# $EPIC: pause.txt,v 1.2 2006/08/19 03:58:07 sthalik Exp $
======Synopsis:======
__pause__ <seconds>

======Description:======
__PAUSE__ performs a nonblocking sleep for <seconds> seconds.  During the
nonblocking sleep, the client performs all actions as normal, except that
__PAUSE__ will not return until <seconds> seconds have elapsed.  Because
things might have occurred during the nonblocking sleep, it not guaranteed
that everything is as it was when the __PAUSE__ started.  Servers may have
closed, the input line may have changed, dccs may have finished, etc.
__PAUSE__ does not guarantee to return promptly -- in fact, it might not 
return at all (if the user does [[QUIT]] during the interval).  If the
user performs some blocking or recursive command during the interval, 
__PAUSE__ will not return until all blocking/recursive commands complete.
This could be substantially longer than <seconds> seconds.

You don't want to use __PAUSE__ to stall for a certain amount of time 
before running a command if you need any sort of precision, because 
__PAUSE__ offers no guarantees when it will return.  For running a 
command after a precise interval, use the [[TIMER]] command.  Do not 
use __PAUSE__ as a substitute for [[WAIT]] because server requests offer 
absolutely no guarantees how long they might take.  I have seen [[WHOIS]] 
requests take well in excess of 900 seconds to come back.

<Seconds> must be a whole integer in EPIC4-1.1.1 and earlier.
<Seconds> may be a decimal number in EPIC4-1.1.2 and later.

======History:======
The __PAUSE__ command first appeared in EPIC3.003.
Support for sub-second resolution first appeared in EPIC4-1.1.2.