How To : improve speed of display for user created sub-menus requiring complex variables to be calculated

[frying-pan]

Speed of display is improved on repetitive TEST sub-menu hovering, because complex variables are only calculated once per mouse right-click. On a new right-click, we usually want these variables to be updated (if they depend on the state of the file system/computer/date and time etc....)

$a_arr=['GLOBAL'] // just an additional test of vars scope : will not interfere with the local a_arr

$DUMMY_GLOBAL_TEST_USE_TO_REINIT='DUMMY' // this line is just for information that this GLOBAL var name will be reserved
$B_GLOBAL_TEST_INIT_DONE=false // this GLOBAL var name is also reserved
menu(title='TEST') {
	// complex (local) vars are just declared as 0 at menu creation
	$a_arr=0

	// B_GLOBAL_TEST_INIT_DONE prevents complex vars (arrays of files and icons, strings concatenation, etc...)
	// from being rebuild each time TEST menu is hovered and expanded, and possibly even for each item...
	// However these vars are rebuilt on a new mouse right-click.
	$DUMMY_Local_Use_To_Init=if(not(B_GLOBAL_TEST_INIT_DONE),{
		// set a folder where you can add and remove files to check for proper complex vars refresh on next mouse right-click
		//$a_folder='C:\Users\[username]\Desktop\test_folder'
		// or set a big folder to check for slowness on first hover, quickness on next hover (without new mouse right-click)
		$a_folder=sys.bin

		// complex vars : do the heavy stuff here...
		for(i=0,i<500) {$a_arr=path.files(a_folder,'*',3|16)}

		// we do NOT want to rebuild complex vars on next TEST menu hover
		($B_GLOBAL_TEST_INIT_DONE=True)
	})
	// complex vars are only evaluated once by a call to DUMMY_Local_Use_To_Init (on the first TEST menu hover)
	item(title='invisible_item' where=if(DUMMY_Local_Use_To_Init,false,false))

	// make use of the complex vars WITHOUT rebuilding them on each hover, and possibly even for each item...
	item(title='Local var:'+len(a_arr))
	item(title='Local var:'+len(a_arr))
	item(title='Local var:'+len(a_arr))
	item(title='Local var:'+len(a_arr))
	item(title='Local var:'+len(a_arr))
	item(title='Local var:'+len(a_arr))
	item(title='Local var:'+len(a_arr))
	item(title='Local var:'+len(a_arr))
	item(title='Local var:'+len(a_arr))
	item(title='Local var:'+len(a_arr))
}
// we WANT to rebuild complex vars on next mouse right-click
$DUMMY_GLOBAL_TEST_USE_TO_REINIT=if(($B_GLOBAL_TEST_INIT_DONE=false)) // overrides previous GLOBAL declaration
item(title='invisible_item' where=if(DUMMY_GLOBAL_TEST_USE_TO_REINIT,false,false))

item(title='Locally declared vars do not exists here:'+len(a_arr)+':'+a_arr[0]) // just an additional test of vars scope

If the variables do NOT need to be updated between two right-clicks (so until the application is restarted : explorer.exe or another app) the two lines after the menu(){} should be commented out :

// $DUMMY_GLOBAL_TEST_USE_TO_REINIT=if(($B_GLOBAL_TEST_INIT_DONE=false)) // overrides previous GLOBAL declaration
// item(title='invisible_item' where=if(DUMMY_GLOBAL_TEST_USE_TO_REINIT,false,false))