I have a suspend function ```private suspend fun getThing ``

Question

I have a suspend function ```private suspend fun getThing ``` How can I set a minimum return time on this So it will only return if at least 2000ms have passed for example

Paul Woitaschek · Answer

using a delay

Mike Speed · Answer

literally just `delay 2000 `

Paul Woitaschek · Answer

Rather this ```suspend fun getThing val start = System currentTimeMillis doStuff val elapsed = System currentTimeMillis start delay 2000 elapsed ```

Mike Speed · Answer

That ll do it Thanks a lot slightly smiling face

Mike Speed · Answer

Unless there s a way to do it in fewer lines I m all ears smile

Chris Miller · Answer

Maybe something like ```delay 2000 measureTimeMillis doStuff ```

Paul Woitaschek · Answer

```suspend fun getThing Int return iWillReturnEarliestInTwoSeconds doStuff suspend inline fun lt T gt iWillReturnEarliestInTwoSeconds action gt T T val start = System currentTimeMillis val result = action val elapsed = System currentTimeMillis start delay 2000 elapsed return result ```

Mike Speed · Answer

very nice < Chris Miller> I think this `measureTimeMillis ` is basically doing what you have written here < Paul Woitaschek>

Chris Miller · Answer

Yes have a look at the source code for it

Mike Speed · Answer

thanks both

Paul Woitaschek · Answer

That measure thing doesn t have a return value Usually getThing indicates that there is a thing to get

Mike Speed · Answer

yeah true but in my case getThing just updates a LiveData it s not returning a value slightly smiling face

Joffrey · Answer

You have <https kotlinlang org api latest jvm stdlib kotlin time measure timed value html|measureTimedValue> for getting the elapsed time + the return value if you need it some other time

Paul Woitaschek · Answer

Here we go stuck out tongue ```suspend inline fun lt T gt iWillReturnEarliestInTwoSeconds action gt T T val result elapsed = measureTimedValue action delay Duration seconds 2 elapsed return result ```

Paul Woitaschek · Answer

I can make it even more cryptic see no evil ```suspend inline fun lt T gt iWillReturnEarliestInTwoSeconds action gt T T = measureTimedValue action also delay Duration seconds 2 it duration value```

ephemient · Answer

just launch a delay due to how structured concurrency works you won t return until all children are done ```private suspend fun getThing launch delay 2000 do other stuff```

uli · Answer

Not exactly You need a scope ```private suspend fun getThing = coroutineScooe launch delay 2000 do other stuff ```

Paul Woitaschek · Answer

That is technically correct but probably I wouldn t write it as most of the devs wouldn t understand it

uli · Answer

They better learn it wink

uli · Answer

Seriously scope is fundamental in coroutines And waiting for it s children is a key feature of scopes That s all this method is for

uli · Answer

But if you don t like it feel free to just join launch s job Might be a bit more expressive i agree

uli · Answer

```private suspend fun getThing val delayJob = launch delay 2000 do other stuff delayJob join ```