pass them through the Ruby Value connector.
We'll discuss this in more detail in the Ruby Component section of this guide.
Value – can refer to any Ruby object
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String changes sending trigger to
right via trigger system
Ruby component calls back to
get the new string value and
stores it.
Use of the trigger system
ends here. After this point the
Ruby component will never
call back for a value, it can
only use what it has been
sent.
Ruby component
schedules an event to be
sent out 1 second into the
future using the Event
system
Time+1 arrives and event is sent out
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