Getting Started

Create this demo in a test project. It writes only docs_demo_* channels and does not need a hardware plugin.

Create the script

Open Scripts, create docs_demo.dcode, and enter:

task_periodic docs_demo_clock:
    task elapsed_seconds:
        |docs_demo_seconds| = elapsed_seconds

channel_calculation docs_demo_minutes:
    return |docs_demo_seconds| / 60

The task publishes elapsed time on a schedule. The calculation runs inline when docs_demo_seconds is committed and writes docs_demo_minutes.

Validate and activate

Save the script, use the editor’s validation/build diagnostics, and correct reported errors before activating it. Activation registers the task and calculation with the engine. Use the task’s Start control, or set docs_demo_clock_running to 1 from Channels if it is stopped.

Open Channels and search for docs_demo. While the task runs, seconds should advance and minutes should be seconds divided by 60. The interface updates on its telemetry interval, so it need not show every task iteration.

Stop the demo through its task control when finished. Closing the script tab does not stop it. Saving source edits also does not prove the running declaration was replaced; activate the edited version and inspect the build result.

Keep values between iterations

Use state for data owned by one task:

task_periodic docs_demo_counter:
    start:
        state.count = 0

    task elapsed_seconds:
        state.count = state.count + 1
        |docs_demo_count| = state.count

    end:
        print("Demo counter stopped")

start: initializes the run, task: repeats, and end: performs stop handling. A local variable declared in the task body is temporary for that invocation.

If it does not run

Continue with Periodic Tasks, Channel Calculations, or Events.