Discord bot status update delay problem

Other Questions Discord bot
1

Hey everyone! I’m having a weird issue with my Discord bot. I made a command that checks a website’s status every 5 seconds and updates it on my server. It also shows the current time. But after a while, the time starts to get behind. First it’s a minute off, then two, and before I know it, it’s hours behind! I think it might be related to the 5-second status check interval.

Here’s a simplified version of what I’m doing:

const net = require('net');
const { MessageEmbed } = require('discord.js');

let lastMessageId = null;

module.exports = {
  monitorSite: async (bot) => {
    try {
      const site = {
        name: 'MyAwesomeSite',
        address: 'myawesomesite.com',
        port: 443
      };

      net.connect(site.port, site.address, () => {
        const isUp = true;
        updateStatus(bot, site, isUp);
      }).on('error', () => {
        const isUp = false;
        updateStatus(bot, site, isUp);
      });
    } catch (err) {
      console.log(`Oops! Something went wrong: ${err}`);
    } finally {
      setTimeout(() => module.exports.monitorSite(bot), 5000);
    }
  }
};

function updateStatus(bot, site, isUp) {
  // Status update logic here
}

Any ideas on why the timestamp is getting delayed? Thanks for your help!

2

I’ve run into this exact problem before with a similar bot setup. The issue is likely related to the event loop getting clogged up over time. What worked for me was implementing a separate worker thread to handle the status checks and time updates. This keeps the main thread free and prevents timing drift.

Here’s a quick tip: instead of using setTimeout or setInterval directly, try using the ‘node-schedule’ package. It’s much more reliable for long-running tasks and helps prevent the kind of time desync you’re experiencing.

Also, make sure you’re handling any potential errors in your updateStatus function. Unhandled exceptions can cause subtle timing issues that compound over time. Adding some logging throughout your code can help pinpoint where delays are creeping in.

Lastly, consider updating less frequently. Every 5 seconds might be overkill and could be contributing to the problem. Maybe try every 30 seconds or even every minute and see if that helps stabilize things.

3

I’ve encountered similar issues with Discord bots before. The problem likely stems from the recursive setTimeout approach you’re using. This can lead to timing drift over extended periods.

Consider switching to setInterval for more precise timing. Also, ensure your updateStatus function is non-blocking and efficient. If it’s performing heavy operations, it could cause delays.

Another potential issue is Discord’s rate limiting. Make sure you’re not hitting API limits with frequent updates. You might want to implement a backoff strategy or reduce update frequency.

Lastly, check your server’s clock synchronization. NTP issues can sometimes cause time discrepancies in long-running processes.

4

hey there! sounds like ur bot might be experiencing some async issues. have u considered using setInterval instead of setTimeout? it could help keep ur timing more consistent. also, check if ur updateStatus function is taking longer than expected, causing delays. good luck with ur bot!