Try #2180:

Cargo.toml

@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ anyhow = "1.0"
 rand = "0.8.0"
 ron = "0.6.2"
 serde = {version = "1", features = ["derive"]}
+# Needed to poll Task examples
+futures-lite = "1.11.3"
 
 [[example]]
 name = "hello_world"
@@ -232,6 +234,11 @@ path = "examples/asset/custom_asset_io.rs"
 name = "hot_asset_reloading"
 path = "examples/asset/hot_asset_reloading.rs"
 
+# Async Tasks
+[[example]]
+name = "async_compute"
+path = "examples/async_tasks/async_compute.rs"
+
 # Audio
 [[example]]
 name = "audio"

examples/README.md

@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ git checkout v0.4.0
   - [3D Rendering](#3d-rendering)
   - [Application](#application)
   - [Assets](#assets)
+  - [Async Tasks](#async-tasks)
   - [Audio](#audio)
   - [Diagnostics](#diagnostics)
   - [ECS (Entity Component System)](#ecs-entity-component-system)
@@ -131,6 +132,12 @@ Example | File | Description
 `custom_asset_io` | [`asset/custom_asset_io.rs`](./asset/custom_asset_io.rs) | Implements a custom asset io loader
 `hot_asset_reloading` | [`asset/hot_asset_reloading.rs`](./asset/hot_asset_reloading.rs) | Demonstrates automatic reloading of assets when modified on disk
 
+## Async Tasks
+
+Example | File | Description
+--- | --- | ---
+`async_compute` | [`async_tasks/async_compute.rs`](async_tasks/async_compute.rs) | How to use `AsyncComputeTaskPool` to complete longer running tasks
+
 ## Audio
 
 Example | File | Description

examples/async_tasks/async_compute.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+use bevy::{
+    prelude::*,
+    tasks::{AsyncComputeTaskPool, Task},
+};
+use futures_lite::future;
+use rand::Rng;
+use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
+
+/// This example shows how to use the ECS and the AsyncComputeTaskPool
+/// to spawn, poll, and complete tasks across systems and system ticks.
+fn main() {
+    App::build()
+        .insert_resource(Msaa { samples: 4 })
+        .add_plugins(DefaultPlugins)
+        .add_startup_system(setup_env.system())
+        .add_startup_system(add_assets.system())
+        .add_startup_system(spawn_tasks.system())
+        .add_system(handle_tasks.system())
+        .run();
+}
+
+// Number of cubes to spawn across the x, y, and z axis
+const NUM_CUBES: u32 = 6;
+
+struct BoxMeshHandle(Handle<Mesh>);
+struct BoxMaterialHandle(Handle<StandardMaterial>);
+
+/// Startup system which runs only once and generates our Box Mesh
+/// and Box Material assets, adds them to their respective Asset
+/// Resources, and stores their handles as resources so we can access
+/// them later when we're ready to render our Boxes
+fn add_assets(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    mut meshes: ResMut<Assets<Mesh>>,
+    mut materials: ResMut<Assets<StandardMaterial>>,
+) {
+    let box_mesh_handle = meshes.add(Mesh::from(shape::Cube { size: 0.25 }));
+    commands.insert_resource(BoxMeshHandle(box_mesh_handle));
+
+    let box_material_handle = materials.add(Color::rgb(1.0, 0.2, 0.3).into());
+    commands.insert_resource(BoxMaterialHandle(box_material_handle));
+}
+
+/// This system generates tasks simulating computationally intensive
+/// work that potentially spans multiple frames/ticks. A separate
+/// system, handle_tasks, will poll the spawned tasks on subsequent
+/// frames/ticks, and use the results to spawn cubes
+fn spawn_tasks(mut commands: Commands, thread_pool: Res<AsyncComputeTaskPool>) {
+    for x in 0..NUM_CUBES {
+        for y in 0..NUM_CUBES {
+            for z in 0..NUM_CUBES {
+                // Spawn new task on the AsyncComputeTaskPool
+                let task = thread_pool.spawn(async move {
+                    let mut rng = rand::thread_rng();
+                    let start_time = Instant::now();
+                    let duration = Duration::from_secs_f32(rng.gen_range(0.05..0.2));
+                    while Instant::now() - start_time < duration {
+                        // Spinning for 'duration', simulating doing hard
+                        // compute work generating translation coords!
+                    }
+
+                    // Such hard work, all done!
+                    Transform::from_translation(Vec3::new(x as f32, y as f32, z as f32))
+                });
+
+                // Spawn new entity and add our new task as a component
+                commands.spawn().insert(task);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// This system queries for entities that have our Task<Transform> component. It polls the
+/// tasks to see if they're complete. If the task is complete it takes the result, adds a
+/// new PbrBundle of components to the entity using the result from the task's work, and
+/// removes the task component from the entity.
+fn handle_tasks(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    mut transform_tasks: Query<(Entity, &mut Task<Transform>)>,
+    box_mesh_handle: Res<BoxMeshHandle>,
+    box_material_handle: Res<BoxMaterialHandle>,
+) {
+    for (entity, mut task) in transform_tasks.iter_mut() {
+        if let Some(transform) = future::block_on(future::poll_once(&mut *task)) {
+            // Add our new PbrBundle of components to our tagged entity
+            commands.entity(entity).insert_bundle(PbrBundle {
+                mesh: box_mesh_handle.0.clone(),
+                material: box_material_handle.0.clone(),
+                transform,
+                ..Default::default()
+            });
+
+            // Task is complete, so remove task component from entity
+            commands.entity(entity).remove::<Task<Transform>>();
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// This system is only used to setup light and camera for the environment
+fn setup_env(mut commands: Commands) {
+    // Used to center camera on spawned cubes
+    let offset = if NUM_CUBES % 2 == 0 {
+        (NUM_CUBES / 2) as f32 - 0.5
+    } else {
+        (NUM_CUBES / 2) as f32
+    };
+
+    // lights
+    commands.spawn_bundle(PointLightBundle {
+        transform: Transform::from_translation(Vec3::new(4.0, 12.0, 15.0)),
+        ..Default::default()
+    });
+
+    // camera
+    commands.spawn_bundle(PerspectiveCameraBundle {
+        transform: Transform::from_translation(Vec3::new(offset, offset, 15.0))
+            .looking_at(Vec3::new(offset, offset, 0.0), Vec3::Y),
+        ..Default::default()
+    });
+}