From: ara.t.howard@...
Date: 2006-11-12T05:07:28+09:00
Subject: Re: print message if user does nothing for x seconds?

On Sun, 12 Nov 2006, Ben Thomas wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> Only just started using ruby so this may be really simple to do, but here 
> goes:
>
> I'm trying to write a program that asks a user to enter their sex using 
> "gets" but if the user doesn't type anything for about 5 seconds I want to 
> print a message, like "Please enter something..." then go back to the gets 
> prompt. I've tried using the "sleep x" method but it doesn't seem to work 
> because once gets has been initiated it gets stuck there until something is 
> entered.
>
> Oh I don't have to use gets, but this is the only method of input I'm aware 
> of at the moment
>
> Hope this makes sense,
> Ben


if you're on windows give up now.  otherwise try this:

     harp:~ > cat a.rb
     require 'timeout'

     def prompt question, opts = {}
       timeout = Integer(opts['timeout'] || opts[:timeout] || 42)
       max = Integer(opts['max'] || opts[:max] || 42)
       default = opts['default'] || opts[:default]
       prod = (opts['prod'] || opts[:prod] || 'hey! wake up!').to_s

       answer = default
       prompt = "\r#{ question }: "
       prod = "\r#{ prod }"

       if prompt.size > prod.size
         prod += (' ' * (prompt.size - prod.size))
       end
       if prod.size > prompt.size
         prompt += (' ' * (prod.size - prompt.size))
       end

       max.times{
         begin
           print prompt
           STDOUT.flush
           Timeout::timeout(timeout){ answer = gets }
           break
         rescue Timeout::Error
           print prod
           STDOUT.flush
           sleep 2
         end
       }

       answer
     end

     answer = prompt 'the question', 'timeout' => 5, 'max' => 2

     p 'answer' => answer




-a
-- 
my religion is very simple.  my religion is kindness. -- the dalai lama