alarm(2)                         UNIX System V                         alarm(2)


NAME
      alarm - set a process alarm clock

SYNOPSIS
      #include <unistd.h>

      unsigned alarm(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)].

      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.

      fork sets the alarm clock of a new process to 0 [see fork(2)].  A process
      created by the exec family of routines inherits the time left on the old
      process's alarm clock.

SEE ALSO
      fork(2), exec(2), pause(2), signal(2), sigset(2).

DIAGNOSTICS
      alarm returns the amount of time previously remaining in the alarm clock
      of the calling process.


























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