How Can I Set a Time Limit on Python\'s `raw_input` Function?

Time Limit on raw_input in Python

raw_input is a Python function used to wait for user input. It does not provide a way to specify a time limit, which might be desirable in certain scenarios.

Solution

To set a time limit on raw_input, one approach is to use the signal.alarm function, which sends a SIGALRM signal to the process after the specified time expires. Here's a code snippet:

import signal

def alarm_handler(signum, frame):
    raise KeyboardInterrupt

def raw_input_with_timeout(prompt, timeout):
    signal.alarm(timeout)
    try:
        return input(prompt)
    except KeyboardInterrupt:
        return None
    finally:
        signal.alarm(0)  # cancel the alarm

This code installs an alarm handler that raises a KeyboardInterrupt exception when the time limit is reached, which effectively skips the raw_input function.

Alternatively, for cross-platform or Windows-specific solutions, one can use threading.Timer or poll msvcrt.kbhit in Windows to achieve similar functionality.

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