Programming with Callbacks

Don't call us, we'll call you

Daniel Jackson

Callbacks

  • APIs: using objects through specs
  • Callbacks: functions that an object calls
  • Registration methods

A Traffic light API

  • To use an object, you just need specs of methods: the API
  • API for traffic light:
    • red: switch to red light
    • yellow: switch to yellow light
    • green: switch to green light
    • next: switch to next light in sequence
  • Can you turn the light to green?
  • Can you cycle through the colors on each click of run?

Answer: A Traffic light API

  • Easy: just use the green method, and click run
  • Then replace all the code by t.next() and click run

Don't call me, I'll call you

  • We've seen that functions can be passed as arguments
  • Callback or listener: function passed as argument, called later
  • Example: account that lets you choose how success is reported

Traffic Light in the Bank

  • Let's hook the account up to the traffic light
  • Recall that t.green if a function that turns t green
  • Can you change the withdrawal amount so that a red light shows?
  • Can you make it show yellow for a failed account operation?

Answer: Traffic Light in the Bank

  • To show yellow for failed account operation, just pass t.yellow instead

On the Button

  • Often want to choose the callback dynamically
  • Common idiom: provide a registration method
  • Our button object has method onclick(f) to register f for clicks
  • Run the code, and click the button to see what happens

Controlling the Lights

  • How does this work?

Answer: Controlling the Lights

  • The call to onclick binds the function t.next to the button
  • Now every time the button is clicked, the traffic light switches to next color

Exercise: Action & Reaction

  • Build a reaction tester
  • Should go green after random delay
  • Then you click button, and it reports your reaction time
  • Hint: now() returns current time in ms

Answer: Action & Reaction

  • Here's a solution

Some Functions

  • Functions for the next exercise

Exercise: Action & Reaction Trace

  • This time, compute average over multiple tries
  • Complete the code inside the function report
  • Hint: use some of map, reduce, zip, filter and pos, plus, max

Solution: Action & Reaction Trace

THE END