algorithm for max_script_run_time

[Jaime]

I have been seeing the "Warning".. for "Unresponsive script" on a website I
am writing ...

What is the algorithm that triggers??

is it strictly time-based on continuous javascript?? For example, I
assume default setting is if I run 5 seconds of continuous JS in a handler?
or is it a % of JS running in an interval? (e.g. if I run a lot of JS but
every 3 seconds I setTimeOut so it is not a continuous script, would this
help?? my callbacks would be milliseconds apart... (50?) ??

I know it sounds horrible to run 5 seconds of script... but in this case
what is happenning is my script is driving the UI ( animations ) ... so it
is not like the UI is completely unresponsive...

Also the script is making calls into a plug-in ( Microsoft's new
Silverlight) that also drives the UI... is this counted as script time
too??

Thanks in advance! I have tried to get around it, but have not nailed a
deterministic behavior for the trigger :(

[Tony Mechelynck]

The behaviour is sometimes a little erratic. In general, increasing the
timeout will reduce the probability of spurious warnings for scripts running
for a long but finite time; it will also make browser lockups longer before
you get a warning if a script does get into an infinite or unacceptably long
loop. Conversely if you reduce the timeout; so you have to find a compromise
value which is acceptable for the kind of browsing you do. Firefox comes with
a default setting of either 5 or 10 seconds depending on version and build; a
longer or shorter value may be better for you.

See:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Unresponsive_Script_Warning
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Dom.max_script_run_time
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Dom.max_chrome_script_run_time
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Editing_configuration

Best regards,
Tony.
--
Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for
word what you shouldn't have said.

[Jaime]

Hi Tony...

Unfortunately for me, I merely write the website, so I can't alter the
vistor's configuration .... -nor can I even ask them to change it--...

If I know how it fires I would rather get around it. . using setTimeout
after 3 seconds, definitely helps but did not get rid of all, so I am
wondering if there is other criteria that makes this behavior as you have
seen 'erratic' ...

Thanks in advance!!
jaime

PS -- is there a place to request a feature to allow this to be changed
programmatically?? Ideally on a per site basis .. ?

"Tony Mechelynck" <antoine.m...@belgacom.net> wrote in message
news:Z5CdndKYy7d6z2Db...@mozilla.org...

[Tony Mechelynck]

Jaime wrote:
> Hi Tony...
>
> Unfortunately for me, I merely write the website, so I can't alter the
> vistor's configuration .... -nor can I even ask them to change it--...
>
> If I know how it fires I would rather get around it. . using setTimeout
> after 3 seconds, definitely helps but did not get rid of all, so I am
> wondering if there is other criteria that makes this behavior as you have
> seen 'erratic' ...
>
> Thanks in advance!!
> jaime
>
> PS -- is there a place to request a feature to allow this to be changed
> programmatically?? Ideally on a per site basis .. ?

- For more information, you may use the Search feature at the following sites,
all managed by the same software as the Wikipedia:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/ "Mozillazine Knowledge Base"
http://wiki.mozilla.org/ "MozillaWiki"
http://developer.mozilla.org/ "MDC" (Mozilla Developer Center aka Devmo).
You can get search engines for them (and others) at http://mycroft.mozdev.org/

- To request improvements and/or bugfixes in Firefox (or in any Mozilla
software), open a bug report at https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/ -- after
checking, on the same site, that you can't find an already existing report for
the same problem.

A "bug" in this context can also be a request-for-enhancement: see the
possible "severity" settings when you report a "new" bug.

Note: The functioning of the dom.max_script_run_time setting will probably
have its bugs in the "Core" project rather than in the "Firefox" project.

Best regards,
Tony.
--
hundred-and-one symptoms of being an internet addict:
31. You code your homework in HTML and give your instructor the URL.

[John Resig]

Jamie -

Rather than doing something like:

while ( true )
do_animation();

try something like this instead:

setTimeout(function step(){
do_animation();
setTimeout(step, 10);
});

This will provide a delay between the steps of your animation just
long enough to not cause the browser to freeze and that error to come
up. Hope this helps!

--John