Re: Deadlock resolution

["Randy Brukardt" <randy@rrsoftware.com>]

"Nick Roberts" <nick.roberts@acm.org> wrote in message
news:opsbuptvw4p4pfvb@bram-2...
> On Tue, 27 Jul 2004 18:52:11 +0200, Jano <notelacreas@porfavor.no> wrote:
>
> > ...
> > If I were extra paranoid about certain tasks and were to detect
> > deadlocks, as a first though I suppose I would use the ATC
> > construct, ...
>
> I think there is generally great value in using an ATC to provide
> a timeout to a call to a service which is external (to the program
> or module), since this helps to ensure that your program or module
> is not stymied by something outside its control, as well as
> protecting against 'big ring' deadlock.

In the implementation of Claw, we use timed entry calls in places where
Windows might leave us deadlocked. While the problem is usually a mistake by
the user of Claw, we figured people would figure out a lot quicker if they
got Message_Error instead of their program stopping unexpectedly!

                          Randy.