Use Case 4: use a timeout if the resource is busy

Sometimes you need to run a command exclusively as shown in Use Case 1, but you don’t want to wait (enqueue) indefinitely if the lock is currently keep by a different command.

Open two terminals and try this experiment:

1. inside the first terminal write this command at prompt, but do not press “enter”: “flom --resource-timeout=1000 -- ls”
2. inside the second terminal write this command at prompt: “flom -- sleep 10”
3. now press “enter” key at the second terminal (where you have written “flom -- sleep 10”)
4. switch to first terminal and press “enter” key

Expected result:

1. the second terminal pauses for 10 seconds
2. the first terminal displays a warning message: “Resource already locked, the lock was not obtained because timeout (1000 milliseconds) expired”

Terminal 1 output:

tiian@mojan:~$ flom --resource-timeout=1000 -- ls
Resource already locked, the lock was not obtained because timeout (1000 millise
conds) expired
tiian@mojan:~$ echo $?
98
tiian@mojan:~$ 

Terminal 2 output:

tiian@mojan:~$ flom -- sleep 10
tiian@mojan:~$ 

Explanation:

command “sleep 10” locks the default resource, command “ls” tries to lock the same resource, but it can wait only 1000 milliseconds (“--resource-timeout=1000” command option) and returns after 1 second.
Using “echo $?” inside the first terminal you can discover the special exit status flom uses to inform you the lock can not be obtained (useful for scripting).

Come back to first terminal…

Execute the command “flom --resource-timeout=1000 -- ls” inside the terminal, without locking the resource from the second terminal (you must not execute “flom -- sleep 10” in the second terminal!).

Expected result:

You see the execution of “ls” command: the resource is free and the lock is immediately acquired by this session.

Terminal output:

tiian@mojan:/usr$ flom --resource-timeout=1000 -- ls
bin  games  include  lib  lib64  local	sbin  share  src
tiian@mojan:/usr$ 

Summary

This use case allows you to synchronize commands/scripts avoiding time unlimited enqueing: your command will be executed “lock protected” if the resource becomes available before the timeout expires or you will catch a special exit status if the resource is busy and the command can not be performed.
The blocking with timeout behavior can be obtained using “-o NumberOfMilliseconds”, “--resource-tiemout=NumberOfMilliseconds” command option or “Resource/Timeout” property inside configuration files.

See also

FLoM available arguments are documented in man page: use man flom.
FLoM configuration explains how you can specify flom behavior without using command line arguments.