What happens to setTimeout when the computer goes to sleep?

Question

In a modern web browser, suppose I do a setTimeout for 10 minutes (at 12:00), and 5 minutes later put the computer to sleep, what should happen when the system

Answer 1

Compare current datetime against datetime when the page was loaded, like so:

//Force refresh after x minutes.
var initialTime = new Date();
var checkSessionTimeout = function () {
    var minutes = Math.abs((initialTime - new Date()) / 1000 / 60);
    if (minutes > 20) {
        setInterval(function () { location.href = 'Audit.aspx' }, 5000)
    } 
};
setInterval(checkSessionTimeout, 1000);

Answer 2

Based on Ben's answer, I created the following util. You can tweak the sampling duration, however I use it just like this for token refreshing:

const absoluteSetInterval = (handler, timeout) => {
  let baseTime = Date.now();
  const callHandler = () => {
    if (Date.now() - baseTime > timeout) {
      baseTime = Date.now();
      handler();
    }
  };
  return window.setInterval(callHandler, 1000);
};

const absoluteClearInterval = (handle) => window.clearInterval(handle);

Answer 3

As far as I've tested, it just stops and resumes after the computer wakes up. I suppose that means for a session depending on setTimeout/Interval the counter ticks on from the time the computer fell asleep.

I don't think you should rely on the accuracy of setTimeout/Interval for time critical stuff. For google chrome I discovered recently that any timeout/interval (that is shorter than 1s) will be slowed down to once a second if the tab where it's activated looses focus.

Apart from that the accuracy of timeouts/intervals is dependent on other functions running etc. In short: it's not very accurate.

So using interval and timeouts, checking the time against a starttime within the function started by it would give you better accuracy. Now if you start at 12:00, the computer goes to sleep and wakes up at 16:13 or so, checking 16:13 against 12:00 you are certain you have to renew the token. An example of using time comparison can be found here

Answer 4

The behavior is based on both the browser and the operating system. The OS handle sleep and individual apps often don't account for it.

What will most likely happen is that the OS will come back up with the same time remaining on the timer as when it was shut down. The other possibility is that it won't fire at all.

If it is really a concern, you will probably want to be better safe than sorry and store a time stamp of when the token was initialized and use setInterval to check it periodically (say twice a minute).

However, security should not be just a client side thing. Make sure that your server throws an error if an old / invalid token is used and that the Ajax behaves appropriately in response.

[edit] I agree with the other post that it might fire immediately on the next tick. Resig's blog post is very good.

Answer 5

Behaviour of JavaScript timers (setTimeout) in several scenarios.

1. When the thread is free and the timeout fires: The timer is fired immediately after the timeout. It might have certain imprecision of about 0-5 ms (typical scenario).
2. When the thread is super busy (huge loop) long enough to pass the timer timeout: The timer will be executed immediately after the thread is freed.
3. When there is an alert: Same behaviour as 2.
4. When the thread is paused because our laptop went to sleep: I have seen several things. But most common is total inaccuracy and ignore of the time spent during sleeping.

Since timers in JavaScript are based on CPU ticks, and the CPU is sleeping, then the timer is completely paused and resumed as 'since nothing would have happen'.

Answer 6

In John Resig's blog the timers are said to be using "wall clock". I believe that the events will fire immediately after the machine is resumed because setTimeout() doesn't guarantee an execution is a specific point in time but as soon as possible after the specified interval. However, I haven't checked it myself.