gistfile1.txt

#!/usr/bin/ruby

log = File.open('thread.log','w') ## logging to see threads flow.

TIMEOUT = 3
t1 = Time.now

## Start a timer thread
timer = Thread.start  {
  log.puts 'Started.. '
  while( true )
      t2 = Time.now
      time_diff = ( t2 - t1 )
      if ( time_diff >= TIMEOUT )
        log.puts "timer initiating time out..." ## Check for timeout
        break ## if timeout, then finish this thread
      else
        ## Log this if you really want to
        #log.puts "Time diff is #{time_diff}"
      end
  end
}
log.puts "Continuing processing.."
log.puts "Sleeping for more than #{TIMEOUT} seconds .. "

## Start the actual processor thread e.g. do the network invocation instead of sleep.
processor = Thread.start {
  log.puts 'Starting thread 2'
  sleep 4 ## Raise to simulate timeout/Lower to simulate OK condition
}


## Monitor the 2 threads. The one that finishes first is good thread, kill the other.
while( true )
  if not processor.alive?
    log.puts("processor is dead, so processing is complete, killing thread 1")
    timer.kill if timer.alive?
    break
  else
    if timer.alive?
      log.puts("timer is alive, continuing processing...")
      sleep 1 ## Comment this to poll continously
    else
      log.puts("timer is dead, timeout has occured, kill processor")
      processor.kill if processor.alive?
      break
    end
  end
end

log.puts "Done."