timing out a check is it takes xx seconds

[perlnewbie9292]

Hello,

trying to figure out how to timeout/wait xx seconds for a command to run/return before it dying out and just printing command took to long etc. Not an external command in this case I am running a simple -w to check if two different directories are writeable. The problem is that something the device/mount goes offline and when the -w check is done it just sits there forever.

I found a few examples with SIG ALARM (which I don't quite follow) but not sure if there is a better/simpler way to do this.

example simple reduced code.

if ( (!-w $dirPath) && (!-w $dirPath2) ) { #how can I have  this check timeout after 5 seconds if no response comes back to -w?)
      do whatever
}

Thanks for the help in advanced.

 

[travs69]

maybe you check -e before you check -w?


Here's a very simple example stolen from a few posts down. Written by Kirlse

eval {  
local $SIG{ALRM} = sub { die; }  
alarm(30); # 30 seconds  
system("/usr/bin/may-or-may-not-return");  
alarm(0); # turn off the alarm clock
};

if ($@) {  warn "command timed out";}

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Travis - Those who say it cannot be done are usually interrupted by someone else doing it; Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions;