HEART_BEAT(L)

NAME
	heart_beat - called every 2 seconds in objects

SYNOPSIS
	void heart_beat();

LOCATION
	/obj/living.c, and can be placed in any object.

DESCRIPTION
	When a true value is passed to set_heart_beat(E), then the driver
	starts to call heart_beat() in that object every 2 seconds until
	it is shut off.
	This can be shut off by passing 0 to set_heart_beat, or will 
	be shut off if an error occurs.

NOTES
	Try not to have objects with heart_beat running continuously.  It
	is rather costly in cpu usage.  Instead, you might want to shut it
	off if no interactive players are nearby.

	If the object in which the heart_beat is running is living, then
	everytime heart_beat is called, this_player() will return the
	object.  If it is not alive, this_player() will return 0.
	Error messages, accordingly, will be either printed to the object
	or to nobody.

	If you just want to print out a message or two after some delay,
	use the call_out(E) efun.

EXAMPLES
	In some silly object.
	object owner; /* An external variable */

	void reset(int arg) {
	   if( !arg ) {
	      owner = this_player(); /* See NOTES above for reason */
	      set_heart_beat(1);
	   }
	}

	void heart_beat() {
	   tell_object(owner, "Your heart goes DUNK DUNK.\n");
	}

SEE ALSO
	set_heart_beat(E), call_out(E), enable_commands(E)
	  

Help topics available:

add_hook	add_weight	can_put_and_get	clean_up	drop
extra_look	get	heart_beat	id	init
init_arg	is_armour	is_money	is_weapon	long
query_auto_load	query_hook	query_long	query_name	query_prevent_move_from_statue
remove_hook	reset	set_long	set_name	set_short
short