[erlang-questions] Synchronous way to handle timeout between gen_server(s)

[Attila Rajmund Nohl]

Hello!

Exactly what would you like to achieve? If you don't expect serv2 to
freeze, you can set the timeouts in the gen_server:calls to infinity.

2013/10/22 Tien Le <letien83@REDACTED>:
> Hi,
>
> Please look at my sample code below. I have 2 gen_servers (serv1 and serv2).
> serv1 start_link serv2, and traps exit.
>
> %%% serv1:do/0 implementation: %%%
> do() ->
>     gen_server:call(serv1, do).
>
> handle_call(do, _From, State) ->
>     Result = serv2:do(),
>     {reply, Result, State}.
>
>
> %%% serv2:do/0 implementation: %%%
> do() ->
>     gen_server:call(serv2, do).
>
> handle_call(do, _From, State) ->
>     %% Something that takes time like timer:sleep/1
>     Result = timer:sleep(5000),
>     {reply, Result, State}.
>
>
> As you can see that serv1's gen_server:call and serv2's gen_server:call have
> the same timeout value (5000ms by default).
>
> When I call serv1:do().
> serv1 always terminates first due to timed out:
>
> =CRASH REPORT==== 22-Oct-2013::10:26:38 ===
>   crasher:
>     initial call: serv1:init/1
>     pid: <0.43.0>
>     registered_name: serv1
>     exception exit: {timeout,{gen_server,call,[serv2,do]}}
>       in function  gen_server:terminate/6 (gen_server.erl, line 747)
> ...
>
> One workaround is to increase the timeout of serv1 and serv2
> gen_server:call/3, like this:
> gen_server:call(serv1, do, 5020) => gen_server:call(serv2, do, 5010) =>
> timer:sleep(5000)
>
> I would like to ask you if there's any nicer and synchronous way to handle
> the timeout in this case?
>
>
>
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