How To Determine the Differences Between DoEvents and Sleep

 Last reviewed: October 30, 1996
Article ID: Q158175
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Standard, Professional and Enterprise Editions, 32-bit only, for Windows, version 4.0

SUMMARY

This article explains the differences between the Visual Basic DoEvents function and the Sleep() Windows API function.

MORE INFORMATION

DoEvents is a Visual Basic function that yields execution so the operating system can process other events. This function cleans out the message loop and executes any other pending business in the Visual Basic runtime. Upon completing the pending business execution, the function calls the Sleep function with zero (0) as the argument so that the remaining time slice can be used to check the queue.

The Sleep 32-bit API function is a subset of the DoEvents function. The Visual Basic program calling the function and the Visual Basic runtime executable and interactions with Windows are immediately put to sleep by this function. The programs remain inactive for the time in milliseconds specified in the Sleep argument.

The Sleep function allows you to specify the amount of time your applications are inactive. The DoEvents function returns control to the Visual Basic program after the operating system has finished processing the events in its queue and all keys in the SendKeys queue have been sent.

KBCategory: kbusage kbprg kbhowto
KBSubcategory: APrgOther
Additional reference words: 4.00 vb4win vb432 Sleep DoEvents KBDSD



THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Last reviewed: October 30, 1996
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.