@rbxts/jsnatives

setInterval

Repeatedly executes a function with a fixed delay between each call.

Signature

function setInterval(cb: (sym: symbol) => void, ms = 0): symbol

Description

The setInterval function repeatedly calls a callback function with a fixed time delay between each call. It returns a symbol that can be used to stop the interval using clearInterval.

Internally, it uses Roblox's task.delay function to implement the interval behavior.

Parameters

cb: A callback function to execute repeatedly. It receives the interval symbol as an argument.
ms: The delay in milliseconds between each execution of the callback. Default is 0.

Return value

A unique symbol that identifies the interval and can be used with clearInterval to stop it.

Examples

Basic usage

// Log a message every second
const intervalSymbol = setInterval((sym) => {
  print("This message appears every second");
}, 1000);

Stopping an interval

// Create an interval that executes every 2 seconds
const intervalSymbol = setInterval((sym) => {
  print("Interval is running");
}, 2000);

// Later, when you want to stop it:
clearInterval(intervalSymbol);

Self-terminating interval

let count = 0;
const intervalSymbol = setInterval((sym) => {
  count++;
  print(`Count: ${count}`);

  // Stop the interval after 5 executions
  if (count >= 5) {
    print("Interval complete");
    clearInterval(sym); // Using the symbol passed to the callback
  }
}, 1000);

Creating a timer

// Create a 10-second countdown timer
let timeLeft = 10;
const timerSymbol = setInterval((sym) => {
  print(`Time remaining: ${timeLeft} seconds`);
  timeLeft--;

  if (timeLeft < 0) {
    print("Timer complete!");
    clearInterval(sym);
  }
}, 1000);

const a = setInterval(() => {
  print("Hello, world!"); // will be called every 1 second
}, 1000);