3.8 The signal Module

The signal module is used to install your own signal handlers, as Example 3-11 shows. When the interpreter sees a signal, the signal handler is executed as soon as possible.

Example 3-11. Using the signal Module

File: signal-example-1.py

import signal
import time

def handler(signo, frame):
    print "got signal", signo

signal.signal(signal.SIGALRM, handler)

# wake me up in two seconds
signal.alarm(2)

now = time.time()

time.sleep(200)

print "slept for", time.time() - now, "seconds"

got signal 14
slept for 1.99262607098 seconds