timeout3 - execute a command with a timeout

Execute a command with a time-out. Upon time-out expiration SIGTERM (15) is sent to the process. If SIGTERM signal is blocked, then a subsequent SIGKILL (9) terminates it.

Install

Something like

git clone https://github.com/jbenet/bash-timeout3
mv bash-timeout3/timeout3-v2 /usr/bin/timeout3

Usage

Examples

# timeout $(sleep 10) at 5 seconds.
> ./timeout3-v1 -t 5 sleep 10
Terminated: 15

v1

> ./timeout3-v1
Synopsis
    timeout3-v1 [-t timeout] [-i interval] [-d delay] command
    Execute a command with a time-out.
    Upon time-out expiration SIGTERM (15) is sent to the process. If SIGTERM
    signal is blocked, then the subsequent SIGKILL (9) terminates it.
    -t timeout
        Number of seconds to wait for command completion.
        Default value: 9 seconds.
    -i interval
        Interval between checks if the process is still alive.
        Positive integer, default value: 1 seconds.
    -d delay
        Delay between posting the SIGTERM signal and destroying the
        process by SIGKILL. Default value: 1 seconds.
As of today, Bash does not support floating point arithmetic (sleep does),
therefore all delay/time values must be integers.

v2

> ./timeout-v2
Synopsis:  timeout3-v2 [-t timeout] [-i interval] [-d delay] command

Executes the command with a time-out.  Upon time-out expiration SIGTERM (15) is
sent to the process.  If SIGTERM signal is blocked, then the subsequent SIGKILL
(9) terminates it.

-t timeout
    Number of seconds to wait for command completion.
    Default value: 5 seconds.  In some practical situations
    this value must be increased (for instance -t 180) to allow
    the command to complete.

-i interval
    Interval between checks if the process is still alive.
    Positive integer, default value: 1 seconds.
    Default value is OK for most situations.

-d delay
    Delay between posting the SIGTERM signal and destroying the process by
    SIGKILL.  Default value: 1 seconds.
    Default value is OK for most situations.

As of today, Bash does not support floating point arithmetic (sleep does),
therefore all time values must be integers.

History

This little script has a fun history:

• 2011: script contributed to bash by @golovashkin
• 2011: cleaned up by Chet
• 2013: removed from bash at the request of FSF
• 2016: MIT Licensed by @golovashkin at the request of @jbenet (picture)

See version histories at:

• http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/bash.git/log/examples/scripts/timeout3?h=bash-4.3-testing
• http://github.com/jbenet/bash-timeout3

License

MIT