Timeout for a method execution

[pjmorce]

Hello

I would like to have some help about an issue:

I have a method "doSomething" which can take a while to be fully executed.

...
boolean bResult = false;
bResult = doSomething();
System.out.println("Result:" + bResult);
...

I would like to be able to stop the method execution after 10 seconds and continue the normal execution of my class. This means:

- If doSomething() is executed in 3 seconds for example, the System.out.println() statement shows the result of the method
- If doSomething() is executed in more than 10 seconds, after 10 seconds the method is stopped and the System.out.println() will always have false as result.

Anyone can help me about this?

Thanks

regards

[CJSLMAN]

What does the doSomething method do?

• Is it calling another method?
• Is it calling/waitng on a process?
• Something else?

Depending on the answer the solution could be different.

CJSL

[Steve11235]

I can suggest two options.

1. Within the method, assuming it is looping and not waiting for an external event, add a local field and test the time each time around the loop.

void method() {
	long endTimeMillis = System.currentTimeMillis() + 10000;
	while (true) {
		// method logic
		if (System.currentTimeMillis() > endTimeMillis) {
			// do some clean-up
			return;
		}
	}
}

2. Run the method in a thread, and have the caller count to 10 seconds.

	Thread thread = new Thread(new Runnable() {
		@Override
		public void run() {
			method();
		}
	});
	thread.start();
	long endTimeMillis = System.currentTimeMillis() + 10000;
	while (thread.isAlive()) {
		if (System.currentTimeMillis() > endTimeMillis) {
			// set an error flag
			break;
		}
		try {
			Thread.sleep(500);
		}
		catch (InterruptedException t) {}
	}

The drawback to this approach is that method() cannot return a value directly, it must update an instance field to return its value.

-Steve