.. _library_timeout:

timeout

The timeout object provides a portable abstraction over calling a goal deterministically with a time limit as made available in some form by some of the supported backend Prolog systems (B-Prolog, ECLiPSe, XVM, SICStus Prolog, SWI-Prolog, Trealla Prolog, XSB, and YAP).

For better performance, compile calls to this library meta-predicates with the optimize flag turned on so that the meta-arguments, i.e. the goals that you are timing, are also compiled.

API documentation

Open the `../../docs/library_index.html#timeout <../../docs/library_index.html#timeout>`__ link in a web browser.

Loading

To load all entities in this library, load the loader.lgt file:

::

| ?- logtalk_load(timeout(loader)).

Testing

To test this library predicates, load the tester.lgt file:

::

| ?- logtalk_load(timeout(tester)).

Known issues

Two tests are currently skipped when using the SWI-Prolog backend as they cannot be interrupted and generate the expected timeout exceptions due to tests being run from an initialization/1 directive goal that, in the SWI-Prolog, implementation of this directive, ignores signals. The test goals do generate the expected timeout exception when not called from an initialization/1 directive.