Loop socket request every 5 seconds (Python)

Question

How would i loop every 5 seconds the following code :

sendSocket = socket.socket (socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
sendSocket.connect ( ( 'CENSORED', 1234 ) )
sendSocket.send ( 'request posit' )
data = sendSocket.recv( 100 )
chatLog.insert(END, data)

I want a client to recieve data every 5 seconds from a server, i did a while True loop (lol) and the program interface didnt even load and the server got flooded by the client.

I just want the server to update the client every 5 seconds with a variable that is stored on the server, without a user having to manually press a button.

import socket, time
from Tkinter import *

## Main Window
gui = Tk()
gui.geometry('450x350-5+40')
gui.minsize(450,350)
gui.maxsize(450,350)
userInput = StringVar()

## Main window that displays user and server input.
chatLog = Text(gui, width=60, height=15)
chatLog.pack()

## Send Packet function, main part of the script. Sends whatever the user puts in.
def sendChat():
    sendSocket = socket.socket (socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
    sendSocket.connect ( ( 'nope.com', 1234 ) )
    sendSocket.send ( e.get() )
    data = sendSocket.recv( 100 )
    chatLog.insert(END, data)
    sendSocket.close()

while True:
    sendSocket = socket.socket (socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
    sendSocket.connect ( ( 'nope.com', 1234 ) )
    sendSocket.send ( 'request posit' )
    data = sendSocket.recv( 100 )
    chatLog.insert(END, data)
    sendSocket.close()
    time.sleep (5.0)

## Submit text button
b = Button(gui, text="Send", command=sendChat )
b.pack()

## Text entry box
e = Entry(gui, textvariable=userInput)
e.pack()

gui.mainloop()

Why did you feel the need to randomly insert (lol) into the middle of that? — Winston Ewert, May 30 '11 at 01:46
The answer to this question depends on how you are creating your program interface. What did you use wxPython, PyQt, PySide, curses, Gtk? — Winston Ewert, May 30 '11 at 01:47
Because i know while True is definately not the correct way to go about doing something properly. Also i used tkinter to make the GUI. — Brandon Ingham, May 30 '11 at 01:49
(lol) in my opinion makes you look silly. I at least takes questions more seriously if you don't do that. — Winston Ewert, May 30 '11 at 02:04

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:23

2

See this question:

How to make tkinter repond events while waiting socket data?

You can also use after_idle

def read_the_socket():
    sendSocket.send ( 'request posit' )
    data = sendSocket.recv( 100 )
    gui.after(5000, read_the_socket)


gui.after_idle(read_the_socket)

after_idle schedules a function the be called once the GUI isn't busy anymore. You can also use .after(time, function) to delay for a specific amount of time before calling the function again.

Finally, you should really maintain your connection to the server not reconnect each time.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:23

Community

1
1

answered May 30 '11 at 02:04

Winston Ewert

44,070
10
68
83

1

`after(delay_ms, callback, args...)` is probably better here, since `after_idle` will get called alot. – Jochen Ritzel May 30 '11 at 02:19
This is good and kind of works but after 1 time i get [Errno 10054] An existing connection was forcibly closed by the remote host – Brandon Ingham May 30 '11 at 02:26
@Brandon, is the server yours? The server has to be programmed to allow multiple requests for a single connection. Otherwise you need to include the whole connect/send/recv/close in the function. – Winston Ewert May 30 '11 at 04:10

score 1 · Answer 2 · 2011-05-30T02:04:41.220

1

import time

while True:
    do_stuff ()
    time.sleep (5.0)

Ideally after do_stuff up you would calculate how long you had been asleep for, then adjust your sleep time as appropriate to get back into sync.

Edit: This assumes that's all you're doing. Otherwise use the time functions to see if it's been 5 secs. time.localtime() or something. I don't remember their names, but python's libs are well documented.

Edit 2: Although that might not apply to tkinter. Really i wouldnt have posted if the full code and tkinter had been in the original message. Sorry!

edited May 30 '11 at 02:04

answered May 30 '11 at 01:42

Ive done this, the server doesnt get flooded now but the GUI still doesn't load. Its made in tkinter. Ive edited the main post to show the entire code. – Brandon Ingham May 30 '11 at 01:50
I don't know tkinter, sorry, can't help you with that. I can't see a problem with `while True` at all. – May 30 '11 at 01:54
EDIT: although that might not apply to tkinter. Really i wouldnt have posted if the full code and tkinter had been in the original message. Sorry! – May 30 '11 at 02:03
Ah thats my fault, sorry about that. I just assumed what i made it with didnt really matter and there would be a simple solution. – Brandon Ingham May 30 '11 at 02:04

Loop socket request every 5 seconds (Python)

2 Answers2

Linked