bug#48113: Module suggestion: timeout

[Simon Josefsson]

severity 48113 wishlist
retitle 48113 Self-test timeout functionality
thanks

Karl Berry <karl@freefriends.org> writes:

>     What do bug-automake people think?
>
> For myself, I have no objection to sprinkling timeout commands through
> the Automake test infrastructure wherever appropriate. It's not ever
> going to rise to the top of my own list of things to do, though, so if
> it's going to happen, you or someone will have to write the patch.
>
> Of course I don't speak for Jim, but from what he's said in the past,
> I suspect he is in a similar situation.

Thanks for confirming that it isn't an obviously bad idea.  Tagging this
as a wishlist bug, and improving the bug title a bit.

> No one else has come forward to work on Automake, despite my plea
> (https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/automake/2021-03/msg00018.html),
> so I guess that's where we are.

Ah right -- I'll see if I can help in any way, but will respond
separately.

>     the functionality could be opt-in initially, 
>
> Certainly.
>
>     and then after a few years become the default behaviour.
>
> Personally, I think it should be opt-in forever. People could easily
> have test suites that need to run for days. I prefer not to
> unnecessarily break compatibility.

Yes, I probably agree with this -- chosing the default timeout setting
is difficult as it will most likely just cause problems for some people
with long-running tests, and not solve the initial problem for some
other people (that have small projects and a timeout of 5 minutes is
what you want).  Better leave this up the each project to decide.

/Simon

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