running command with timeout

ajayyadavmca · 05-16-2012, 01:50 PM

Hi, i have searched about this and i get many ways to implement timeout while running commands/script in shell.

what i am doing right now is:

Code:

command1 &
pid=$!
( sleep 60; kill $pid ) &
# other commands with same line as above 
command2..

i know many drawback of doing above.

but i have also heard new coreutils timeout command has improved way of achieving this. i have searched but nothing interesting i have got.
i am using centOS 6.2, if anybody know what is this new coreutils timeout. and how to use?

pan64 · 05-16-2012, 01:57 PM

so you searched.
for example here: http://www.gnu.org/software/ coreutils/?
or maybe here: http://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils /manual/html_node /timeout-invocation.html#timeout-invocation

colucix · 05-16-2012, 01:59 PM

Well, here is the official manual: http://www.gnu.org/software/coreutil...nvocation.html. Running it should be as simple as

Code:

timeout 60 command1 &

ajayyadavmca · 05-19-2012, 03:17 AM

thanks for help.
yea i see i dont need another mechanism and i can use timeout.

just if anyone has tried it please let me know if this will work.

so i have several commands which i will run using timeout and redirect error and out to a file.
my question is: Will there be a problem if many threads are writing/appending to that file? if yes how can i achieve synchronization in shell script?

ajayyadavmca · 05-19-2012, 06:02 AM

i got it , i can use locks, easy. thanks all.