SET TIMEOUT

SET TIMEOUT* ( seconds )

Parameter	Type		Description
seconds	Integer	→	Seconds until the timeout

Description

SET TIMEOUT* specifies how much time a serial port command has to complete. If the serial port command does not complete within the specified time, seconds, the serial port command is canceled, an error -9990 is generated, and the OK system variable is set to 0. You can catch the error with an error-handling method installed using ON ERR CALL.

Note that the time is the total time allowed for the command to execute, not the time between characters received. To cancel a previous setting and stop monitoring serial port communication, use a setting of 0 for seconds.

The commands that are affected by the timeout setting are:

• RECEIVE PACKET
• RECEIVE RECORD
• RECEIVE VARIABLE

Example

The following example sets the serial port to receive data. It then sets a time-out. The data is read with RECEIVE PACKET. If the data is not received in time, an error occurs:

 SET CHANNEL(MacOS serial port;Speed 9600+Data bits 8+Stop bits one+Parity none) // Open Serial Port
 SET TIMEOUT(10) // Set the timeout for 10 seconds
 ON ERR CALL("CATCH COM ERRORS") // Do not let the method being interrupted
 RECEIVE PACKET(vtBuffer;Char(13)) // Read until a carriage return is met
 If(OK=0)
    ALERT("Error receiving data.")
 Else
    [People]Name:=vtBuffer // Save received data in a field
 End if
 ON ERR CALL("")

See also

ON ERR CALL
RECEIVE BUFFER
RECEIVE PACKET
RECEIVE RECORD
RECEIVE VARIABLE

Properties

Command number	268
Thread safe	✓
Modifies variables	OK, error