SET TIMEOUT

version 3

SET TIMEOUT (seconds)

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

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("")

ON ERR CALL, RECEIVE BUFFER, RECEIVE PACKET, RECEIVE RECORD, RECEIVE VARIABLE.