Exit from program using timer

Hello to all,

I am new to C and am learning on a daily basis. The code below will return a weight from a scales and output the result to a file. The program will only exit from a keyboard execution (Esc key). Is it possible to time out the program after a specified time (eg 5 seconds). Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

Code:

---

#include <bios.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <conio.h>

#define COM1      0
#define DATA_READY 0x100
#define TRUE      1
#define FALSE      0

#define SETTINGS ( 0xE0 | 0x18 | 0x04 | 0x02)
/* MODE COM        9600  EVEN  2      7 */

int main(void)
{
  int status, DONE = FALSE,flag=0,j=0,n;
  char rname[10000],in,out;
  FILE *fp=NULL;
  bioscom(0, SETTINGS, COM1);
        cprintf("... BIOSCOM [ESC] to exit .../n");
        fp=fopen("c:\\myfile.txt","w");
        while (flag!=1  || out=='$')
        {
                status = bioscom(3, 0, COM1);
                status = status & DATA_READY;
                if (status & DATA_READY)
                /*if (status!=0)*/
                {
                out = bioscom(2, 0, COM1);
                out = (out & 0x007f);

                if(out!='$')
                {
                        printf("%c",out);
                        rname[j]=out;
                        j++;
                }
                }
                if (kbhit())
                {
                        if ((in = getch()) == 27)
                                flag = 1;
                }
        }
        n=j;
        for(j=0;j<n;j++)
        {
        fputc(rname[j],fp);
        }
        fclose(fp);
        return 0;
}

---

Check your compiler options, you should have a sleep(NumberOfSeconds), or Sleep(NumberOfMilliseconds), or possibly one of these, prepended by an underline: _sleep(), that you can use.

You can use time() function from time.h
Example:

Code:

---

#include <time.h>

#define TIMEOUT_VALUE 5

time_t startTime = time(NULL);
do
{
  // instructions
} while (time(NULL) < startTime + TIMEOUT_VALUE);

---

Thankyou. time_t works perfectly.

#include <bios.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <conio.h>

OK, so you're using a fossil compiler, what is your real operating system?

If you're on say XP or newer, you can skip ahead about 20 years and join the rest of us in this millennium.

Download one of these fine compilers.
Free Developer Tools - Visual Studio 2010 Express | Microsoft Visual Studio
smorgasbordet - Pelles C
Code::Blocks

Yes Salem. Jumped in the Tardis and went back to the late 80's. I've downloaded MS Visual Studio Express and will be back to you soon...........

Code:

---

#include <signal.h>
#include <unistd.h>
int main(void)
{
  sleep(3);
  raise(9);
  for (;;)
    ;  /* infinite loop*/
  return 0;
}

---

</fun>