Command timeouts in Julia

Question

I have a Julia script that repeatedly calls a C++ program to perform an optimization. The C++ program writes a text file, then I have Julia read the results and decide what to do next. The problem is that occasionally (maybe 1 in 1000+ times) the C++ program freezes (the optimization probably gets stuck), and my entire script hangs indefinitely, making it very difficult for the script to make it through all necessary program calls. Is there a way I can add a timeout, so that if the program has not finished within 10 minutes I can restart with a new guess value?

Simplified example:

for k = 1:10
    run(`program inputs`)
end

Desired:

max_runtime = 10*60 # 10 minutes
for k = 1:10
    run(`program inputs`,max_runtime)
end

Alternative:

max_runtime = 10*60 # 10 minutes
for k = 1:10
    deadline(function,max_runtime)
end

Mike Satteson · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-26 13:11:49Z

6

How about something like:

max_runtime = 10*60 # 10 minutes
for k = 1:10
    proc = spawn(`program inputs`)
    timedwait(() -> process_exited(proc), max_runtime)
    if process_running(proc)
        kill(proc)
    end
end

edited Jan 26, 2015 at 13:11

answered Jan 25, 2015 at 21:20

Mike Satteson

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3 Comments

tsteiner Over a year ago

Thank you for your help! I'm having trouble getting this to run. When I get to the timedwait call, I get an error message: ERROR: wrong number of arguments in anonymous at ... in timedwait at multi.jl:1552 in anonymous at no file:285 etc.` I'm not very competent with anonymous functions yet, is there an issue there?

tsteiner Over a year ago

Playing around a little more, I found that it works when I change x to (). I'm not sure exactly why this is, but thanks again for the help!

Mike Satteson Over a year ago

Oops,I did screw up that anonymous function call. I should have tested my answer but was in a hurry and wanted to get you something helpful sooner rather than later. My apologies and thanks for catching the problem

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