ALARM(2)                             SysV                             ALARM(2)



NAME
     alarm - set a process alarm clock

SYNOPSIS
     unsigned alarm (sec)
     unsigned sec;

DESCRIPTION
     alarm instructs the alarm clock of the calling process to send the signal
     SIGALRM to the calling process after the number of real-time seconds
     specified by sec have elapsed (see signal(2)).  Processor scheduling
     delays may prevent the process from handling the signal as soon as it is
     generated.

     Alarm requests are not stacked; successive calls reset the alarm clock of
     the calling process.

     If sec is 0, any previously made alarm request is canceled.

SEE ALSO
     pause(2), signal(2), sigpause(2), sigset(2).

DIAGNOSTICS
     alarm returns the amount of time previously remaining in the alarm clock
     of the calling process or zero if there was no previous alarm request.